Der Weg einer Freiheit : "Innern"

This album got a great deal of hype this year and is appearing on everyone's top 10 lists for the year, so giving it a listen to see if it holds up to the hype. The opening track does not feel like black metal to me as I am getting hit by a wall of very well-produced massive sounds of epic proportions, but not getting the vibe of darkness from it. It leans a little more in the black direction for the second song, but still feels more blackened to me than straight-up black metal, and this is coming from someone who allows for a broader definition of the genre. I do not need it to sound like the first Mayhem album. 

The deeper into the album, the more I can hear who they are being fleshed out and find them at their most effective when they are not hitting you with the massive blast of sound. "Eos" works of a more interesting version of their aggression thanks to the production that gives a trippier vibe. I appreciate the big epic melodic elements, but there is not a great deal of hook in what they do, and the bulk of this album just kind of goes by me in a massive hypnotic blur. I had to go back and give "Fragment" another listen as it did not grab me the first go around. It opens the door to where they are going on the last song of the album. The harsher, more black metal place they take this works because it was already given the melodic contrast. 

The shoegazing sound of the last song is intriguing, and I find them doing a good job at this sort of thing, even if it does have one foot on the Deafheaven bandwagon.They are good at what they do and I have enjoyed the listens I gave this album though not sure how many repeat listens its going to get from me, will say they deserve recognition, I will give it a 9, which is not making the top 10 black metal albums of the year, but worth your time.

4.8

pst606