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The new Dornenreich album! I didn´t know anything from them since they released their last opus around 2001. I always have positive expectations when a band takes their time before releasing each album. How would the new stuff sound? Let´s see... An eerie, calm intro gently ushers us before the entrance to “Hexenwind”. This time the sound is less manifold than in previous releases, and the song patterns are more solid and stable without the extravagant tempo changes and variations shown in the past. Using guitars in a constant ambient approach, there is sort of a neofolk feeling floating on. It´s got relatively monotonous harmonic lines and repetitive patterns, the style in general is much more melodic than before, away from desperation or wrath. “Hexenwind” is rather an evocative mysterious album rather than a fierce black metal release. In fact it´s impossible to categorize it as black metal... The guitar sound that leads the metallic ensemble is quite similar to Ulver´s “Bergtatt”, and the whole feeling of the album as well could remind of that opus by the Norwegians. Dornenreich have polished clearly their music, now it´s not bizarrely structured, nor includes alien elements as noises or numerous whispers, it´s like all the elements were this time more wisely used. The collective arrangements are much better now, despite the overall style has changed significantly. Evocative metal, almost pastoral I´d say, that´s “Hexenwind” about in my own words. Mostly tranquil and ambiental, profusely adorned with glossy melancholic nuances through vocals and mellow guitars. A strong neofolk sentiment is present in some moments, I insist; even “Aus Längst Verhalltem Lied” could impersonate a dark folk song without any problem. More accesible than the predecessor “Her Von Welken Nachten”, this album captures the essence of ambient metal with wit and good taste.
| Tracklist |
| 1. Von Der Quelle |
| 2. Der Hexe Flammend' Blick |
| 3. Der Hexe Nächtlich' Ritt |
| 4. Aus Längst Verhalltem Lied |
| 5. Zu Träumen Wecke Sich, Wer Kann |
: 43.01
| Buy other Dornenreich albums |
