Woods of Ypres

""Adversity, Depression, Nature, Canadiana""

- description of the band's lyrical themes on Encyclopaedia Metallum

Woods of Ypres was a metal band from Ontario, Canada. Beginning in 2002 as a Melodic Black Metal band, with their second release they began to incorporate elements of Doom Metal as well. They have released four albums thus far, all on frontman David Gold's independent labels Krankenhaus Records and Practical Art Records.

The band had a different line-up for each album, with band leader David Gold the only constant member. After a recording session in August 2010, the band seemingly broke up, but this was soon revealed to be a ruse as Gold revealed that they had in fact signed to UK metal label Earache Records, who will be reissuing Woods' first four albums as well as releasing their new fifth album in 2012.

David Gold was killed in a car accident in December 2011.

Last line-up:

 * David Gold: Vocals, guitar, piano (formerly drums)
 * Joel Violette: Lead guitar
 * Shane Madden: Bass, vocals
 * Evan Madden: Drums

Discography:

 * Against the Seasons: Cold Winter Songs from the Dead Summer Heat (2002): First album
 * Pursuit of the Sun & Allure of the Earth (2004): Second album
 * Woods III: Deepest Roots and Darkest Blues (2007): Third album
 * Independent Nature 2002-2007 (2009): Compilation with four songs from each of the first three albums
 * Allure of the Earth (2009): 7-inch vinyl single containing the song "Allure of the Earth" and an instrumental cello cover of the same song
 * Woods 4: The Green Album (2009): Fourth album; first 1000 copies also include the album Slaughter of the Seoul by Korean death/thrash band Necramyth, on which David Gold played drums
 * Home (2011): 7-inch vinyl EP with two songs from the band's August 2010 recording session
 * Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light (2012): Fifth album; not officially released yet, but leaked online by Earache following David Gold's death

Tropes:

 * Anti Love Song: The rather aptly-titled "Move On!".
 * Author Existence Failure
 * Break Up Song: "Shards of Love".
 * Concept Album: Woods 4 and Woods 5.
 * Digital Piracy Is Evil: Notably averted when Woods 5 was leaked by its own label.
 * Epic Rocking: Every album has at least two songs upwards of six minutes.
 * Grim Up North: Shows up occasionally, perhaps most notably in "The Northern Cold".
 * Harsh Vocals
 * Mohs Scale of Rock and Metal Hardness: Most songs range from 7-9, with some veering into 10.
 * Surprisingly Gentle Song: "You are Here with Me (in This Sequence of Dreams)", right after the crushing "Halves and Quarters" on Woods 4.