Blutbahnen
Eisregen

June 2008
Released: 2007, Massacre Records/Sound Pollution
Rating: 0.5/5
Reviewer: Anders Sandvall

EISREGEN is the sixth album from this East German band which follows up 2006’s HEXENHAUS. Violinist 2T has left the band and is replaced by temporary session musicians. The band has apparently gained a steady fan base over the years and they have toured quite a lot in Germany and nearby countries. I hadn’t heard the band before and to be honest I’m not gonna go out and buy any of their previous albums after hearing this one.

The promo claims Blutbahnen’s music to be death/black metal and when I read that it sounded pretty good, so I prepared myself for if not a magnificent ride then at least a decent trip. Well, I was disappointed when I heard the band. This isn’t what I call proper death/black metal; this is a very strange combination of symphonic and slow black metal with death metal segments here and there. I also hear doom metal and folk music parts. To complicate it even more the lead singer M Roth sings with a strange form of hoarse and whispery black metal vocals along with ordinary lead vocals.

Another thing that takes away from the music is that they have chosen to sing in German. I have no idea what they’re singing about and to be honest German doesn’t sound too good to sing in. I can’t feel or hear any joy in Blutbahnen’s music; instead I hear a strange mix of all sorts of different music styles and lyrics in German and that is not a great combination.

60 minutes and 11 songs of such poor music is not worth spending your money on. The band calls EISREGEN a masterpiece, but I can’t agree.