It’s a fine balance with Black metal between orthodoxy and occultism turning into Satanic schtick and what can only be described as clown-shoes when so called serious intentions turn into pantomime. I wouldn’t say German band Schrat who take their name from a native ‘nature spirit’ and the album title here from a ‘soul eater’ determined to bring about the apocalypse (seemingly apt as I write this) are trying to be taken with the utmost seriousness to the dark arts but they are not exactly daft and a disposable circus act either. Listening to their fourth album here, following a pretty solid review of their last one Alptraumgänger in 2018, another question is raised. Can black metal be serious, grim and fun all at the same time? It seems as far as this lot are concerned it can. The pure bravado, chops, drive and intent are not to be disputed but neither can the fact that this is a thoroughly enjoyable and indeed fun old ride throughout its 53-minute running time.
After inducing ‘terror’ via intro of wind and wolves, Gråin and drummer Tomasz “Nefastus” Helberg unleash hell in the form of excellently entitled track Parasiteninvasion. It’s the trollish take on things that grips here especially Gråin’s utterly demented snarling vocals. Things slow a bit and a bell-tolls away, this is folk horror in the extreme and as the contagion of it spreads another aspect in the way of stygian throat singing is effectively introduced. On the whole the music is catchily thrust out and goes like the veritable clappers. The drums blast hell for leather and guitars are a whiplashing tour-de-force and as we plough into ‘Terrorkabinett – Gaias Wort’ this terror cabinet seem intent to wipe out life on earth. Despite all this you simply cannot help gurning as you headbang along due to the gibbering, lycanthropic snarls, the lower throaty gurgles bringing the horror to the fore. Listen out for a sudden creepy organ peel, oozing out of the pit of hell itself installed amidst the galloping bravado of the main charge.
Keeping the momentum up and along with it the interest of the listener is no easy task considering the running time but somehow this dastardly duo pull it off with panache. There are some diversifications from the ‘Chaos Bombing’ all out munitions dump along the way. There’s the interlude of ‘Wolfsklage,’ a howl in the night of the ‘Blood Moon Rite’ but on the whole the utter shelling that is delivered is up their pace wise with the likes of Marduk and Endstille. The foul and fetid death belches from the vocalist that are belched out with stinking aplomb do it all no disservice either. Although without lyrics the story is not fully clear, it’s obvious one would not want to meet a Soul Eater on a Bavarian mountain pass and any such encounter would have you running full pelt for mortal existence and beyond. However, it’s not without some humour along the way as the jaunty bounce of ‘Dornenhagel – Gaias Folter’ clearly illustrates as it gives everyone from Arckanum to Finntroll a good run for their lives.
Simply put, it’s been a rush playing this at volume and it’s had me grimly grinning at its fiendish ferocity. This one bites with jagged teeth and ghastly breath.
(8/10 Pete Woods)
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