Band:	Hjel
Album:	Kalte Asche
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	July 22, 2016
Guest review by:	Metren

01. Im Nebel
02. Ruinen
03. Kalte Asche
04. Untergang
05. Ende

Those who follow Hjel on Facebook probably know that Kalte Asche is an album that essentially got written twice. According to the one-man project's mastermind, Max, at one point he threw most of the material he'd written in the trash and started over, to create an album that was more than "just OK." How good or bad the first version of the album would have turned out to be, we'll never know, but it doesn't matter. What matters is that the hard work put into Hjel's first album paid off and the result is an impressive debut.

Kalte Asche does so many things so right in the songwriting department that it is borderline unbelievable that it is Hjel's very first full-length album. Charmingly simple riffs and melodies are combined into moderately lengthy tracks in a truly skilled way, resulting in music that is instantly satisfying, but also doesn't give everything away immediately and invites repeat listens. The listener will remember individual moments very well after just a few spins, but the songs as a whole aren't so easy to digest. There's enough variety in the music as well, with some simple, but beautiful acoustic passages and expertly-placed tempo changes. Occasionally, a melody or a riff is repeated too many times, but that is quite easy to forgive, when taking into account everything the album does well.

In addition to being a good songwriter, Max is also an excellent growler. His vocal performance is cold (in a good way), powerful and enthralling and is probably the best thing about the album.

If one was to look for a serious flaw on the album, the search would be futile. While it's not a very original work, what Kalte Asche lacks in originality, it makes up for in almost every other area. Hjel's debut is thus one to be treasured by fans of black metal, not only as a good album, but also as a strong sign of even greater things to come.