Music Review : Neverending Terrorism By Die Entweihung

It’s been a long time since I’ve sat down and actually reviewed an album, so I was pretty psyched when I was sent Neverending Terrorism by Die Entweihung, a one man dark metal band from Israhell. (See what he did there?)

Fronted by Herr Entweiherr, the themes that Die Entweihung explore within this new album differ to those he was focusing on the last time I reviewed his music a few years back. The themes used to be predominantly focused on death, depression and darkness, but with this latest release, he has made the decision to focus on the modern world and its sad reality.

The last time I listened to Die Entweihung I was reviewing his 2013 album The Cage. I can still recall the impact that this release had on me. I gave it ten out of ten after being blown away by the sheer amount of diversity.

Die Entweihung was putting out black metal music when I last caught up with the project, but there has been a slight adaptation to the band’s style since then, and hard rock and heavy metal has been stirred into the mix.

The song titles – like the lyrics – do much to intrigue. While reading the lyrics, I found myself thinking ‘hell, actually, that’s a really interesting way to see that particular issue…’ Take the track 9/11 – 24/7 for example, ‘What happened on September Eleven, soon it’ll be going on 24/7. Good and bad aren’t differed, mixed in one, as the blood coloured clouds obscure the sun forever…and ever.’

The first track Megalomania has a surprisingly catchy vibe from the word go, and I find myself nodding along pretty much straight away. There’s a sound to this song that’s almost impossible to categorise – but I like it. Despite the fact that there is a hell of a lot going on, the track is really well balanced, with, at one moment, a beautiful layer of soft female chorals. Which, though unexpected, work amazingly well. It’s an excellent start to the album, though I am none the wiser as to what I can expect to hear next.

Death is Prima Donna is a world away from the first track. There’s a raw, crunchy black metal bombardment which mingles with a sound that’s jovial, even almost folkish. The vocals are rasping and strong, and everything layered together ensures another really interesting listen. There’s some unexpected clean vocals which, I have to say remind me somewhat of Corey Taylor, but they really add to the mix and prove, once again, the diversity that Herr Entweiherr is capable of providing. Once again the lyrics are on top form. I like the following lyric in particular. ‘Putin and Obama, they’re playing their own drama that was performed already many times before them.’It’s hard to believe that it’s just one man behind all of this. There’s some powerful and epic guitar solos in this track that wouldn’t be out of place on a stage in an arena.

9/11 – 24/7 is another raw offering that sounds like it was recovered in a cave. The rawness doesn’t stop it from being catchy though, and once again I find myself nodding along and, well, really enjoying myself! It’s an interesting song on many levels. With the majority of the material from Die Entweihung, it sounds as though it was recorded directly onto tape into the early 90’s. I can recall writing in my previous interview how surprising it was this the music was so raw but still so catchy and this is the case again here.

Requiem for a Living is an instrumental, synth heavy track that takes us down yet another road that is in no way likened to the one before. To start with I feel as though I’m actually inside a computer game. Then languid guitars roll in and are followed by a real heavy metal vibe. One thing I ought to mention is how Herr Entweiherr has mastered the laying exquisitely. Everything is well balanced, making for a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience. Mid way through the track, things start to really pick up pace, and I feel my heart beating that little bit faster. I have a sudden urge to head bang. As it turns out, this is my favourite track on the album.

Lifelong Suffering takes a little bit longer to get into. It has quite a mid paced start, that doesn’t quite grab my attention like the previous songs have. But after a few minutes, changes start. Whispered vocals emerge and really fucking unnerve me. The song becomes heavier and darker and obtains more substance. It most definitely recovers from its rather flat start.

God’s Green  Name grabs my attention from the word go and does not let up. There’s an epicness to this track which hasn’t really been heard in the previous song, combined with some really interesting lyrics. It’s a song which is packed with diversity and strength.

Smartphone Man is a really original track, the likeness of which has never been heard before! I’m digging the harsh vocals and the quick pace. Once more, there’s a lot going on, but it never seems to be too much. I was unable to predict anything in this track, so once again everything came as a real surprise.

The final track VIII Sedation is the most unexpected of them all. It’s a beautiful acoustic instrumental, which, in all honesty, I could listen to all day. It’s a perfect way to finish things off.

Well, what can I say? What a fucking excellent ride! The diversity within Neverending Terrorism is astounding. There wasn’t a split second where I felt even the tiniest bit bored. Though I think you’ll need to listen to it a few times to fully appreciate all of the layers.

Herr Entweiherr isn’t afraid to experiment, and I really respect him for that. If you are struggling to find music which satisfies you on multiple levels, I highly recommend you get your hands on Neverending Terrorism.

For information on how to get your hands on a copy, head here.