Klabautamann - “Merkur” Review
July 25th, 2009 | 
Klabautamann. Merkur. 2009. 4 stars.
Merkur is a highly stylized piece of black metal that boasts lush instrumentation and long. winding interludes. Between walls of distorted tremolo riffing flow gentle and clean arpeggios, blending melodious textures with icy aggression.
The versatile guitar work is guided by subtle percussive touches that keep the expanding song structures wound together. The transitions between progressive dynamics and raw release are seamless, rounding out a singular and detailed presentation. While the ravaged vocals stand dubiously between singing and rasping, they manage not to overwhelm the band’s organic aesthetic.
Klabautmann have succeeded in creating a black metal album full of diversity without sacrificing the wintry core of their sound. The shifting soft-loud (bordering on post-rock) dynamics work extremely well, giving Merkur a pleasantly hypnotic pull. Fans of early Ulver, Fluerety, Alcest or any of the budding “post-black” bands should definitely give this a listen.







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