Dornenreich
In Luft Geritzt
7.6
This is not at all what I expected to hear when I grabbed an album off the MetalReview queue. In Luft Geritzt is the sixth full-length album from the Austrian band Dornenreich, but the first I’ve heard. I will assume that they once had a different, more extreme sound, versus the acoustic guitar and violin medley that fills this album.
It’s hard to know where to begin describing an album so far outside of my usual musical realm. The Dornenreich duo have written an album of compelling, dark yet relaxed music that is rooted in folk sounds. The production is magnificent for this style of music, although there are not many competing, dominant instruments to balance. The violin recording is sharp, while the percussion is light and firmly settled in the background. The acoustic guitar is light and generally takes a back seat to its bowed cousin. Vocally, Eviga takes an unusual approach, varying between a whisper and a lightly garbled bark, all sung in what I believe is German. Even if his voice is somewhat grating, the vocals are so sparse that it shouldn’t affect the listening experience.
The opening track “Drang” has a pretty harsh sound, for a violin piece and I will admit to banging my head a bit during this song. “Sehnlauf” rises and falls nicely throughout the entire song. “Dem Wind Geboren” is a well-performed mellow song with evocative violin leads.
In Luft Geritzt may be far removed from the usual MetalReview fare, but the album stands on its own as a pleasing work of art. It is a mostly instrumental and ambient record that is not too demanding on the listener. For a change of pace, give Dornenreich a spin.
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11/18/2005