Ancient Will

This split called "Ancient Will" contains two different types of black metal composition and goings on. Heinrichreich offers an interesting plate of more traditional guitar riff oriented metal with some welcome ambient like elements to make the whole more twisted. Taranis is more straightforward ass kicking attitude with even a technical solo in the middle!

Heinrichreich's intro track makes you imagine the soundscapes of ...and Oceans or Dödheimsgard's Satanic Art, for example. The intro is dominated by piano keyboards and some more nostalgic instrument(s), possibly flute or simply synths. This mixture of futuristic male voice and simple instrumentary then bursts into the first actual song with its guitar guided fastness and playfulness. That means this is not too dark or depressing material at all but more playful and energetic, both adjectives being the virtues describing the whole split, too.

There aren't any of the "usual" problems in this young band's playing techniques. It all has been practised so that it sounds good and natural. No embarassing or unintentional changes or flaws in rhythm, picking or other playing. The sound of Heinrichreich is also quite clean still being far from unnaturally or gratuitously clean studio product. The two bands that definitely come to my mind via Heinrichreich are Abigor and Rev. Kriss Hades' "The Wind of Orion" from Sadistik Exekution. Heinrichreich's singing voice reminds me of Abigor, also its imaginative and circulating guitar riffs. Heinrichreich may not be as epic and melancholic as Abigor but that also means it doesn't sound too much of anything already existing.

Rev. Kriss Hades lunatic and aggressive ambient fueled black metal is more extreme than Heinrichreich's nostalgia and I think that even some expanded use of keyboards could had been an interesting idea for Heinrichreich, too. In other words, Heinrichreich's style welcomes several kinds of "industrial" or "futuristic/time travelling" sounds and soundscapes quite nicely.

The highlight of Heinrichreich's side is the fourth song, "Teutonic Forest". This one is short but epic and haunting, especially the part that is repeated couple of times throughout the song, kind of "ancient-chorus." All songs are quite short and have many changes inside them. This makes Heinrichreich's music style very energetic and interesting to be followed conserning the future compositions.

Taranis possesses some impressive and evil attitudes of black 'n roll, in a not-too-serious way. The personal image in Metalarchives band page seems to prove this assumption. Taranis has some nice moments of thrashing black metal meeting simple folk moments of dance. I mean especially the song "Bright Shield" which begins slowly but has some catchy surprises once the song evolves further. Taranis doesn't sound as technically balanced as Heinrichreich but it fascinates with its genuine and simple black metal riffing, bringing even some earlier material of Mayhem and maybe Carpathian Forest to mind. There are some solos as well, not too gratuitous or irritating, just there to be banged your head and beer with.

The split is not bad at all. You don't have to feel bored with it and both bands certainly have a vision they want to change into music.