Entgeist is back at it again.
Active since 2014, the German band comprising Tim (vocals), Randy (bass), Lars (guitar), Sergej (guitar), and Godvaser (drums) brings us Welk, the follow-up to their debut album, after a four-year wait.
The album opens with Am Rande der Finsternis and its gentle melancholy that easily fills the air before distortion joins the fray, quickly followed by violence, both in the riffs and in the ferocious vocals that complement the waves of aggression. Black Metal’s roots respond to more dissonant touches that punctuate the progression of the fury until a slightly more measured finale that flares up again before giving way to Gefangen in der Zeit, where the sound is more imposing, more massive, and crushing. There are still a few groovy touches before the Old School influences resurface, this time accompanied by icy, piercing harmonics that dance at a different pace, hypnotizing us as they lead us to the catchy Auserzählt, which offers more regular but no less disorienting changes in rhythm. The track doesn’t hesitate to hit us at will while distilling its darkness, which sometimes captivates us before giving way to Imperfektion, which adopts an approach just as unpredictable as its predecessor, with that touch of technicality in the rhythm section, but also that ability to grant us a moment’s respite while keeping its intensity intact. Lethargie weicht Wut offers a lighter, hazier tone and once again, a deeply melancholic one amidst bursts of intensity, creating an intriguing contrast that the band handles to perfection, though it eventually gives way to pure aggression before a gentler conclusion that lets us drift into Fatigue, a soothing, minimalist interlude where we catch our breath once more. Darkness and ferocity immediately take hold of the rhythm as Fassade begins, propelling us into a murky pool where all the elements struggle energetically, forming a natural tidal wave that sweeps us along with it, but like any storm, the track reserves a gentler eye of the storm for us. It’s composed of a few prog patterns, but the violence is never far away, striking one last time before Ein Flammenmeer’s oppressive weight takes over and drowns us in turn in a dark yet haunting whirlwind that grows increasingly suffocating, to the point of making its leads barely bearable. Another unexpected explosion comes with Verwelkt, a track that opens with surprising avant-garde tones before eventually giving way to far more intoxicating melodies, as well as chaotic and impenetrable passages of breathtaking intensity, leading into Funkenspiel, the long final composition that begins with an intriguing, clear sound that won’t last, giving way to its usual torrent of darkness interspersed with more intricate sections which in no way hinder the progression toward the break before the sound thickens definitively, making the atmosphere barely breathable for the finale that surges into silence.
Although Entgeist is a relatively young band, its identity is already firmly established, balancing a heavy atmosphere with visceral passages. Don’t expect Welk to pass by without leaving a mark, as the album features some truly… surprising moments.
85/100