BROCKEN MOON — Hoffnungslos (review)

BROCKEN MOON — Hoffnungslos album cover Album · 2011 · Depressive Black Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Vehemency
For reasons I can’t entirely explain to even myself, Brocken Moon’s third full-length Hoffnungslos hits the right spots in me. Maybe it has something to do with the natural, honest sound this piece of rather depressive black metal possesses: the music, going from slower synth-fuelled wanderings to maniacal blast beats, is somewhat clumsily executed - not to forget the screams of the vocalist sounding like he was totally losing control - in a rusty, underground production that all adds to the charm.

And the style remains intact throughout the 39 minutes and 7 songs of despondent and odd black metal. We’re not dealing with any masterpiece melodies here, but the way Brocken Moon manages to avoid all the biggest clichés of today - cheap depressive or religious black metal trends - and still incorporates such elements as sorrow and insanity to the music is quite admirable. Hoffnungslos has its own sound, that’s for sure, even if the eerie synths on ”Kälte” are reminiscent of Xasthur, and....

When the album ventures to the seventh track ”Einsamkeit”, something unexpected happens. You know that TV crime series Dexter? Brocken Moon has implemented - or dare I even say ripped off - one of the series’ main theme melodies, and I’m pretty sure it’s not coincidental as the piano and violins (synths) have exactly the same role as on the original piece. I find this quite amusing, and though it fits pretty well to Hoffnungslos, I would still like to find out is there any deeper meaning to this.

I’m certain that albums like Hoffnungslos will never reach big fame but there are people, like yours struly, who greatly enjoy the little details that makes the album differ from the usual standards of by-the-book black metal. Quite like Dark Tribe’s recent album Archaic Visions, Hoffnungslos is a successful piece of primitive, sad and odd black art that will receive a lot of spins in the future. 2011 is kicking off pretty well though I’m already sure that albums like Hoffnungslos are very few and far between when it comes to being even slightly original.
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