Flammnacht

Sinister German gothic metal project Marienbad consists of four genre veterans from bands such as epic gothic metal legends The Vision Bleak, modern industrial metal outfit Hämatom and infamous gothic black metal group Eisregen. The group's first and apparently last release tells sinister stories from an old city called Marienbad which mixes historical elements and imaginative aspects. Topics are the mysterious deaths of seven young children, a mansion where people go to commit suicide and the planned flooding of the city among others. Flammnacht, which is offered in both its German and English versions as well as in an exclusive remixed form, deals with a pyromaniac who enjoys killing people.

This track is easily the most accessible one on the record and the obvious single candidate. The track is short and compact with three and a half minutes. The lyrics are intriguing and don't overstay their welcome. The mixture of nasty extreme metal vocals on the verge between black and death metal stylistics and more melodic gothic metal passages that are almost narrated at times represent the group's unique style very well. The musicianship is atmospheric, melodic and mid-paced which makes this track the most vivid of the bunch. The melancholic guitar riffs are memorable and the rhythm section provides as much energy as a gothic metal band possibly could.

If you don't want to sit through complex gothic metal tunes with ambitious narrative schemes that crack the eight-minute mark, you might just purchase this single instead of the regular full length release. Marienbad's Flammnacht shows the project at its most consistent. If you like the bands mentioned in the introduction, Marienbad will certainly appeal to you. Let's hope the project will be revived and come around with a second record about the sinister city one day.