Band:	Ihsahn
Album:	Das Seelenbrechen
Style:	Avantgarde metal, Extreme progressive metal
Release date:	October 2013

01. Hiber
02. Regen
03. NaCl
04. Pulse
05. Tacit II
06. Tacit I
07. Rec
08. M
09. Sub Äter
10. See
11. Entropie [limited edition bonus]
12. Hel [limited edition bonus]

At this point into his career, I think it's pretty fair to say that Ihsahn has developed a very "love it or hate it" type of vibe with his solo work. Either you love the man's introspective mind and the creative twists and turns he takes his music on (*raises hand*), or you think that this "extreme progressive" shit is all just a bunch of superfluous fluff, and he needs to get over himself and get back to some As The Shadows Rise-esque material. While Ihsahn's first efforts did generally contain enough BM elements to keep some of the kvlt pvrists pleased, it was 2010's After that saw him embarking on some more daring and unconventional voyages, a pattern he's continued ever since, and which arguably comes full circle with his fifth effort.

Das Seelenbrechen (that's "The Soul Break" for those without Rosetta Stones) in many ways comes across as Ihsahn's most ambitious material to date, with a huge variety of sounds and emotion that stretch from the simplistic to the complex, and from the mellow to the aggressive. Again we see Ihsahn continuing the use of his impressive clean vocals on tracks such as "Rec," "Regen" and "Pulse," the latter two also containing some choir-like effects that greatly help to enhance the overall aesthetic. Generally, these more relaxed moments contain softer and more dreamlike instrumentation, such as piano and very clear, expressive guitar leads (the one towards the end of "M" is nothing short of astounding).

On the other hand, Das Seleenbrechen also has a fierce, chaotic side to it as well, and does indeed get quite avant garde at some points. The composition during such moments may strike some listeners as a little too out there, and even a bit messy, but in a way this feels like an intentional technique on Ihsahn's part, not just unnecessary extravagance. Closer "See" is perhaps the best example: the track is smothered in a thick layer of effects, the drums progress it forward very rhythmically, and Ihsahn's guttural vocals are the icing that helps it feel even more disturbing and unfamiliar. "M," meanwhile, has a very darkly atmospheric feel going on in its first half, only further peaked by Ihsahn's clever choice to add some spoken word into it.

Despite this, Das Seleenbrechen is not, as some early listeners have been suggesting, a sloppy album by any means. In fact, most of the album is pretty tightly composed, with well-structured rhythms and grooves that can actually be pretty memorable (see the main riffs for "NaCl" and "Pulse"). The album's stranger moments occur more towards its end, making it seem as though Ihsahn deliberately chose to move it progressively from order to chaos, fully representing the "soul break" of its title. Furthermore, Ihsahn is a true master of his craft, who has proven time and time again that he knows very well what he wants with his music, and how to execute it. Das Seleenbrechen is certainly no exception.