#weltenbrandt — Public Fediverse posts

Hurtling into the new year with his heart on his sleeve (and bones on his shirt), Ellende’s one-man maestro L.G. bids to set a high bar for 2026. Zerfall, the band’s first new material since 2022,1 continues where Ellenbogengesellschaft left off, further polishing the allure of classically infused black metal. Conjuring comparisons to compatriots Harakiri for the Sky and Weltenbrandt,2 Austria’s Ellende lives somewhere between post and depressive black metal, unapologetically tackling poignant themes with passionate performances and crisp clarity. Translating to ‘decay,’ Zerfall examines the agony of a life fractured by loss and the painstaking endeavor to reclaim inner peace afterwards. Does Ellende’s latest prevail in capturing the haunting sting of tragedy and the catharsis of acceptance, or does it Zerfall short?

The aural evolution from Ellenbogengesellschaft to Zerfall flows like a frosty stream, with stirring strings and restrained piano evoking a sophisticated grace alongside Ellende’s more traditional blackened wrath. In many ways, the mettle that pushed Ellenbogengesellschaft to new heights shines even brighter here, packing more texture and ideas into Zerfall’s composition. In particular, the dedication to vocal variety begets a more nuanced performance and adds enticing wrinkles to an already dense soundscape. Choirs, whispers, and rasps swirl together in an eddy of sonic splendor, and as I revisit past Ellende albums, this dimension more than any other stands as a testament to how L.G. continues to find ways to refine and enrich his project’s musical identity.

Zerfall by Ellende

Performances across Zerfall dazzle, with the overarching imperative to buoy emotional impact before all else. While there’s little here to sate those who obsess over technical wizardry, I’ve rarely been so in tune with the spirit of music without understanding any of the words.3 Ellende’s central narrative on Zerfall follows a rollercoaster of emotional states, ranging from intense passion (“Wahrheit Teil I,” Wahrheit Teil II”) to sullen contemplation (“Übertritt”) and adventurous perspective-seeking (“Reise”). The music bolsters these themes, as resonant bass plucks support moments of introspection while anger and pain manifest in blackened wails (“Ode ans Licht”). Ellende’s fusion of feeling into melody sparkles with vitality, where even the two bonus tracks preserve (if not outright enhance) Zerfall’s tender luster. Throughout, dreamily sustained chords entwine with buzzing tremolos, drenching the album with atmosphere, while soulful guitar leads emerge with megadoses of seasoning to ensure proceedings are never bland (“Wahrheit Teil I,” “Zerfall”). Instrumentally, Zerfall presents a lush experience that rewards multiple listens to unravel and appreciate its complex flavors.

Besides Ellende’s lyrical and musical cohesion, Zerfall offers an organic production and boasts a track list that wards off weak songs as well as standout moments. The bright production and mix allow the intricate web of instrumentation to breathe, from the sharp percussive click of a pick on acoustic guitar to the slight warble of a bow’s stroke across a violin. No track is dispensable, either—opener “Nur” is closest, yet it effectively establishes Zerfall’s mood at the outset. What’s most telling as I examine my time with Zerfall is the consistency with which I’ve listened to it, both actively and passively. Every track has the same number of plays, and when I reflect on why, it’s clear that while no track should be skipped, no individual moment galvanizes me to spin it again outside of its surrounding context. For an album so steeped in impassioned expressionism, Zerfall never quite attains the zenith of drama needed to fully achieve a euphoric climax of mounting tension and emotion, and this missing ingredient holds it back from greatness.

In his review of Ellenbogengesellschaft, Doomy observed that each release hones Ellende’s songwriting. Zerfall is no exception, taking what worked on prior albums to cultivate a more mature iteration. What began as L.G.’s outlet for introverted misanthropy has developed into a layered project that wields pathos like a knife, cutting to your emotional core with a deft flick of the wrist. Musically, I remember 2025 getting off to a slow start, and Ellende excites me for what 2026 has in store. Even if the coming year doesn’t live up to expectations, Zerfall establishes a surefire safety net of quality and feels.

