As everyone knows, the German Metal scene helped to define 80's Metal scene throughout the world due German Thrash Metal and Power Metal bands, along with traditional Heavy Metal acts. But it's not usual to see extreme Metal bands from Germany having a worldwide praise, or getting the same feedback as known names from USA, Norway or Sweden. But it doesn't mean that good names can't come from there, and MELKOR is another fine band on extreme Metal ways, as can be heard on "Brandmale".

As it's usual to German Black Metal scene (yes, it's an one man band from Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate region), the songs heard on "Brandmale" are filled with nasty German melodies contrasting with the harsh aggressiveness of the genre, and such elements shape the band's music. So, with personality, MELKOR shows the natural born German Black Metal trademark sound, with energy and a personality. Patrick himself did the production, mix and mastering of the album at home (maybe due the COVID-19 pandemic), and it shows a brutal and nasty sound, crude in many ways, but to keep the instrumental tunes with an organic outfit. The band's musical work can be understood clearly (and for Black Metal bands, a clean sonority isn't the best, you know).

As melancholy fills many moments of the album, it means that melodies have a great importance to MELKOR's music, but always keeping the funereal outfit of Black Metal. So a bit on "Sündflut" (very good keyboards parts with nasty grunts), "Neugeburt" (the combination of melancholic ambiences with harsh aggressiveness created a very good set of contrasts, enriched by very good guitar riffs), "Abgott" (another very good set of somber and melancholic ambiences), "Fremd" (a storming and good work on the rhythms by bass guitar and drums) and "Treibgut" will seduce Black Metal maniacs for sure.

In the future, when people look to this time on the world story, maybe MELKOR's music can translate all the feelings of it. And "Brandmale" is the right soundtrack for 2020 and 2021 studies.