ANGST

But I must say this album is nothing but progressive… Progressive in terms of mood, originality… Progressive in terms of paranoia unveiled. I can’t think of anyone before to make us feel so clearly and unabashedly that he wants to commit suicide. This being music for an absolutely desperate, shows us how far the music can reach the limits of depression. Of course there will always be some cynics who will laugh about it, but people, c’mon…

Church organs, minimalist textures, some synthetic beats… They make very unnatural combination, but it really works because it emphasizes the hopelessness and pro-suicidal mood, transporting you somewhere beyond the reality a man could take.

From the church organ intro and horrible scream of the Soul In Need (Seele In Not) you’re transported to some Hoffman or E. A. Poe novel, devoid of sunbeams and hope…

1. Seele In Not – As I said it sets the mood for the rest of the album… It starts with the church organ intro and then there goes main theme… Quiet, almost spoken vocals are interrupted by impish howling throughout the song. Near the end guitar comes in shortly. Then the song fades out little by little. Maniacally depressive song. 2. Requiem – This song is slow like the first one and mood it pretty similar too. At the end marching drums fade in and the song ends with great organ theme again… This theme is pseudo-joyful, tragicomic. Shows me a hollow heart… 3. Lacrima Mosa – An instrumental. Depressive and with much reverb effect. 4. Der Ketzer – This song is the most aggressive from these. It starts with the religious speech in Spanish and then the drums and guitar as well as gloomy vocals come in. Here are also spoken female vocals and some howling interruptions. And note, when organ is left playing alone, doesn’t it remind one of Klaus Schulze’s Irrliht a bit? In case some don’t know, Der Ketzer means The Heretic. 5. Der Letzte Hilfeschrei – And this is most paranoid. Pulse of the heartbeat runs through whole song until it stops at the end. The man has died… 6. Tranen Der Existenziosigkeit – This track is again beautiful, dim, slow and the longest, lasting over ten minutes. Near the third minute there are really strange keyboard sounds and at the end suddenly choir comes in for about twenty seconds. Maybe less dramatic but still convincing.

Since this album features mostly keyboard and almost no guitar at all, its definitely not metal. So how to classify it? Gothic? I don’t know, maybe… But from PA sub-genres it’s more closer to Post Rock I think. Slow developing themes, depressive feel… just like GYBE!

Anyway, to put it short, this album is not for everyone but those for it is for (like me) will find this album really touching. For me, it’s the most hopeless album I have heard and it differs much from everything. So I‘m giving it the highest rank.

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