Verdunkeln

Einblick In Den Qualenfall

Van Records 2007

It seems like Van has signed another winner with Germany's Verdunkeln which is a side project for members of Graupel.  Adding a touch of mystery and fantastic long-forgotten landscapes, Verdunkeln manages to twist a folkloric angle into its black metal cauldron.  Slow and melancholic with a bass heavy groove, In Die Irre exudes an atmosphere of ancient forests out of its every pore.  Im Zwiespalt is at times tranquil and contemplative with stark guitars and at other times it is majestic as it lashes out with bombastic chords.  On Der Quell is where the magic truly reaches its acme due to the most interesting and slightly off-kilter vocal performance I have heard in a long time.  A layering of unbalanced clean Viking-esque vocals overlap subdued black metal rasps which dominate a mid tempo guitar rumble.  Whereas Die Saat Der Klinge has a strong Burzum (circa Hvis Lyset Tar Oss) feel as its wall of fuzz and noise guitars are nestled closely to simple yet evocative keyboards.   The black metal hymn to ancient living that acts as the album closer serves as a fitting memorial to a past consumed with anti-xtian sentiment.  At an over an hours length, Einblick in Die Qualenfall never appears to be ponderous nor does it ever fail to engage the listeners interest.  The drum beats sometimes are quirky and even border on a polka feeling at times.  The black metal vocals usually have a delay effect on them which adds to the atmosphere and feeling of hearing a call from the pages of history rather than a modern voice, that lives and breathes.  Though not groundbreaking in any sense of the word, somehow Verdunkeln manages to reinvigorate heathenish black metal.  With Einblick in Den Qualenfall, Verdunkeln have successfully conjured up an album that drips with pagan majesty and lives as an organic spirit shrouded with shadows deep in the forested hills.  It is refreshing to hear a rejuvenated take on a sometimes tired genre.