Origin: Saxony, Germany 🇩🇪
Genre: Black Metal
Once more now as the Autumnal winds sweep their deathly gusts across the land and as Winter’s icy grip begins to harden every soul, Atronos are returning from the fray baring their sophomore benefaction of epic German black metal. One year following the unveiling of their well-received debut album, “Fehde”, we now stand on the cusp of an awakening. On December 21, through a continued blood pact with underground Rexes, Purity Through Fire, Atronos will release “Erwachen”.
Consisting of members who’ve conglomerated under years of underground black metal experience, Atronos play much more like a veteran outfit as opposed to such a fresh act on the scene. Adeptness along with a Sage-like understanding of what makes for the most epic musical experience possible; both exuded in spades throughout the entirety of this grande experience. In true Germanic fashion, every second of album cuts like “Was uns so scherecklich hasst” and “Tobsucht” resonate with boldness and with testicular fortitude; this sort of barbarian-esque quality yet ever-so-elegant in atmosphere. A multi-sided vocal attack that pirouettes the boundaries that separate what’s traditional from what’s majestic or even brutal to chant down the thunder of the Great Olde Ones during some parts while during others a billowing of mighty battlecries to rouse from ancient crypts their fallen warriors of yore. All the while as the heartiest of melodic arrangements stream in flux along the surface of every thunderous double-bass current like a chain of lightning fracturing the void. And riffs: big, fat, heavy as fuck Marduk-worshipping guitar riffs…
In what feels like a very appropriate piece for this day and age, Atronos most triumphantly and with such zeal, remind us all of the sheer power of Germanic BM whilst they also – during various segments – pay homage to the olden days: classic, buzzing tremolo riffs that underlay a surreal, almost symphonic level of intensity as I’m reminded of Atronos’ fellow countryman, Ash, his project Nargaroth and records like 2017’s “Threnody” during the album’s darkest moments. Set off by the gleam of Imperium Dekadenz-heralding melodicism throughout most others. And those vocals once again scaling the bluffs one second and dredging the abyssal depths the next.
“Erwachen” – an awakening. A nice conceptual touch here that challenges today’s “transcendence” trend.
Patience is generally the name of the game when it comes to scouring the contemporary black metal underground for memorable albums, because the real gems are so few and far between. We have here a five-track, 30 some odd-minutes-long beauty of a black metal album, a banger! Typically not what’s turned up from underground soil each day as it offers up next-level compositions and radiant production quality as two of so many other of its brilliant facets.
Autumn easing us into the inevitability of our own frigid destinies with the passing of each harvest moon. Tis the season of spoiled fruits! Of decomposition and of short days that only quicken our strident pace toward death. These are black metal days and Atronos appear set to own them. A triumph for band and label. A best of 2024 contender.
9/10
Experience “Was uns so scherecklich hasst”
from “Erwachen” right here as presented by Purity Through Fire:
~Jeger
