Something I never thought would be a bit of a trend with Black Metal in the 2020’s would be bands with serious musical talent and artistic direction focusing on different historical periods and times, such as Kanonenfieber, 1914, Minenwerfer and now, Antrisch, who have, before this album, released an EP, a studio album and a live album; all of excellent quality, which this reviewer can attest to.
Antrisch, like Kanonenfieber, are German, and focus on historical events; their blend of Atmospheric and Melodic Black Metal seriously on point, with this, their second full-length album, ‘Expedition III: Renitenzpfad’; the thematic thread of the album focusing on a Spanish expedition of conquistadores searching for El Dorado; the fabled golden city.
One of the things that drew me to Antrisch previously was the vocals and everything being in a different language (German in this case), not to mention the refreshing change of inspiration for lyrics and artwork, away from Satanic and anti-religious sentiment. The vocals are a wonderfully pained, shrieking and sometimes haunting wail, anguished and piercing, which truly complement the darkness of the excellent Black Metal sound that Antrisch have perfected.
The German language just sounds so perfect for this type of vocal; so visceral, shrill and cutting, bringing forth imagery of a truly tortured vocalist shredding his own vocal cords to get a point across within this narrative, with tracks like ‘Hidalgo Infernal, Der Baskiche Wolf’ even having a slowed down section, complete with a flamenco-inspired solo, before an ear-curdling vocal erupts forth and the riffing and screams ramp up exponentially.
The drumming is fantastic too, relentless and thunderous in places, reinforcing the tracks but never taking precedence over the brilliant riffing and tempo changes. A track like ‘Nattern and Narren’ feels longer than it actually is, but in the best way possible; the furious riffing and screamed vocals making it a standout track (though the entire album is best enjoyed in its entirety)
As previously mentioned, Antrisch’s discography consists of an EP, a debut studio album and a live album; and this reviewer has all of them; forming a picture of just how cohesive and creative Antrisch are with their back catalogue, with each release pinpointing how vital and unique they are within the pantheon of German Black Metal, and now with this release, their second full-length album, being a serious contender for Album of the Year; high praise indeed in April, but it is warranted, given just how impressive and firm the sound that Antrisch has made all their own.
