The third album from German black metallers Shrike, Sieben marks a new chapter in the evolution of the band, a new turn in the seven year creative adventure to date as marked by the release’s title. A concept album providing arguably the rawest intent and musical breath from the Berlin quartet so far, Sieben is a savage and ruinous affair but equally one ripe with choice hooks and tempting grooves escorted by a mouthwatering imagination. The five track release does not expel a wholly unique proposition it is probably fair to say, but thrusts one over the senses which makes you stand up and take notice whilst marking out the potential and inventive depths which course through the band’s veins for possibly even greater future impacts.
Formed in 2006, debut album Meine Wucherung that same year ensured that the band was available to a certain attention, which last year’s successor Hinab in die vertraute Fremdheit reinforced and took to a stronger, wider spotlight. Sieben takes band and sound to new levels and you suspect similarly potent recognition. As mentioned it is not ground-breaking stuff unleashed within the powerful and aggressive confrontation but a constant and persistent persuasion which can enchant like a temptress and ravage like a wounded wild animal with intensive and skilfully crafted enterprise.
The self-released provocation preys on ears, thoughts, and emotions from its opening seconds, the first track Kreise casting an unsettling 
aural mayhem over the senses for a few seconds before exploding into an onslaught of horde like riffs and a barbarous concussive rhythmic intimidation. With the coarse vocal squalls and their scathing instigation only accentuating the raw feel of the incitement, the band vein the ruinous encounter with riveting grooves and acidic guitar swipes that increase the vitriolic colour and evocative intrigue of the black hearted storm. It is a masterful and wholly magnetic start which is backed up potently by Kadaver, its primal challenge rhythmically and vocally courted by a carnal violation of guitar and bass, the former also uncaging rabid sonic stabs and brief but irrepressibly manipulative lures within the ear smothering weave. As with the first and subsequent songs individual skills stand out from inside the destructive web, the guitars especially striking when stepping out from the oppressive tempest and in this track unveiling a mystique kissed melodic seduction which intrigues and ignites the imagination.
The title track makes its declaration upon an almost tribal bred rhythmic suasion, its initial enticement irresistible in capturing the emotions before the guitars and drums begin their maybe expected scourge of the senses but taking it to an inventive and masterfully alluring violation. Merging an antagonistic swagger and seductive melodic sways within its compellingly shifting sonic landscape, the song engages on every level; crooning the ears, coaxing the imagination, and ravishing the senses. It is a combination forging the best track on the release and making a strong statement for the increasing promise and strongly established reputation of the band.
From the blackened rage of annihilatory rock ‘n’ roll Shrike take the listener on a flight of heavily weighted slowly labouring doom spiced black metal. Von den Farben der Sehnsucht is a whispering and intrusive dirge but one from within its nightmarish realms which casts an enchanting incantation of mysterious vocals and simmering melodic rapture. It is an absorbing and imagination stretching fall into the darkest depths of the album, a suffocating plunge lit by warm and vibrant beacons to deceive and temper the demons clawing sonically the senses.
Sieben is completed by Grimassen, a track which wraps an abrasing smog of caustic riffing and concussive rhythms around the ears. It is an entrance which envelopes and oppresses but reins in its hostility a little to wait for the emerging intensive predation of the song. One of the strongest elements which makes sure Shrike is not lost within the sea of emerging bands is their ability and hunger to reinvent the direction and flavour of their tracks within their walls, the track a prime example as it easily slips into a venomous melodic embrace, broader ruinous vocal pressure, and lingering spiteful hooks. It does not quite stand up to previous songs but still brings the release to a dramatic and gripping finale.
Shrike still have some way to go to stand fully out within black metal and draw the majority of attention their way but Sieben shows they are definitely and potently on the right lines and are armed with all the attributes and imagination needed.
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8.5/10
RingMaster 11/04/2014
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
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opener The Sidewinding immerses the senses and thoughts in its thick body of intent with excellent samples littering the oppressive scenery, you understand its meaning. The track almost ambles in but with an intimidation and haunted feel wrapping the coaxing guitars. It borders on invitational until the first sampled vocal stab opens the lock for a charging enticement of twistingly nagging riffs entwined with a serpentine groove and understated yet punishing rhythms. The heavy rasping tones of Coppola alongside the interjections of hellish samples only accentuate the intensive danger and malice of the proposition, the emerging blackened rabidity abrasing with weight and acidic ferocity. The track is a magnetic suffocation of light and emotional escape, a drop through demonic realms with a diversely flavoured and feverishly impacting soundscape leaving thoughts resonating and senses exhausted.
