There are advantages and disadvantages to having the heavy metal world stretched as far as it is. We have bands and sounds and ideas we’ve never imagined before, but we also have a lot of releases, some of them very good that don’t really push boundaries as far as creativity is concerned. That’s not a knock. Not all bands can do insane shit. But when we find a band that puts metal’s DNA in a blender in a great way, we’re here for that.
Folterkammer, a black metal band with operatic vocals, might sound too gimmicky to some. I can get that on the surface. But dig into the music, notably what you hear on their incredible second record “Weibermacht,” and you’ll know you’re facing a relentless force that has something much different to say and present in the best possible way. Their debut “Die Lederpredigt” was our No. 4 record of 2020, but this album might be better. Concentrating on BDSM and richly horny topics, the band—vocalist Andromeda Anarchia, guitarists Zachary Ezrin and Darren Hanson, bassist Laurent David, drummer Brendan McGowan (Steve Blanco provides harpsichord)—delivers on all fronts that most would be bashful to confront from a sexual standpoint. But we’re hardly sex or fetish shamers on this site, and combined with the jazzy and avant-garde approach to black metal, we have a playful, yet violently direct (Anarchia’s ripping German grinds your face) approach to this style that is remarkably refreshing and sexually liberating. Oh, and it makes the woman the dominating force, which, absolutely no problem here!
“Anno Domina” drives with maniacal force, Anarchia’s operatic calls ruling everything, gushing with drama that’s deliciously over the top. A baroque feel is achieved, leaving your flesh cold and prone, and the crack of the whip is the wakeup call, Anarchia’s growls turning on you and dragging you to the end. “Leck Mich” brings snarling riffs as melodic singing swells, the snarled chorus (translates to “lick me,” though there are other takes on this) plays games with your psyche. A blinding force takes over and allows organs to rise and the pace to utterly destroy, amplifying the filthy adventure which you have under taken. “Die Unterwerfung” opens with a dramatic dialog from Anarchia, chambery playing making things feel disarmingly intoxicating. Angelic calls mix with the abject black metal horrors, a hellish choral effect taking over, shrieks piling and adding a touch of bloodshed to an atmospheric ripe with alluring calls. “Kuess mir die Fuesse” translates to “kiss my feet,” leans into fully embracing fetish, the storming letting you know not only is that welcome but fully encouraged. The playing is vicious and fiery at times, the shrieks working down your spine violently, pounding and charging, making you blood race before a dizzying finish.
“Algolagnia” is the act of experiencing sexual pleasure from pain, and as the bass slinks in and black riffs carve, shrieks explode, the guitars working themselves into tornadic bliss. Screams jar as the energy slashes limbs, the guitars are worked into a frenzy, and a demonic dialog sends chills. Guitars flood and storm, screams build, and everything comes to a thrilling end. “Herrin der Schwerter” is sprawling and bubbling, wild roars bustling, the darkness flourishing into something a little more dangerous. Guitars gain heat as the vocals push every button imaginable, the speed taking up and making you heart race out of control. “Das Peitschengedicht” means “the whip poem,” and guitars quiver as the track is torn open from the guts, operatic wails mixing with vicious shrieks that leave you maimed. The playing gets faster as angelic calls make your body temperature rise, shrieks wrench of a melodic sprawl, and an attack that feels power metal in origin drives the track to its final gasps. We end with a cover of Velvet Underground’s 1967 track “Venus in Furs,” itself a look at sadomasochism and bondage. The band puts on a playful and jarring a take as possible, Anarchia practically licking up every line and lashing them back out, the playing feeling equal parts theatrical and unhinged.
Folterkammer’s music likely won’t appeal to wide swaths of the metal world due to its unconventional approach and sound, but those who connect to this are bound to go in hard, because it really is that good. From Anarchia’s mix of operatic singing to her sinister shrieks and the band’s fiery accompaniment, this record will leave listeners quivering, shaking, maybe a little aroused. This is a huge step up from their great debut album, and it’s something that’s going to stick in your sweat and saliva for a long time to come.
For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/folterkammer.music/
To buy the album, go here: https://centurymedia.store/collections/folterkammer
For more on the label, go here: https://www.centurymedia.com/
Meat Mead Metal 