Agrypnie - Metamorphosis (2021)

As one of our favorite bands in the Post-Black Metal space, Agrypnie is finally back with the punishing “Metamorphosis”. Featuring nearly 70 minutes of highly intense music, this release continues the band’s musical evolution with a more defined and electrifying sound. While some Post-Black Metal bands focus on making things a bit too mellow or melancholic, this band achieves the melancholy part with droves of punishing guitars and instrumental passages.

Opening with “Wir Ertrunkenen”, the first part is an orchestral prolog that suddenly turns dark as Torsten’s hellish vocals nicely weave between punishing riffs. However, this is not the only thing to digest, as the tempo changes keep things fresh. After a pummeling start, “Verwuestung” has a more introspective nature as it slowly evolves into more aggressive and yet melancholic moods. For those looking for the band’s faster and more ‘traditional’ BM side, tracks like “Am Ende der Welt - Teil 1” deliver the goods.

The sheer emotional rawness of pieces like “Skulptur aus Eis” is one of the things we enjoy the most about the band, while the title track will certainly get your head banging. Showing more maturity and crafty songwriting skills, pieces like “3327” show a different side of the band. With some elements from other bands in the genre, “Melatonin”, “Untergang”, “Am Ende der Welt - Teil 2” are some of the most diverse and yet incisive tracks in this release.

Easing the listener out into the real world with a lush outro, Agrypnie clearly showcases why they are one of the most unique and engaging bands in the genre. Their musical evolution allows them to explore new elements in each release, while keeping their intense core intact. Highly recommended for fans of bands like Harakiri for the Sky, Heretoir, and Anomalie, this release has a lot to unpack to properly be enjoyed.

Label: AOP Records

Release: February 5th, 2021

Genre: Post Black Metal

Country: Germany