De doden hebben het goed

Released in 2015, 'De doden hebben het goed' (The dead have it good) is the debut full-length from the Belgian trio Wiegedood. Comprising members of Amenra, Oathbreaker, and Hessian, the band was formed as a vehicle for a more direct and aggressive form of black metal than their primary projects. The album is the first part of a trilogy that would define the band's early career. Sonically, it is characterized by a lack of traditional black metal tropes like corpse paint or satanic imagery, focusing instead on themes of loss and the bleakness of existence. Recorded with a focus on natural, powerful production, the album stands out for its ability to maintain a 'wall of sound' density using only two guitars and drums. It was widely praised by critics at sites like Pitchfork and CVLT Nation for its emotional weight and technical proficiency, quickly establishing Wiegedood as a leading force in the European extreme metal scene.