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Band: Totengeflüster
Album title: Im Nebel der Vergänglichkeit
Release date: 18 August 2017
Label: Pale Essence Music
Tracklist:
01. Ein fernes Irrlicht
02. Ein Spiegel der nur Lügen speit
03. Fahle Mähre
04. Verfall und Siechtum
05. Von purpurn blühender Dämmerung
06. Styx
07. Totengeflüster
08. Ich lebe
09. Des Mondes bleiche Kinder
10. One With The Void
11. Creatio Ex Nihilo
12. In Nebeln toter Träume
Even if this year offered us some amazing black metal albums, the genre as it is has became filled with countless bands that are just repeating the same old stuff over and over again, some of them are trying to reach new dimensions which sometimes have almost nothing to do with black metal anymore, a lot of mediocrity is present today in this style, but there are still some bands who reminds us why this specific extreme genre can be so grandiose, one of them is Totengeflüster. It was in the beginning of 2013 when I came around this amazing band from southern Germany, it was when they released their debut album Vom Seelensterben, and already on it they showed some really high class symphonic black metal. At that time as a trio, now the band became a five piece group with the addition of new bass player and second guitarist. The sophomore album, Im Nebel der Vergänglichkeit, is another masterwork, even more detailed, more perfective and more individual than it was the debut. The band got rid off almost completely of the evident influences by Dimmu Borgir or Cradle Of Filth, which were amply present and crafted some sort of dramatic, symphonic, highly atmospheric black metal with plenty of elements taken fron classical music.
Im Nebel der Vergänglichkeit is a journey into darkness, it's an album consisting of 12 lush tracks of intense captivating black metal. In the first place this is fiery and dark symphonic black metal, but it's so very versatile that it must appeal to almost every fan of the genre. Ok, you want find any kind of post-black-shoegazing in here, instead of this the album has imense power, it's very dynamic from start to finish, each of the tracks is rich in layers that just need to be discovered with every subsequent listen. I was impressed by the dramatic nature of this album, it's like a spellbinding soundtrack for the ritual when witches are conjuring the devil in his most evident form. Plentitude of classical orchestrations, gloomy but playful piano sounds, kind of a bleak horror ambiances and often symphonic gothic synths create such a lush multidimensional dark ambiental soundscape. Guitar riffs are aggressive, sharp but at the same time technical and often catchy, the tracks are powered up by blastbeats and strong devastating rhythmic line, turbulent yet very precise drumming when going in full speed. Not to mention the vocals, so very intense and varied, I can easily say that Narbengrund Nihilis is one of the best vocalist inside the genre, he can easily go from high pitched shrieks, sometimes sounding like a severely wounded beast, to brutal death growls and then offering some amazing deep dark recitals. Melodic rhythms are taking turns with full crushing sectors and dark atmospheric parts, yet the sound is throughout very consistent and has some kind of dark seductiveness.
It seems that Totengeflüster found the right symbiosis between atmospheric and aggressive sound. The album has certain cinematic feel which starts already with the obscure intro. Between tracks there are some dark instrumental interludes which just add another level of drama to this album. I was so very impressed by the tracks like is foe example "Verfall und Siechtum", with those sparkling piano touches and some amazing guitar lines, or the dramatic and epic "Von purpurn blühender Dämmerung", building nicely up the tension and where the vocalist delivers such an amazing performance, easily prevailing over most of todays black metal vocalists. The band keeps some kind af a horror ambiance and cinematic feeling at the high rate throughout the whole album. The sound is beastly and devasting, it has depth and seamless flow, just listen to the track named after the band "Totengeflüster" or "Ich Lebe", not to mention the intense "Des Mondes bleiche Kinder", what a powerful rhythmic line in here, before it proceeds into the magnificient, the only one with lyrics in English, "One With The Void", where deep clean demonic speech forms a hauntingly captivating duet with demonic shrieks. What a mesmerizing rather melancholic atmosphere the band reached in this outstanding melodic piece which just breathe darkness.
Im Nebel der Vergänglichkeit is a stunning and rich album, not only that every single track offers something unique, everything is constantly kept on a high level and with style. This is a blackened sonic journey into the most thick darkness. This is one of those multilayered albums that needs a lot of listen to be finally revealed in all its depth and glory. Great productional value is another surplus, not to mention the great mystical artwork done by Simon Bossert aka Totleben of Metal Artworks, also bands main composer and guitarist. If Totengeflüster remained a bit overlooked and kept in shadow after their debut album, I'm almost sure that this is now about to change, this band is destined to become one of the biggest black metal acts coming from Europe. Those of you searching for the ultimate symphonic black metal album should stop by this one, it might be the one!
Review written by: T.V.
Rating: 9/10
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