I'm excited that my first album review of 2026 will be a new one from this Austrian project that claimed the number one spot in the top 10 Black Metal albums of 2024. They are atmospheric but with stunning guitar work and a haze of melancholy, embossing their waves of scathing picking. The wrathful vocals are perhaps more scornful this time around. Halfway through the first actual song, a melodic swathe of clean guitar with folk elements emerges. It works from the melodic themes established in the song. In other words, it's on point for what you might expect from these guys if you are already a fan.
The second part of "Wahrheit Teil" starts off as a more melancholic continuation of what they established in the first part, though the difference is that they gain momentum and build this one more aggressively. This does not mean an assault with blast beats. The title track finds them jamming a slow-burning progressive-minded groove into the version of melodic black metal they have clearly mastered. Twin guitar melodies complement their melodic side, going into."Ubertritt"
"Zeiten Wende Teil" is another two-parter, the first part being the kind of sweeping guitar melodies you expect from most black metal that is not singularly focused on blast beats. There is also a sorrowful atmosphere haunting the backdrop. They pick up the attack with a more metallic intensity to the tremolo-picked guitar on the second part. There are some pretty cool riffs on this one as the song progresses, despite not being what I think of as a riffy band. It ends with a great guitar solo.
The last song sets the stage with a sample of a phone message leading into things with a gradual build. This willingness to experiment is one of the things that makes this one of their best releases so far. A chorus of sung vocals breaks things up as they double down on their commitment to melody and great guitar playing. I will give this album a 9.5, setting the bar pretty high for black metal albums to come this year.
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