ALBUM REVIEW: Nachzehrer – Seher

SEHER are a black metal band who was founded in 2014 in Berlin, Germany. Nachzehrer is set to be released later this month and it includes four new tracks from Nachzehrer and three tracks from their demo from 2015. With the black metal scene congested to say the least, do SEHER have what it takes to stand out in the crowd?

The first track Nachzehrer, creates a vibrant, bold sound with solo drum beats before entering with a catchy riff which you soon realise is the main theme in the song. This leads to the famous black metal blast beats, tremolo picking and raspy vocals. At this point in the song, a synth is used and this almost sounds like its mimicking church bells, which enforces the eerie, haunting vibe. SEHER never lets the listener get bored as the timbre changes throughout the song, which is beautifully done and finishes with an ominous vibe – a solid start to the album.

The second track, Geist, opens with a lengthy, solemn guitar intro which leaves the listener anticipating the musical direction of the song. After a good 2 and a half minutes the song crescendos with a strong drum beat, exhilarating guitar riffs and vocals. After a couple of listens, you’ll find yourself subconsciously humming the riffs or even be left with goose bumps from the guitar melody towards the end of the track.

Nechzehrer is wonderfully broken up with the fourth track, Donner. The sound of rain accompanies a clean guitar, which is shortly followed by another. The guitar duet over the rain sounds is perfect at creating that ambient, atmospheric vibe to the music.

Even by the initial screeching guitar resonance, you can predict track five, Der Seher, will be a strong one.  This song does not fall short on quality riffs and once again, SEHER make sure to keep your attention by contrasting the tone and pace throughout the song. The raw vocals and the underlying synth in parts, really adds to the atmosphere, creating that chilled, eerie vibe.

The last track on Nachzehrer, only lasting just over a minute and a half, is beautiful and certainly lives up to its name; Frost. It opens with a mysterious drone which is followed by a riff underlying a melody on guitar, which both complement each other really well and produces a stunning sound. This is a brilliant track to end on, however it almost ends a bit too sudden and the listener is left thinking something else should happen next.

Overall, this is a wonderful album. The quality is consistent all the way through and it engrosses the listener from start to finish, taking them on a musical journey. SEHER would potentially appeal to any black metal fan, especially those into the ambient/atmospheric side of black metal. Nachzehrer is definitely worth a listen.

Rating: 9/10

Nachzehrer is set for release on July 29 via Totenmusik.

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