Grausamkeit along with his many aliases has been a staple of Germany's Black Metal scene since the mid-90s - releasing a constant stream of demos, EPs, albums and more. This along with the Angeldestruction demo of the same year are some of his most defining works, showcasing his skill for theatrics and varied instrumentation.
Krätze [Scabies] is an epic composition, retaining the usual instruments and vocals of raw Black Metal but complemented by the grandiose synthwork. It begins with an out of tune guitar but quickly stabilizes, the drums being especially punchy giving the demo added energy. After a few minutes the synths become the focal point of the track, the drums and guitar still persisting through it all. Succeeding the immense buildup the piano weaves itself into the song, wrapping it up after a few minutes of beautiful playing. Although it often tries, music in this sound rarely achieves the pure passion that this release exudes within every layer of its composition. The way it blends the agressive side of Black Metal with the neoclassical influence is superb, so much emotion contained in only a pair of tracks. It's some of the most adventurous music I've ever heard, impressive considering it's all done by the Black Son of Darkness himself. It could honestly be a one-track demo and would likely still have gained its legendary status with how good it is.
Jahr 2000: Weltentod [Year 2000: World Death] is again daring, though with a more bold approach and rhythm than the first one. It feels like a more a simple combination of this demo's ideas but sacrificing the fervor in return. The vocals are also more apparent on it, something in which Grausamkeit excel at throughout his discography. They're distant shrieks, direct but quite intense. Despite this simplicity it is still a very well done song and a good ending to the release.
Pink Green 666, even under all the corpse paint and macabre thematics stands as one of the artistic releases in each subgenre it encompasses. With only one cassette side it takes the listener through a journey of epic proportions and diverse emotions.
8.5/10
See also: Azhubham Haani, Mütiilation, Mooncitadel
The Spotify upload is slightly pitched up
- kreyzi
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