Ernte once again calls upon the dark forces.
Active since 2020, the project bringing together Häxär (guitar/drums) and Askahex (vocals/bass/violin, Ashtar) now offers us its sixth album, Der schwarzen Flamme Vermächtnis.
The duo is accompanied live by Vekum (guitar, Kawir, Black Achemoth…).
Warrior of the Black Flame kicks off with a sword fight, immediately displaying a belligerent attitude framed by the drums, but the first riffs are quick to enter the scene, relying on Old School roots to be effective in both the virulent passages and the slower moments. The abrasive vocals fit perfectly with the various assaults, leading us to The Rise of the Older Ones’ mystical touches and its haunting progression under Askahex‘s roars, only really accelerating for the furious solo. We move on to To Ashes and its disturbing melancholy infused with intoxicating DSBM, which makes us lose track of time and gives rise to a gentle oppression before the rhythm becomes more majestic, alternating between calm and rage, finally giving way to Lucifer, which blows us away with its unhealthy overtones once again. The striking tone also returns, intertwined with its heavy slowness, which naturally turns into pure aggression on Lord of Ascending Flame, then into a hazy moment where a voice sings the praises of the fallen angel before racing back to full speed on Wo sie wandelt, whose embers are already crackling before the arrival of the percussion. The track finally moves towards a moment of contemplation with Neo-Folk touches led by a dissonant violin, welcoming a few disturbing growls, then Ritval Pyre closes the album by returning to black metal and its scathing sounds, but also with a slightly livelier touch that guides the leads.
Ernte‘s art is as raw as it is unhealthy, not hesitating to venture into pure darkness to make Der schwarzen Flamme Vermächtnis what it is: a veritable block of fury with subtleties as unexpected as they are interesting.
80/100