Review by Saxy S for Ellende - Zerfall (2026)

My initial thoughts after hearing Zerfall was how much more progressive this sounds than the previous record. This kind of had that transition from pure atmospheric black metal to progressive that a band like Fen had from Winter to The Dead Light. Ellende unfortunately do not have the same highs as Fen does and this record, while still okay, is far from excellent. With this bands roots in DSBM, the first track, "Wahrheit" is very fast and groovy and the technicality in the percussion takes away a bit from that feeling of isolation. The record does get progressively more slow as it moves on, which is a similar trait that Todbringerin shared and later moments like "Zeitenwende" and "Reise" excel. But the major key of "Ode ans Licht" set a very unusual expectation for not just the track itself, but what followed later on in the album. 

As a whole however, I think that Zerfall is a record that has some experience and has learnt from Todbringerin's mistakes. The changes in tempos and paces make Zerfall feel like a much more complete project instead of a monotonous drone the whole way through. Some progressive elements and a knack for dark storytelling help this record stand on its own. It's about the same length as Todbringerin and yet it feels much more concise. That being said, I do hope that Ellende plan on doing something else with this sound in the future. As it stands, while Zerfall is just a simpler version of Fen's The Dead Light, I would find it difficult to appreciate this sound if it didn't try to distance itself more from that influence. 

Best Songs: Wahrheir Teil I, Übertritt, Zeitenwende Teil I, Zeitenwende Teil II