Rating: Very Good!!
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: AOP Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: January 2nd, 2026

Jord – Emellan Träden Review

By Killjoy

Jord began life in pretty much the exact way one would expect of an atmospheric black metal act. Founder Jörgen “Jurg” Ström would take daily walks through the forests of Sweden during fall 2020, during which he decided to start a nature-oriented musical endeavor. He quickly released two albums, Sol and Måne, on his own before recruiting guitarist Sebastian “Hravn” Svedlund and drummer Stefan Jansson, both of whom he had briefly performed with in Rimfrost and its splinter group Omnicidal. They worked together to create Tundra in 2023, and now look to extend their productive streak with Emellan Träden, Jord’s fourth full-length record in five years.

Jord is a sharp change of pace from the rowdy Rimfrost and Omnicidal, but by no means an unwelcome one. The earlier material that Jurg composed while living a nomadic van lifestyle is a faintly blackened post-rock, suggesting that he mainly listened to Alcest’s Kodama while driving. Emellan Träden retains a similar, albeit more refined, sound. Jord splashes in the same honey-sweet mountain lake as Einvigi or Vorna, the melodies steeped generously in the emotive splendor of Eneferens. The new band members appear to have brought more urgency and heft to Jord. Riffs are more plentiful and Hravn takes every opportunity to erupt in a lively guitar solo. Jansson’s drum beats are more forceful, pairing well with a bass tone that’s crunchy like crisp autumn leaves on the ground.

At first, Emellan Träden may seem more homogeneous than it actually is. Closer attention reveals ample variety, but more in the placement of the building blocks rather than the blocks themselves. For instance, the piano is central to Jord’s sound. Its simple yet wistful melodies underpin several songs (“Stay,” “King of the Night,” “Prinsessan Och Hästen”) in a manner like unto Kauan or Weltenbrandt. Jurg’s vocals are mainly a gravelly growl with a good amount of bite, but in “Stay” he adopts a sharper, rhythmic tone somewhat analogous to Vincent Jones (Æther Realm). His voice serves as an effective contrast with the female singing1 in “Hon Kallar,” which, when paired with a violi,n casts a hearty folk glow. Emellan Träden could have benefitted from a few more moments like this.

Emellan Träden strikes a decent balance between tranquility and heaviness. Jord seems most comfortable with a mid-paced tempo, where the emotional songwriting can shine brightest. The slight over-reliance on this trait might fall a bit flat for some listeners, but when Jord gets it right, the results are efficacious. “Vid Muren” starts off slow as an acoustic guitar intermingles with the electric, then gradually ramps up in velocity and intensity, culminating with a brisk guitar solo that could have sounded out of place without prior setup. Hravn’s soloing is one of the highlights of Emellan Träden, and “Den Brandgula Salen” in particular has the fingerprints of Rimfrost’s Expedition: Darkness all over it. The overall flow of Emellan Träden isn’t perfect, and at times a little jerky, but it’s nonetheless a treat to listen to as a whole.

While Jord’s origins may be stereotypical, its output quality is considerably above average. Emellan Träden is perhaps not the most original post-black record, but it’s among the better-executed ones I’ve heard in the style. Refreshingly, the melancholy and somberness are more of a tool than an end goal. The piano is a simple yet pleasant touch that goes a long way toward helping the music feel inviting. Emellan Träden is very good, but it feels like it’s missing that last little oomph of vitality to become great. Even so, it’s my idea of a perfect album to kick off this fall season.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 192 kbps mp3
Label: Hammerheart Records
Websites: jord-northernsilence.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/jordsounds
Releases Worldwide: September 5th, 2025

#2025 #35 #Alcest #AtmosphericBlackMetal #Einvigi #EmellanTräden #Eneferens #HammerheartRecords #Jord #Kauan #Omnicidal #PostRock #PostBlackMetal #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #Rimfrost #Sep25 #SwedishMetal #Vorna #Weltenbrandt

Weltenbrandt – Transzendenz Schatten Romantik Review

By Steel Druhm

Written by: Nameless-n00b_86

As the temperature where I live begins to inch downward, I find serenity in bleak yet beautiful post-black metal. Weltenbrandt is a relatively new Austrian post-black band looking to make a name for themselves in the review scene with their second full-length album Transzendenz Schatten Romantik. This is fitting because I, too, am attempting to make a name for myself—both literally and figuratively—on the other side of the review process.1 I eagerly tore open my very first promo, which informed me of several guest vocalist appearances from bands like Harakiri for the Sky and Ellende (among others). While I went in with few expectations for Weltenbrandt, they were slightly raised by virtue of association with such heavy hitters in the genre. Can Weltenbrandt reach the same level of quality and—perhaps more importantly—differentiate themselves from their peers?

