SCHWARZER ENGEL (trans: black angel) is a metal project from Dave Jason out of Stuttgart, Germany. Dave has been churning out Gothic Metal under the SCHWARZER ENGEL moniker since 2007. On October 2, 2020 he releases his fifth EP, "Kreuziget Mich" (trans: crucify me). As is his pattern, Dave typically releases an EP as an appetizer for a forthcoming full-length album, in this case "Sieben" (trans: seven) which has been postponed until 2021 for obvious reasons.

"Kreuziget Mich" includes two regular songs, one orchestral soundtrack, and a remix of the title track. All together the EP spans a little over fourteen minutes and serves as a nice teaser for "Sieben." Thematically, it's a dark reflection on the world today, casting a bleak verdict on our current predicament. Musically, the songs are lushly mixed with deeply saturated bass lines, baritone German vocals, and melodic if not catchy riffs. There are borderline popish synths throughout that I'm sure some people will appreciate as layered and nuanced. Personally, I lived through the eighties and don't care for a repeat.

The EP is nicely mixed and mastered, courtesy of Jan Vacik (GRAVEWORM, SERIOUS BLACK, SERENITY) at Dreamsound Studios in Munich, Germany. Please don't listen to it on your phone. Do yourself a favor and plug in to a real sound system. Best tracks, of course, are the original version of "Kreuziget Mich" and the second track, "Teufel" (trans: devil). "Paradies" (and, no, I am not translating that for you) is okay if you like full-on Symphonic sans the metal. I kept waiting for the movie to start . . . but it did leave me curious as to what the Metal version would sound like. The club remix of "Kreuziget Mich," if you're into that sort of thing, is alright. Kind of ruined my day, but I got over it.

Grasping for some word count here, so I'll mention the cover art done by Matthias Bäuerle. Crucifixion iconography done up in classic white, gold, and black. Direct and to the point. No criticism here. I dug it.

Remember back in the 70's when Bob Seger went by The Bob Seger System? Well, this is the Dave Jason System. The guy knows what works for him (and his fans), and he doesn't deviate. He is a prolific producer of quality metal. You may or may not like his style, but the results can't be denied. "Kreuziget Mich" is a compelling primer for the larger volume which hopefully we'll see early 2021 rather than later.