The early days of the Second Wave of Black Metal saw the new form for the genre being born from three main trenches: one having a classic Black Metal appeal (influenced by BATHORY, VENOM, HELLHAMMER and German Thrash/Black acts as SODOM, KREATOR and DESTRUCTION, where MAYHEM, DARKTHRONE, MARDUK and others are), the trench with a melodic embodiment (influenced by the same acts above, but using eerie melodies, as ROTTING CHRIST, NECROMANTIA, DISSECTION, OPHTHALAMIA and others), and those that focused on somber landscaping musical ambiences (what is not a sin to see BATHORY on “Blood Fire Death” era and CELTIC FROST on “To Mega Therion” and “Into the Pandemonium” as precursors of such genre). And the work of the Austrian act EINST follows the third path written above, as shown on “Einst”, its first full-length.

The work of the band sounds sad and somber, melancholic and with an organic appeal as usual for the bands of the Second Wave of Black Metal, but not relying solely on keyboards (what would be something nearer Ambient Music and Darkwave tendencies, what’s not what this band plays). It’s sinister and funereal, melancholic and deep, but filled with nasty guitars and shrieks, with some double bass parts of the drums (as heard on “Ohne Dich Ward Nicht Auch Nur Ein Augenblick”). It’s personal and different from the usual, even relying on old formulas for the genre. Patrick Stoiber (the only member of the band) signs the production and mixing, while the mastering was done by Christian Höll. The sonority is something that is laying on models for Black Metal acts of the Second Wave, with a ‘lo-fi’ appeal filling all the songs (but’s not hard to understand what is being played at all). And Patrick signs the artwork as well. And as guest, here is Sven Luithardt playing the drums’ parts on all the songs.

The band uses very long time spans on some songs, as comon for Atmospheric Black Metal acts, using contrasts between landscaping melancholic ambiences and aggressive moments, what means that “Mere Reflections of Your Former Self” (very good tremolo-picking parts on the guitar riffs contrasting with the oppressive ambiences), “Zu Oft Verlebt, Zu Wenig Wirklich Gelebt”, “Couldn’t You Have Done Better?” (fine pianos and keyboards parts creating an oppressive feeling where the shrieks of the vocals are layed), “Das Letzte Wort Dir Nicht Gebührt”, “For There Was a Dream That Didn’t Last” and “Ohne Dich Ward Nicht Auch Nur Ein Augenblick” (fine parts from bass guitar and drums) has a lot to offer to the fans of the genre. It’s a matter of hearing and becoming in love.

It’s clear that “Einst” is a very good first full-length and enables the band for higher flights. But for the fans of Black Metal, the name of EINST is extremely relevant. Taste the band!