Sometimes you need your Black Metal epically melodic as well as crunchy and evil. Thank God or Odin or Lucifer for SIECHKNECHT. On October 31, 2025 they released their debut EP, "Pestmond," via Purity Through Fire. If you missed it, no worries, you got time. Things live forever in the metalsphere these days. Besides, we're talking one EP, not an entire catalogue. But let me be clear, you will want to pick this one up. "Pestmond" is four tracks of melodic aggressive Black Metal that just makes you glad you're metalhead. Your audiologist may question your judgement, but your dark, evil soul will love it.  

So I plugged 'pestmond' into Google translate because, you know, American. Google is now afraid of me. Turns out 'pestmond' translates to something like 'plague mouth,' which A) is a great name for your next metal band and B) is an awesome insult. I think I'll use it as my word for the day and work it into a random sentence—something like "Shut your plague mouth and make me a turkey sandwich."

But back to the album. It's only four tracks so it's hard to pick favorites. Personally, I like them all so I'm not going to do a standout or favorites list. Just refer to the track list and consider them all standouts.

To give you a feel of what this album is like, the vocals are harsh but not totally demonic or banshee-like. More gritty and raspy. You won't get an aneurysm trying to pick out the lyrics. The riffage is both thrashy and melodic. Total fang and claw but with a sense of discordant harmony. The lyrics are all in German but they're about warriors and blood and death and wraiths. All the good stuff.

Siechknecht's "Pestmond" is one of those albums that make you glad to be alive. It's tough and bold and it's also melodic and inspiring. You just want more of it. And hopefully we'll get just that soon. This band is too good to be limited to an EP.