Ateiggär is awaking again.
After a very promising debut EP in 2019, the Swiss duo consisting of Fauth Temenkeel (guitar/bass/vocals, Arkhaaik, Ungfell…) and Fauth Lantav (drums, Arkhaaik, Ungfell…) announce the release of Tyrannemord, their debut album, on Eisenwald with support from the Helvetic Underground Committee.
The album opens with the gentle De dunkli Ort, a soothing introduction which lets choirs mingle with nature’s sounds before En stille Feind brings raw Black Metal roots. The icy sound coupled with the impressive vocal parts and orchestrations offer a feeling of oppressive and majestic greatness which contrasts with some more aggressive and straightforward parts, drawing from Old School Pagan roots, but the sound breaks to let a soaring interlude drive us to the last phase of this mystical sound, then to Iserni Plag and its cold frantic riffs. The sound is mostly aggressive, but once again the band manages to give it airy tones with these atmospheric orchestrations, but also with those unique and haunting vocals the band skillfully places during the most intense parts, before giving way to the heady melodies of Us Lychegiftig Schlaf verwached. The rhythmic is slower and heavier, creating a cocoon of oppression within which the band makes us navigate between the different shades of darkness without forgetting the few points of rougher rage, feeding the contrast with the more mystical parts, then Die Nacht droht fyschter mir takes over to complete the dark painting with some melodious sounds. Vocals are as confusing as ever, but they perfectly fit with this hazy atmosphere which regularly flares up following the sharp harmonics, while Chron’ und Tod allows us a moment of respite before letting saturation take over clean sound. The Old School roots are also more impressive in this lively rhythmic, as well as on Din Lyb ziert de Altar, the last track, which presents more massive orchestrations composed of heady keyboards and regular bells which punctuate aggressiveness before letting a mystical dark part completely unleash it until the end.
Ateiggär is a band with a unique sound, which skillfully couples sharp Old School influences with a majestic occult atmosphere. It’s hard to believe that Tyrannemord is only their first album as the band shows a marked identity and an intense strength.
90/100