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THYRGRIM
Erwachen

Talheim (2014)
Rating: 7.5/10

Erwachen is opus number four from these German black metal bandits who’ve been active since 2005, and very prolific since then. It’s been three years since Thyrgrim’s last studio recording, 2011’s Monument, but now they are back with this flesh-rasping ten-tracker which once again showcases the talents of principal band members Kain (guitars / vocals) and Sturmgeist (drums).

Fans of Norwegian black metallers Svarttjern will enjoy this platter due to the fact it combines – with ease – faster, more scathing melody with meatier slower segments.

The album opens with a brief intro before the avalanche of ‘Verräter’, a spiky affair melting together catchy riffs and Kain’s inhospitable rasps of winter. However, things really get going with the fantastic ‘Die Erlösung’; the track begins with moody aplomb courtesy of an electrifying lead, all before hitting the gas and upping the tempo to become a grating icy chill on the bones.

Again, the duo mix melody with elements of speed, but remain accessible throughout. The pair introduce meaty, stabbing, rolling drums and slick riffing before the barrage of ‘Kniet Nieder’, and its malevolent glare of rancid vocal sneers and archetype riffs.

As is always the case with black metal, Thyrgrim can at times be tempted to rely on the abrasive seething style of slightly banal black metal, but they soon shift through the gears to create soundscapes that drag the listener in. The aforementioned ‘Kniet Nieder’ is a prime example of how the band steer into colder climes, but they soon get back on track with the moodier, ominous parts which collate classic metal riffing and darker percussion which, in effect, make the vocals deathlier and more convincing.

This rich vein of melody runs throughout the album more so with a brace of seven-minute epics, ‘Heimkehr’ and ‘Sterbend’, the former rather clicky in its initial drum assault but taking on majestic form with the crashing cymbals and grazing blade of the guitar, which scythe through the snowy terrain. It’s here that the melancholy is in full swing, with the duo creating more sorrowful and regressive noise before resorting to bouts of pace once again.

The drumming on this record is exceptional, although every instrument rises in its own right to add to the swagger which black metal acts often require in order constructing such compositions. Having said that, there is still a generic feel about some of the dynamics and the structures on offer.

Thyrgrim are doing nothing overtly original within the black metal framework, but Erwachen is still a very good record that shows progression of the band throughout their consistent career.

Neil Arnold

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