Through the past few days, I have been struggling to put pen to paper or rather fingertips to keyboard in an effort to write something. Not that any of the music that I’ve had on repeat throughout the week is difficult to appreciate but, rather it was my own creativity I felt was lacking. Verhinderer’s Mittledeutsche Theogonie was the album that broke me from that lethargy. Leipzig based musician Bettler is the sole contributor here to the dreamy and sometimes nightmarish soundscape which I gladly took a journey in. With themes such as mythology and folklore, it was an easy sell. This album in particular seems to draw upon Greek gods and goddesses with names such as Charon and Nyx. With that in mind, it isn’t an overstatement to say each song perfectly encapsulates the essence of what those deities represent in a varied musical form.
We begin with an opening instrumental Apate heavy on the atmosphere. Droning that almost sounds sci-fi in nature against discordant metallic sound. It is an interesting dichotomy between what is to come and in way hints at the circular nature of time. Despite the ancient inspirations, there are elements that keep us fully rooted in the modern.
Eris is our first entry into the more traditional black metal side of this EP which provides everything one could want. Noisy? Check. Pile-driving riffs? Also, check. Vocals straight from the bowels of Tartaros? Delightfully present. A main point in favor of this work is the impeccable mixing, with no one element dominating another. Instead, actively complement each other and intricately weaving together.
The fourth track Charon is my personal recommendation if one were to only listen to one selection from this EP. I am a sucker for dreamy synth work layered against aggressive rhythms. Along with the unexpected turn this song takes (which I refuse to ruin here) this is a true standout. This is the soundtrack of the ruined dreams of nymphs and I love every second of it.
Verhinderer’s Mittledeutsche Theogonie is a fantastical addition for any enjoyer of the genre who craves a bit of flavor in their black metal. I will be diving deeper into their catalog for more gems such as this. Please go support the artist on Bandcamp and until then, hails or something.