has emerged as their most ferocious and destructive triumph to date. Again out through Dark Descent and featuring guest appearances from the likes of Chris Reifert and Eric Cutler of Autopsy as well as Kam Lee (Massacre, Death and Bone Gnawer), Death Curse is a masterful protagonist of the senses from the exceptional artwork provided by Christopher Moyen (Incantation, Blasphemy)to its last lingering venomous note. Though the introductory opener Gates of Hell does not show the storm to come, its epically sinister portent of sonic certainly brings an intimidation to bear on the senses, a brewing threat soon realised with the explosive entrance of the title track, riffs and rhythms a merciless rampage whilst the coarse even rawer vocals scar air and ears. Eager in its thrash driven gait and acidic in the eruptions of sonic enterprise, the track is a magnetic encounter which maybe does not trigger an immediate hunger but with good variation to the vocals and a resistance proof groove certainly has full control of attention.
the first wave of drama within Tuhkasta with thick punchy rhythms in close attendance as the track expands its embrace and stretch. As soon as the carnivorous bass snarl aligned to caustic riffs stalks the senses alongside rapaciously delivered vocals squalls and the increased adrenaline of drums, the track becomes a contagious beast of a proposal. But then just as you take a tight grip ready to charge eagerly across the ravenous torrent the band rips the ground from the feet with the excellent temptress tones of Riena. The music instantly relaxes to caress her seductive voice but it is a brief respite as the track reasserts its predatory appetite and leaps voraciously at the listener once again. Acidic grooves and imagination infecting hooks incite with the richest toxicity whilst the twists and intrigue of the song simply satisfy every want of the imagination. It all makes for a stunning start and confirmation of a band on the rise.
thoughts with decent potency before the drums call in the full slow scourge of sound, guitars and bass prowling the ears whilst vocal squalls roar from within the oppressive breath of the song. The lowly slung voice of the track drags its heart and intent deep into the imagination whilst an almost cavernous wall of riffs aided by sadistic rhythms cages and enthrals with a ruinous and deceptively varied persuasion. The track is as imposing as a tsunami but as patient as an ice age in its consumption of senses and emotions.
Conan frontman Jon Davis, its limited to 300 vinyl release a joint unleashing with a CD/digital assault from Burning World Records. The album is a heavily consumptive provocation which swallows and chews the senses with a creative rabidity which simply intimidates under the massive weight of doom spawned atmospheres and malevolence. Just as ravenously though, the release leads the listener through inventive weaves which dazzle in elegance and seduce in majestic radiance though never truly released from the hands of rancorous oppressiveness.
noise sculpted jaws and deviously deceptive intent. A slow stalking yet voraciously breathing mix of industrial like scarring and psychedelic ambient seared with melodic cinders, the piece envelops the senses and emotions, its dawning and slowly towering presence revealing the bowels of hell and the beauty of submission. A mid-way calm or rather respite is the doorway into an even stronger haunt, choral breezes soaked in discord flirting within the dank once hallowed now corrupted jowls of the song’s cinematic intent. You almost feel the band has missed its time in a way as they would have made the perfect complement and antagonist to the films of Dario Argento.
over the senses from the start, leading its victim through an unrelenting and punishing yet magnetic tempestuous exploration, one which dramatically and corrosively infests and ignites the imagination. The brief scene setting instrumental title track brings everything directly into view; the mountainous terrains with yawning beauty and overpowering vastness all openly displayed before the following Die Sprache der Zwölf intensifies on one aspect and draws the ears into its aggressive narrative. Musically the song, and subsequently the album, works on the imagination right away, sparking thoughts of a rampant flight through skin buffeting and emotion stretching terrain. With the lyrical and mythology being investigated presented in German for us less able linguists, the music is the key to the emerging canvas and it is hard not to feel thoughts and visions erupting as the track evokes with melodic expression within the torturous soundscape around their folkish beauty.
temptation into the air. It is a brief but potent coaxing into an immediately insidious brew of astringent rhythms and tempestuous riffs which consume the ears whilst driven by serpentine squalling tones from vocalist Dolk. Melodic acidity and ravenous causticity merge to create a storm which seduces and threatens before allowing the former trait to make a full invitation with great clean vocals, keys sculpted melodies, and an expressive welcoming ambience. It’s free reign is soon tempered though as scowling riffs and belligerent rhythms punctuate the continuing to lure folk radiance lighting the way. It is an immense start to the album which only gets stronger as subsequent tracks ravage the imagination.
