February 2022 Feature Release – The North Edition

So just like that we find that a new month is upon us which of course means that we’ll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we’re asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We’re really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don’t be shy.

This month’s feature release for The North has been nominated by yours truly. It's the underrated "Infektion 1813" seventh album from German black metallers Endstille. Warning: This record is not for the faint of heart. If you don't like black metal of the super-brutal, blasterific variety (Hint: I fuckin' do so sue me) then you may want to sit this one out. Ben & I saw Endstille play this shit live at Hellfest in 2012 & it's needless to say that much chaos ensued. Enjoy this glorious celebration of the blackest art form of all.

https://metal.academy/releases/15655

Think Marduk, Gorgoroth or even 1349 and you are about as bang on as you can get with understanding the sound of Endstille. This does not mean that the album is one dimensional and just all about the face-peeling velocity of proceedings. There is variety here folks but I sense that if you listen to conventional bm then you do not necessarily search for minutiae in your music and Endstille spare you the bother of having to contend with wild variations on a well established theme. Bits of black 'n' roll appear here and there - Bloody H (The Hurt-Gene) - but we get our fair share of ritualistic depravity on the likes of The Deepest Place On Earth which is where those 1349 and Gorgoroth comparisons really start to take root.

The only real surprise here is the inclusion of a ten minute + closing track which seems to go against the grain of the whole album in terms of structure. Its repetition and refusal to give respite adds a new level of grimness to the record overall and although I do not think it fits all that well it by no means ruins anything. Taken as a whole record there is not a lot to dislike in reality; it does the basics well - if not to death on occasion. It is not a remarkable release by any means though. It sticks to a formula and allows for slight diversions away from that blueprint to keep things interesting, but it never reaches any real climaxes or crescendos to deliver any real standout points. As entertaining as it is, it is hard for me to place the marks any higher than this in reality.

3.5/5

Back at the time of release "Infektion 1813" was in high rotation in my car & remained in my playlist for a good few weeks. I think it's fair to say that it made a pretty big impact on me as I was crying out for a more aggressive style of black metal in a market that was becoming increasingly less imposing but time has seen me realigning my view point a touch & dropping my score by a half star. I generally love the ultra-brutal, super-blasting style of pure black metal so there's no surprise that this is my bag but it's not quite as consistent as I remember it being & I wonder if I'd still prefer it to Endstille's previous album "Verführer" which I'm also a fan of. "Infektion 1813" is generally well executed & I don't mind a band that sticks to the classic black metal model when that's the case. I do think I enjoy the more blasting material more than the rest of the tracks though with "When Kathaaria Falls", "Wrecked" & the heavily Immortal-influenced album high point "Satanarchie" being genuine classics in my world. Unlike Vinny, I do think these tracks reach climaxes during the best material, mainly through the intelligent use of transitions between some quality tremolo-picked riffs. The rockier sounding "Bloody H (The Hurt-Gene)" doesn't compare terribly well despite still being pretty enjoyable however the ten minute closer "Endstille (Völkerschlächter)" is simply too lightweight & repetitive for my taste & I could definitely have done without it. Regardless... I love the grimmer stuff included here, especially the vocals when they're at their darkest. I also love the blast beats even if the snare sound is pretty over-powering & could have been better produced. If you love the bands like Marduk, 1349 & Dark Funeral then you'll surely find a fair bit to enjoy here.

4/5

While black metal has come on immensely over the years and is now as diverse a genre as any, I have reservations. Some modern black metal releases feel a bit like menthol cigarettes or alco-pops or those weird toffee-flavoured coffees that have become popular in recent times. Me, I prefer high-caffeine, full-strength, 40 degree proof black metal and (much as I enjoy a lot of the hybridised black metal releases) I still love that straight-up, raw blasting style of the nineties and that, essentially, is what we have here. I sometimes get a feeling that black metal is straying too far from it's roots with bands like Deafheaven and Alcest making inroads into the world of the RYM hipsters on regular occasions, so it's great to know that there is still plenty of room for second wave-style blasting and (small "m") mayhem. Chuck in a war theme and I'm pretty much sold. It's not quite as unremittingly pulverising as Panzer Division Marduk but it is certainly likely to appeal to the same people who love Marduk's best. That closing track is a bit odd though, basically just a list of dictatorial mad men's names in place of lyrics spoken over a repetitive refrain, but it doesn't distract massively from the rest and with it being the last track you could always end the album early and pretend it isn't there!

Ultimately, anyone who sticks a flag in the ground in an attempt to reclaim black metal from the grasping mitts of the hipsters and "trendsetters" is going to get a thumbs-up from me.

4/5