Machtklang “Machtklang”
Multi-instrumentalist Herrin, grew in the black metal scene with the band Finsterort. Release five albums over thirteen years, with the last album being 2018’s Gefängnis Körper, the project was rebranded and rose from the ashes like a phoenix with her new project Machtklang. The project focuses on dark topics and took inspiration from religious viewpoints to molestation that happened to Herrin in her childhood, the record is a heavy record emotionally and lyrically. Machtklang also says lyrically, the project believes “that religion is just a dead fossil” and the record’s sound, production, lyrical themes and imagery truly deliver the antithesis of what the second wave of black metal stood for.
After ominous ringing from the album’s intro “Ein Klang”, the album officially kicks off with “Tief Begraben”. Foreboding and grimy guitars open with simplistic, sludge-like drumming. Creating a slow head bang, stank-face inducing groove in the song’s opening moments. With the pacing picking up with the thumping double bass, the track mimics the origins of second wave black metal in the vein of Darkthrone. Heavily cavernous growl vocals are soaked in reverb and echo, creating a demonic-esque entity in the vocal delivery that emerges from the pounding double bass and ringing guitars. The chorus delivers higher growls, all while the song continues that sludgy, doom-influenced black metal aesthetic. Especially with the rising bass lead over the double bass and sniveling vocal delivery. Her cry to the sky vocals, intertwined with distorted howls and gravelly vocals show a unique range. Rough around the edges in the production, but heavy nonetheless, the song is a doom-heavy take on black metal that reminds me of acts like Ashtar and Nortt. Heavy opening track and showcases the macabre energy that this debut delivers.
“Machtklang” opens with blast beats, tremolo guitars and snarling vocals that take me straight back to 90’s black metal. Even down to the demo-like production quality on the drums and guitars. So much distortion in the vocals creates an inhuman tone in the vocals. Adding to the evil delivery and tone of the guitars. The slow down, doom metal tempo change around the halfway mark, truly shows off her vocal range. Delivering not only gravelly distorted snarls, deep guttural growls, and sniveling phlegmy vocal highs as the song heads into a short guitar lead. The clean, acoustic guitars near the three quarters mark, into almost mandolin-sounding instrumentation is a nice reprieve before the bombardment of blasts, screeches and another nice guitar solo before the song draws to a close.
On “Panzerbataillon Prometheus”, guitars lead with bends and walls of distortion. Combined with thundering drums, the opening builds to an unholy sludge/doom/black metal hybrid as the song begins to rise from the depths. Earlymorn’s barking/guttural growls match with the cadence of the pummeling drums as the tremolo guitars wail behind her. Segueing into sniveling, Gollum-like vocals that get accented with commanding snare strikes. Spoken word military commands, leading into blast beats and tremolo guitar playing get that extra bit of punch with every snarling rolling “R” she delivers in her vocals. The thrashy shift after the halfway mark, almost equates to a melodic death metal sound but buried in distortion and rough production. Another pretty complex and impressive guitar solo, though short, was a nice addition and continues the thrash influence of the song. Showing that she can combine other genres into her raw black metal vision.
“Dissonanz” is a nice, somber and gentle interlude. A calm reprieve to the onslaught that Machtklang has pummeled the listener with so far. Adding an ambient element to the band’s raw, unhinged and brash take on black metal. The album closes with the song “Herbsthymne”. Right out of the gate, the thundering drums, wailing screams and reverb-soaked lead guitars embraces an ambient/atmospheric setting. Snare hits punch through the mix with every strike. Acoustic guitar makes another great appearance before punchy, very bass heavy tom hits fill the space of the mix. Vocals are louder and clearer, with the addition of heavy reverb. Clean singing over the soaring guitars and drum fills, reminds me of atmospheric, almost folk black metal of Windir or later Bathory. The song flies by and with the grandest scale in musicianship, production and aesthetics, it closes out the album strong and adds a weighty punch to the band’s debut.
Overall, Machtklang’s debut has a lot of things I loved. The homage to second wave black metal, with elements of sludge and doom, really do add unique elements to her sound. Along with the brash, rough production style also creates that heaviness and brashness in the delivery. In my opinion, I think the album just flew by too quickly in my opinion. If there was maybe another interlude or two, similar to “Dissonanz”, it would have really filled up the length of the album and given that all-around complete record feel to me. Machtklang came out of the gates strong with this record and I’m curious to see where this project goes from here.
SCORE: 4.5 / 5
You can purchase or listen to the album on Bandcamp.
