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Schwarzblut
Sehlenwolf

Alfa Matrix

Posted: Monday, June 22, 2009
By: DXNero

Dutch act Schwarzblut has created an EP that has more substance that one may expect upon first listen. Sehlenwolf is an excellent release from the band, and it promises great things for their future. The opening track, "Der Abschied" sounds like typical German-language EBM fare, with stomping rhythms, trance leads, and growled vocals throughout. While it is a good track, it seems limited by its genre, as if tailor made for clubs; as such, it is hard to imagine just putting it on for listening pleasure. However, one shouldn’t judge the album by the first track. "Nähe des Geliebten" follows it, and it represents a complete shift in tone from the opening piece. Atmospheric loops and delicate pads build up until the vocals arrive, and when they finally do arrive, their tone is a complete surprise - the male vocals are neither yelled nor distorted; they are spoken and backed up with beautiful female counterpoint. Halfway through the song, an arpeggiated synth leads into the refrain. The vocal distortion returns, but is beautifully balanced by the layers of female vocals that create their own harmonies. The divide between the first track and the second track alone shows just how dynamic this group is, and proves just how much potential they have for a full length release. "Muß es eine Trennung geben" starts off with samples of panting and machine noises, and marks a return to the more club-oriented sound found in "Der Abschied." However, this song scales back the intensity just a bit, which actually makes it more accessible than the opening track. "Kontrast" is a high-intensity stomp-fest that is only made interesting by the extended string bridge and outro that shows a level of composition normally absent from this genre of music. The EP comes to a close with "Dämmrung senkte sich von oben," a song dominated by Angèlika’s fantastic vocals. The mid-tempo song contains some excellent programming and arpeggios, but it serves as a poor closer to the album - it feels as though this song and "Kontrast" should have been switched. This group stands out because it provides more than just club song after club song. These are broken up with slower songs that receive just as much care as the heavier ones; they are not simply filler tracks. Everything is well programmed, well vocalized, and well produced. The trio is preparing a full length release through Alfa-Matrix, and with an EP of this quality, it is almost assured that the full length will impress.