La dissonance gracieuse

Here it is! The review of Dornenreich´s seventh record “Flammentriebe”. First of all, before I am going to write something about the music, I want to thank this band for their art. Back in 2001, they released an epic record called “Her von welken Nächten”, which changed my way of feeling music completely. I bought this record for around 30 pounds in London when I was fifteen, and from that time on I followed every step of this band.  I can say that there are only a few artists who influenced me in such a strong way. Thanks for that!

Honestly, I have to say that beside real great music moments, Dornenreich also have disappointed me. I never was a big fan of the “Hexenwind” record and was really frustrated by the “Nachtereisen” DVD, so that my real passion for the band began to dissolve.

The first time I heard “Flammenmensch”, which is also the first song of the new record “Flammentriebe”, I was really close to giving them up completely. The guitar riff didn´t fit in my personal picture of the band because I was probably expecting a “Her von welken Nächten Part. 2″ or even a rip off.

But thank God that “Flammenmentriebe” is more than that! Dornenreich surprised me in a very positive way. They created something new, again! After having listened to the record for the ninth time now I still cannot describe what I hear. “Flammenmtriebe” is full of emotions created by guitar, voice and violin, and the atmosphere is wonderfully underlined by Gilvan´s drumming (thumbs up for that!).

I would describe “Flammentriebe” as a mixture of all positive aspects of the other releases.  After the beginning of nearly every song you would probably say that this is the next “In Luft geritzt” record but after a few moments you immediately recognize “Her von welken Nächten” influences (the guitar riff of the last song “Wolfpuls” makes me thinking of the song “Schwarz schaut tiefsten Lichterglanz”). There are also folkish aspects on this record (like in “Durch den Traum” and “in Luft geritzt”), but they aren´t in the foreground anymore. On the other hand, you clearly hear that Dornenreich are rooted in the style of Black Metal and Eviga shows his beautiful, so much missed black metal voice again. But “Flammentriebe” is not only a mixture of all their records, no, they have improved and it seems that they even have been influenced by some shoegaze/postrock black metal (I don´t like this tag). In the songs “Wolfpuls” and “Erst deine Träne löscht den Brand” (my two favourite ones) you can find some shoegazish aspects.  And there is even a guitar tapping part in the latter one.

Ten years after my first experience with this band I can claim that they have surprised me with this record in a very positive way! On the one hand, the record seems to be influenced by proven aspects on the other hand, they didn´t fear to try out new things. The most important thing is that the mixture of these two ideas is done in a perfect and balanced way.

Great Record! I see you at the Exhaus!

Buy “Flammentriebe” here

8,5/10

-innerwille-

p.s. I am still searching for the “Mein Flügelschlag” demo. I am not interested in buying it on Ebay (I don´t trust this shit). Please contact me if you can help me!
thx to a song for the d. for the help