Agrypnie - Erg

Angry Metal Guy

Perhaps I misjudged Agrypnie in 2021. Perhaps that 1.5 was a little harsh – maybe I read the words “avant-garde” and saw red. Still, Metamorphosis was a hodgepodge of all things post-y and melodic, dragging the lake with melodeath and symphonic black in reckless abandon, sporting vocal tirades with more propensity for destroying its crystallinity than creating it. In this way, Erg is better, streamlining its attack. It’s still your favorite post-black, with all the frills and hearts prominently planted on their sleeves you expect, but armed with a more prominent riff and a trver vibe, your favorite German post-black duo is back and badder than ever.

I underrated Metamorphosis. Its lasting impression was one of stagnation rather than offensiveness, so I would rate it somewhere in the 2.0 ballpark if I reviewed today.¹ Just like in 2021, Agrypnie focuses on subtle and interwoven melodies with plodding guitar riffs, juggled with vocalist/guitarist/bassist Torsten’s grungy barks, significantly toning down the outside influence for something that feels like a more rushed Harakiri for the Sky. Drummer Flo is a tour-de-force as usual, whirlwinds of blastbeats and catchy fills saturating the palette. Sporting a thinner, trver production that still manages muscularity periodically, Erg is nothing but consistent. Erg is redemption, and I’m gonna rate Agrpynie correctly this time.

Erg by Agrypnie

Erg is at its best when subtle melodies shine through the blazing riffs, and instruments do this effectively. Tracks like opener “Aus rauchlosem Feuer,” “Sturm,” and “Blut – Teil II” offer this balance aplenty, Agrypnie letting its ghostly leads and subtle symphonics float in and out of the main down-tuned riffs. It adds an appropriately haunted aura, dark and unsettling, but ultimately forsakes its roots in sanguinity, a shapeshifting melody that balances between ominous and beautiful. The best tracks here are “Entitat” and “Geister,” due to their incorporation of more muscular riffage that balances out the fragile Deafheaven-esque melody and collaborates with Torsten’s rough vocals more effectively. Each track within Erg is a fairly lengthy affair, with instrumental interlude “Blut – Teil I” alone dipping below five minutes, so Agrypnie divides the workload. Particularly in the first half, each track is composed of two parts, the melody in the exposition creeping and ominous, only to explode in frantic climax in the second. This gives these tracks a definite sense of direction, a comfortable predictability, and a smoother dynamic – as usually the second halves compose the more memorable material. The paper-thin production benefits the more tremolo-guided tracks like “Meer ohne Wasser” and “Entitat,” giving them a razor edge.

The most glaring problem for Agrypnie is a remnant from last go: Torsten’s vocals. You would expect his bark to permeate more hardcore-influenced or post-metal-adjacent in bulkier stylings, but it remains a detriment to the fragile structures that compose post-black’s trademarks.² Each track, even the highlights, grow weary with the bark swinging in like Miley Cyrus on a wrecking ball. “Meer ohne Wasser,” “Blut – Teil II,” and “Stunde des Wolfes” are derailed painfully by this element, and effective instrumental compositions feel all for naught. While the instruments are effectively performed, the frustration with the thinner production is that it puts all elements on the same level, with riffs, melodies, and vocals all battling for the spotlight, only Flo’s drumming anchoring the proceedings – worsened by Erg’s bloated fifty-four-minute runtime. Unfortunately for Agrypnie, the equilibrium between riff, melody, and vocals remain elusive, and remain in the shadow of better acts in a divisive style.

Harakiri for the Sky may not be upper tier yet, but their effective balance between heart-wrenching melody, head-bobbing riffs, and emotive vocals remains a highlight within post-black. Agrypnie can afford no such luxury. While Erg is a better accomplishment than its predecessor in a more streamlined approach that dispenses of unnecessary influences and scattershot songwriting, it is nonetheless held back by painfully anachronistic vocals and damagingly thin mix. It’s one step in the right direction for Torsten and Flo, but Agrypnie takes one step back. Behold, the correct score.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: AOP Records
Websites: agrypnie.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/agrypnie.official
Releases Worldwide: September 13th, 2024

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