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Band: Andras
Album title: Reminiszenzen...
Release date: 20 October 2017
Label: Einheit Produktionen
Tracklist:
01. Im Schatten der Flammen
02. Black Rain
03. Phantasma
04. Zenit
05. Die Tilgung
06. Der blinde Mann
07. Altar der Finsternis
08. Blessed In Sin
09. Anewand
10. Fergunna
11. Der Raubschütz Teil 1
12. Der Raubschütz Teil 2
13. Das Portal
The year 2017 is another year of many considerable albums, but honestly from September on, some true works of art were produced. Without a shadow of a doubt Zornheym, representative of the symphonic black metal, Battle Dagorath of the atmospheric and now, from the horde of pagan black metallers, Andras.
I have yet several albums to choose and compose my top 10 of 2017, But these three are there already. In 20 years, how many black metal bands have appeared and been extinguished or ostracised? Geez, I dare not risk it to say, but the number is certainly astronomical. Well, Andras is on the road since 1994, many metalheads of today still wore diapers at that time and many others were still spermatozoids. By the hands of the Saxon warrior Nightsky, actual guitarist, was born one of the most prolific bands of Germanic pagan black metal. With five demos and six albums, now Andras does not return after seven years of Warlock to disappoint us.
In fact the set of classic works of pagan metal of the quartet is considerable and when analysing their previous albums these warriors surpass previous one with each new album. Some changes have occurred in their line-up and now Andras consists of Nightsky on guitars, Black Abyss on bass, Ghwerig on keyboards and the brand new spiritual entity on board called Khenaz, the lead singer. Khenaz, please hold my hand and take me to heaven, because that's what you provided me with your voice.
This seventh album of the band, Reminiszenzen..., is simply fantastic! A wonderful experience unprecedented in the history of this band. It's an honour to enjoy these 67 minutes of pure 90s style in a very well engineered context, yet with passionate lyrics which deal with nature in a spiritual way and the heresies of humanity when it considers itself superior to everything. The tracks are direct and deep with a stunningly ethereal atmosphere, yet with a demonic aggression in each of them. This guys are legends, they are in another dimension, they acquired with this monumental work of art a place between the gods of black metal. A masterful keyboard that match with other instruments and perfectly sets up this orchestral landscape of incessant beauty. There are many truly epic parts with clean vocals which are interspersed with aggressiveness in perfect simbiosis.
Dirty mouths that could possibly say that the band is moving away from the traditional, can swallow soap. As I said at the beginning, everything, but everything, as far as pagan black metal is concerned, is present in this album. The guitar passages are heavy and still often melodic, the riffs are mesmerizing and an outstanding experience for my ears. Pure darkened art with bewitching melancholy and real passion, this is the kind of an album for those who want to embark on a journey full of passion and divine consciousness of nature and the relations of mankind with his place in this chain.
Andras, once again, did an absolutely stunning work with Reminiszenzen... and every lover of fine dark music art should praise the band. My dream is that someday the hordes of metalheads could really stop listening to crap, and focus on bands that really have something to say and are masters in certain style. In times of social media, where we are drowned in millions of bands without any context with boring and repetitive noises and stupid lyrics, bands like Andras bring me relief. It makes me think that not everything is lost. Thank you so much for this magnificent pagan black metal opus. Long life to the real ones.
Review written by: Felin Frost
Rating: 10/10
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