Dornenreich

Having already rejected conventional black metal formulas, Austria’s Dornenreich pursue musical experimentation even further on their latest release, In Luft Geritzt. Acoustic and nearly instrumental, In Luft Geritzt is a variation on the folk metal ideal, although here the metal side of the equation comes through mostly in atmosphere and attitude. Sparse, German vocals punctuate long phrases of violin melodies, strummed guitar chords and mellow tambourine playing — whispers more often than not, or occasionally anguished exclamations that accent rather than dominate the usually soft but consistently fervent instrumental sounds. In Luft Geritzt is dark and contemplative — music for reflection or storytelling rather than drinking and dancing. As such, it’s highly successful and the record maintains its momentum till the final song, which is the first time on the album where things begin to feel stale.