A somewhat paradoxical duality is immediately apparent when listening to Transzendenz Schatten Romantik. Half the album is composed of melodic black metal, most commonly with mid-paced tremolo riffs and a dolorous atmosphere similar to NONE. The other half expands upon the sound of the debut album Schöpfung with heartfelt instrumental sections in the vein of Unreqvited. On paper, neither of these components is particularly new or noteworthy. However, what makes Transzendenz Schatten Romantik impressive is the ease with which it ebbs and flows between the black metal and the peaceful instrumental passages. For instance, “Prana” opens with a simple choral melody that melds into a post-black verse and then aids the handoff to the string arrangement in the middle. Like a pair of tightly entwined ropes, both parts are stronger together than they would be individually.

If I had to choose a single word to describe Transzendenz Schatten Romantik, it would be “varied”. Founder, songwriter, and vocalist Bernhard Zieher has a knack for using many different tools in ways that feel natural. Many of the songs pull from an array of pianos, strings, choral backing vocals, synths, and acoustic guitars to infuse emotion into the music. There’s also a range of tempos within and between songs. While none are quite funereal in tempo, some are slower and tend to feature more of the aforementioned alternative instrumentation (“Melancholia Urgewalt,” “Resilienz,” and “Broken Crosses”). Others are faster and more guitar-heavy, reminding the listener that this is still black metal at heart (“Apotropaion” and “Tiefste Rast”). Then there are, of course, the two interlude tracks. In my experience, instrumental interludes usually fulfill one of two roles in an album: pleasant palate cleanser or pointless distraction. Thankfully, both “Ornament” and “Serenade” fall under the former category and contribute in a small way to the overall atmosphere and flow of the album.

As refreshing as the instrumentation is, the element that could benefit from more diversity would be the vocals. No less than four guest vocalists are crammed into Transzendenz Schatten Romantik: P.G. of Groza on “Apotropaion,” J.J. of Harakiri for the Sky/Karg on “Prana,” Silvano of Regnum Noricum on “Broken Crosses” and L.G. of Ellende on “Tiefste Rast.” That’s an abundance of guests, considering the total runtime is only 39 minutes across 9 tracks (7 full-length songs). While they certainly don’t detract from the record, they all perform harsh vocals that don’t add much above and beyond Zieher’s snarls and screams. Having relatively few tracks with solely the main vocalist undermines this fledgling band’s identity to some degree. Furthermore, this brand of highly melodic and emotional black metal can be elevated by clean vocals—Vorna’s gorgeous album Aamunkoi from last year is a stellar example—so the lack of a guest singer to complement Zieher seems like a missed opportunity.

Despite these minor concerns, almost everything that Weltenbrandt attempts lands well, which is surprising for such a young band. They have succeeded in writing an album worthy of being mentioned and played alongside the more established groups that lent their voices to Transzendenz Schatten Romantik while carving out their own style in the genre. It’s a strong effort that is barely held back from a higher score by some slight reservations (and the fact that Steel removed the 4th key from all n00b-issued keyboards after Holdeneye went through the program). I can heartily recommend this album to any inclined towards the softer side of black metal or those looking to get a head start on autumn moods in the Northern Hemisphere.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: WAV | Format Reviewed: WAVY
Label: Self-Release
Websites: weltenbrandt.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/weltenbrandt
Releases Worldwide: August 25th, 2024

#2024 #35 #Aug24 #AustrianMetal #DepressiveBlackMetal #Ellende #Groza #HarakiriForTheSky #Karg #RegnumNoricum #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #TranszendenzSchattenRomantik #Unreqvited #Vorna #Weltenbrandt