(written by Islander)
The Hexenbrett duo of Josto Feratu and Scarlettina Bolétt are returning with a second album entitled Dritte Beschwörung: Dem Teufel eine Tochter. According to Google Translate, this means “Third Summoning: A Daughter to the Devil”.
In the PR materials for the album, it’s described as a “devilish and drama-filled rollercoaster ride through cult metal and cult cinema alike,” and as “a wide panoply of sounds and sensations [that] swarm the listener, wrapping them in a wild and bewildering but above all kaleidoscopic headspace that easily avoids simple categorization.”
That all proved to be a good preview of the video for the album’s first single, “Um Mitternacht” (which translates to “At Midnight“). You’ll see the basis for the cult (horror) cinema references in the film excerpts. As for the music, it’s a wild hybrid, or maybe I should say hydra, pulling together ingredients of black metal, gothic horror, psychedelia, and classic heavy metal and rock.
Definitely devilish (and not just in the vocals’ demonic snarls and unhinged screams), and ultimately dervish-like in its ecstasies, especially the gloriously demented guitar soloing. When it came out, I thought it would make a great song for your Halloween Night playlist.
And now we have a second song from the album to share, one we’re premiering today. Its name is “Wozu die Angst?” And resorting to the online translation tool again, it appears to ask “Why the Fear?” (You’ll find out.)
Well, Halloween is officially behind us now, but with a song like this you can make it an every-day occurrence.
The high, whining riffage is wild and witchy, writhing and whirling in its movements, scouring in its tone, and demented in mood. The cutting screams are equally wild, but even more vicious – evil with fangs out and claws bared, blackened to the bone.
The compulsive, neck-chopping drumwork, the slugging bass-pulse, and a delirious solo add to the song’s manifestation as a wild and warping romp, and eerily shimmering keys add to its atmosphere of occult horror.
On top of all that, it’s a devilishly infectious song too, short and surging and ready to be played again when you need a shot of adrenaline and some fiendish smiles.
To add to our own words, here are some more from those press materials of Dying Victims Productions, which will be serving up this platter just in time to put the horns to Christmas:
“While other bands are usually influenced by heavyweights of heavy metal music like Judas Priest or Bathory, HEXENBRETT take their main inspiration from Euro cult cinema and soundtracks; some of the most important names are Sergio Martino, Jess Franco, Jean Rollin, Bruno Nicolai, and Alessandro Alessandroni.
“One will readily hear that influence here in the prominent usage of vintage synths as well as chimes – the latter both beautiful and ominous – as readily as one will hear guitar leads that are alternately haunting / heroic. But the salient point is that Dritte Beschwörung: Dem Teufel eine Tochter moves in a most filmic fashion – metallic, sure, but this is far, FAR from your Normal Metal Music.”
Dritte Beschwörung: Dem Teufel eine Tochter will be released by Dying Victims on December 20th, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.
PRE-ORDER:
https://tinyurl.com/3wcbp6he
https://hexenbrett.bandcamp.com/album/dritte-beschw-rung-dem-teufel-eine-tochter