TODESWEIHE: "The Black Mass"

Without additional clues, it would sometimes be hard to place a raw, uncompromising black metal recording to a certain time slot of history. Todesweihe made that clear on 2011's demo compilation Necronomicon Ex Mortis which was a filthy feast on ideas formed twenty years earlier already. While that CD comprised material from the band's past eight years, you can't really tell any difference in sound if we compare it to this year's material presented on the six-track The Black Mass. 'No evolution whatsoever' seems to have been the band's driving force throughout their journey in the underground, and although it is very acceptable (and enjoyable), there are limits to how much one can stand listening to the riffs that have been basically the same since Darkthrone launched them in the early nineties.

So although the settings for The Black Mass are unfavourable, I was able to listen to it very carefully. This was probably because I've lately had a partial break from listening to basically anything, so keeping a focus on any music at all was easier than it tends to be after scrolling through a million albums a week. But what I essentially found from this EP was very simple, very primitive black metal that is cold, rehearsal sounding, and evil. This isn't exactly crammed with blast beats; Todesweihe here prefers a groovier direction in the vein of those masculine, mid-paced, rusty and partially palm-muted riffs of Clandestine Blaze. This is put to its best use on ”Buried and Forgotten” that during its last section incorporates a screeching lead melody on top of the grumbling war.

Pieces like that do their work admirably, but in the end, The Black Mass is just a rather forgettable snack of underground black metal. Personally there's no way of me hating it, but neither does it leave a lasting impression. Also, when a band releases a short EP, I don't understand why there has to be over two minute intros and outros, eating a lot of the overall playing time. And these are among the reasons why I'd choose some other release over this one, no matter how decent this is in the background.

3 / 5