Agrypnie - 16[485] (2010)^{Release ID: 8739}

This was my first listen to Agrypnie so I wasn't sure what to expect here but what I heard showed great promise. Atmospheric drone piece "Figur 109-3" is an effective introduction which leads into the huge "Der Tote Trakt". Drummer René Schott immediately shows himself to be more than capable on the blastbeats whilst not being done any favours by a thin, clicky kick drum sound which makes him sound looser than he actually is. Torsten Hirsch does his best Quorthon impression but his vocals are probably the area that needs the most improvement here as his barking, raspy style is quite monotonous. The Varg Vikernes style vocals in the epic title track suit the band better in my opinion.

Taken holistically, the band presents a huge wall of sound where melody & atmosphere are high priorities. The guitar riffs are certainly strong enough to compete with the big boys of the genre & some nicely placed clean interludes add to the atmosphere. The album showcases a band that is still honing their skills and finding their sound. Song structures are a bit pieced together & all subgenres of the global black metal scene get a look in. However, although Agrypnie wear their influences on their sleeves (bands like Satyricon, Burzum, Opeth & Katatonia all get a tribute for mine), the result is a very solid outing and one gets the impression that a great release is only just around the corner. Definitely a band to watch.