III: Frühling
Wehmut

Musically inspired by the season of spring, J.R. emotionally revisits the spring of his life, emotionally confronting the past and trying to overcome trauma, which is most directly communicated in "Ohnmacht-Angst-Wut." Cathartic in it's nature, this album tries to express it's emotions in the first half without using language, like a newborn child that is naturally unable to speak, it relies on sound, songwriting and the voice as it is alone. The second half introduces the aspect of reflection, as well as the ability to do so. As only the last three songs contain lyrics, it serves as a form of resolution, dealing with what's to be taken away from what happened, and how to go on from it.
The album has six songs, and "Geburt" is first. Solemn, clean guitar tones lead off the song, but the melodies are a bit depressive. Tortured harsh vocals follow, with a bed of thick, distorted guitars. It walks a fine line between torture and despondence, and the atmospheric passage adds layers to the song. "Der Erste Sturm" has a similar opening, and the thick guitars hang like the morning fog, nearly impenetrable. The vocals rage with a torture that you can't even comprehend, even though the guitars do build melodies. They are frail however, in the sense that if you reached out to grab them, they would break into a thousand pieces. "Strahlenbuschel" is a short instrumental the connects the two halves of the album, and it falls somewhere between the peace of hearing birds chirp and the anguish in the back of your mind.
"kurz gesagt, mir geht's nicht gut" continues the peaceful sound of the earlier song, at first. Although the guitar tones vary from gentle from heightened, the vocals once again rage with a fiery intensity. The pain seems to subside a bit moving towards the end, although it could just be the sounds of someone growing tired of them. "Ohnmacht-Angst-Wut" opens with a series of brighter tones, still as thick as mud. More screams enter, and this time they battle with hope like a prized fighter in the ring. The contrast is striking. "Alles wird enden, auch der Schmerz" closes the album, once again opening with calm, hopeful tones. A thick wall of guitars and drums follow, with more anguished screams, but the music remains resolute.
This album takes the listener on a journey that is sometimes rocky, and other times calm, and mirrors the seasons of your lives. Torture, anguish, and feeling like you want to jump out of your own skin are common, yet through it all, a string of hope remains threaded into the album. It's moving, cathartic, and satisfying in the end.
Tags:
8 / 10
Excellent
Songwriting
Musicianship
Memorability
Production

"III: Frühling" Track-listing:
1. Geburt
2. Der Erste Sturm
3. Strahlenbüschel
4. kurz gesagt, mir geht's nicht gut
5. Ohnmacht-Angst-Wut
6. Alles wird enden, auch der Schmerz
Wehmut Lineup:
J.R.
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