“Eos” is my first full dive into Der Weg Einer Freiheit, after hearing the lead single I was eager to see how the full record would unfold.

First immersions- heavy and dark, black metal that weighs you down in chaos yet also has a somber element.

When I listen to black metal I just want the music to be straight ahead, tremolo picked guitar, blast beat drums, and intensely harsh vocals. Which is exactly what “Eos” is until the second half where cleaner and mellower sections became more prominent. Der Weg Einer Freiheit creates a relentless black metal force with songs that aren’t limited to high intensity guitar bass and drum work but also somber and mellow moments throughout the album. As masters of tension and release, the album leaves you guessing what will come next. The vocals are done in both throaty screams, and cleans drenched in melancholy. The relentlessly pummelling drums were a highlight for me, they were played with precision, aggression and a technicality highlighted by the cymbal work right from the first track “Marter”. On top of that the keyboard or soundscapes added to the dismal vibe.

Although I haven’t spent much time listening to Der Weg Einer Freiheit aside from what I’ve probably heard on playlists beforehand I knew they were in the black metal genre, but I wasn’t expecting the mellower somber sections throughout the album. Each time it happened it caught me off guard because the heavy sections are so heavy that you don’t expect any kind of forgiveness, then when it comes it’s a bit of a shock.

“Marter” – “Eos” is the heavier section of the album, and this is what I was talking about earlier the heavy pummelling black metal with little to no breaks in the songs. I like this quite a lot, its consistent and punishing like being rolled down a hill. When it came to the second half of the album the fourth track “Fragment” is probably the most interesting song, it starts with a mellower vibe that caught me off guard at first but progressively works its way to the aforementioned style that I enjoy. The highlight for me in this track is a section when it first gets heavy and as the music shifts from the mellower clean singing section and into the heavier relentless section. There’s a chord in the riff that goes from major to minor, (I even pulled out the guitar to confirm this) making it interesting because it literally transitions the major and not necessarily happy but lighter part of the song into the darker and evil sounding section in an artistic way.

The final track “Forlorn” also starts on a mellow kind of depressing note then shifts into blast beats with a chorusy, watery guitar tone and ends on a heavier note, but not as heavy as it was on the first half of the album. I thought it was an odd place to end the album because to me it didn’t really feel complete, and left you wanting more. So the only solution is to go back to the start and listen again.

Ultimately Der Weg Einer Freiheit has created “Eos” with a solid mix of aggression, emotion and controlled chaos. It’s a black metal album worth listening to, personally I resonated with the first two thirds more than the last, and that’s the part that will get added to my playlists. But if you’re a black metal fan you’ll enjoy the depth of “Eos”.