Formed in 2011 and hailing from Austria, ELLENDE is an Ambient Post-Black Metal band. The band's name comes from a Middle High German adjective originating from the West Germanic *alja-landja-, which can be translated as "being out of the(/one's) country". In the sense of "exiled", this took on a negative connotation over time, reflected nowadays in modern German elend, i.e. "miserable." "Triebe" is the third solo effort from L.G. and contains three tracks.

"Triebe II" opens the album. It's a 10-minute opus, that begins with slow, melancholy melodies that are quite pleasing. Then, the more traditional Black Metal sound begins, but the melodies are kept strong. Drums roll like thunder, and screams fill the air. There is a nice, ambient pause around the half-way mark, where the despondent melodies develop. It's sad, but quite charming as well. The Black Metal sound picks back up as the song rolls to completion.

"Weltennacht" is equally as long. It opens again with catchy melodies, but those vocals are harsh and raging. Bass guitar notes take over along with some lead guitar notes, before the return of the harsh vocals. In the background, L.G. builds some really nice layers. Just before the half-way mark, the song slows to just clean guitars and what sounds like cello notes. They are so pretty that you weep in their awe. The passage continues to gather layers as it moves forward. Some yelling occurs in the background followed by someone getting hit. "Don't panic" a male voice says calmly. Then the raging vocals return.

"Zwischen Sommer und Herbst" closes the EP. It's an eight-minute song that begins with clean yet doleful guitars. Deep bass notes come into play, further stamping the depressing sound here. Harsh vocals come into play but again those melodies remain bright. Twin harmonic guitars pick up a new melody line after the half-way mark, leading to distorted guitars and the feeling that the world is crashing to an end all around you. It builds to a big crescendo then everything ends suddenly.

I love the use of layers here. This is sophisticated Black Metal with thought-out compositions, and well-timed melodies. Several factors are competing here...the pretty guitar melodies, the sad and depressing sounds, and the raging of the vocals. But they come together in a synergy that you don't often here in the genre of Black Metal. He is telling a tale here...one of despair. Yet with raging determination, the despair continues, and the subject is doomed to live in this life forever. How beautifully depressing is this fate, indeed.