Review by Ben for Sturmgeist - Meister Mephisto (2005)

My options weren't great in the April Review Draft for The North, but I must admit that I felt like an explorer intent on uncovering a hidden treasure when I selected Sturmgeist's Meister Mephisto album from 2005. It had ok ratings, and I generally find enjoyment whenever industrial and black metal are melded together (Aborym, Thorns etc.). My confidence was quickly challenged though, with the first few tracks having very little to do with black metal at all. Instead I was experiencing a strange version of German industrial metal with a gothic coat of paint. I did however quickly recognise the vocalist as none other than Cornelius Jakhelln from the very avant-garde Solefald, and this fact alone reinvigorated me to push on and give the album time to work whatever magic the crazy guy was conjuring into my ear. Fast forward three full listens and I have to say that I've not discovered anything that I particularly enjoy. Simplistic riffs can be fine in industrial metal when the album is given a huge production, but that's not the case here. Cornelius' vocals are generally always over-theatrical, but I find them to be extra difficult to tolerate in this framework. The album does veer further into black metal as it goes on though, particularly closing track Walpurgisnacht - 2. Satz: Meister Mephisto, and it's here that I feel the band's potential is uncovered. Sadly, it's too little too late, with the remaining bad taste convincing me that this is one bottle I won't be partaking from in future.