Year: 2022
Total Time: 42.53
Label: Massacre Records
SCHWARZER ENGEL (Black Angel) comes from Germany, more specifically from Stuttgart, and is basically the personal project of Dave Jason, who plays the main role in the band, having with him other members only for their live performances. “Sieben” (Seven), as its name implies, is the 7th album of this band and the 5th released by Massacre Records which usually specializes in (extreme) metal bands. Currently this label makes openings in other idioms, like SCHWARZER ENGEL. The band plays a mix of Neue Deutsche Harte and Symphonic Gothic Metal (although some of their older albums were much harder and closer to extreme Metal) and their vocals are sung only in German. Lyrically they deal with similar Gothic themes, but also other themes concerning revelation and religions. “Sieben” does not escape from all the above.
After a very beautiful and rhythmic introduction “VII”, with Latin lyrics and harsh vocals, the album starts powerfully with “Kreuziget Mich”; a song with rhythm guitars and equal doses of electronics and dark keyboards. The big surprise comes later with “Teufel” which is really a huge hit in the same style with a bit more gothic vocals. Its chorus is unbelievable and you really want to hear it playing again and again! The rest of the album rolls on with an alternation of electro / metal gothic ballads such as “Paradies”, “Wie Viele Jahre”, “Vollmond”, “Schonheit” (the best of them and with the most beautiful lyrics), but also with their most dynamic songs such as the amazing “Endzeit” (that closes the album and goes very close to RAMMSTEIN) and “Ewig Leben” (which stands out for its very beautiful rhythm guitars). There is not a single filler track on the disc. I definitely prefer them in their hardest and most rhythmic moments, but many will be touched by the ballads mentioned before.
However, such records are more valuable if you speak the German language so that you can understand what their lyrics say, but also have some friction with the idiom of Neue Deutsche Harte beyond RAMMSTEIN. In the case of SCHWARZER ENGEL, they have borrowed many elements from bands such as EISBRECHER, OST+FRONT, ERDLING and DEATHSTARS. Definitely their most mature album so far; highly recommended!
Rating: 7/10
Editor: Dimitris Argyrakis
Related Link: Schwarzer Engel – Facebook Page
