01. Nur
02. Wahrheit Teil I
03. Wahrheit Teil II
04. Zerfall
05. Übertritt
06. Ode Ans Licht
07. Zeitenwende Teil I [feat. Firtan]
08. Zeitenwende Teil II [feat. Norikum]
09. Reise
10. Secunda [Jeremy Soule cover] [bonus]
11. Verborgenes Inneres Leiden [bonus]

I'm not entirely sure what a gigantic spider dripping with venom that's bulging out of a woman's forehead head has to do with the theme behind Zerfall, but it certainly makes for a grim and dramatic sight, and I find that the musical soundscapes achieved on this album channel those same sentiments.

The Austrian post-black metal band Ellende was formed in 2011 by the talented multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Lukas Gosch, but first caught my attention in 2022 after I listened to their fourth full-length album Ellenbogengesellschaft. This was an album I happened to really like, inspiring me to delve further back into their discography, including their highly praised 2016 sophomore Todbringer (remastered under the title Todbringerin in 2024), which I can't believe I had let pass me by until then, as it genuinely blew my mind! Looking back now, I believe Todbringer set the band on the path to become what they are today, a formidable force in the thriving post-black scene.

Post-black metal is far from the most straightforward of genres, with bands across the scene setting the bar for originality higher than those in most other genres attempt. Many bands within the scene have successfully managed to establish a distinctive style and identity of their own; in the case of Ellende, their sound, essentially rooted in black metal, incorporates post-metal, meloblack, ambient, and a variety of instruments and other influences. Their approach tends to focus on alluring listeners into richly diverse soundscapesin which they are lost emotionally, as opposed to being mesmerized by technical wizardry or suffocated in dissonance. Achieving this requires time, patience, and an open mind, with the band striving to take listeners on a highly intense ride of emotional torment.

The band's sixth full-length release Zerfall offers another 50-minute journey brimming with raw emotion, lushly crafted melodies, and immersive atmospheres. It's densely layered and sonically diverse, with dark, brooding ambient passages and intense post-metal buildups, as each element contributes equally while being rendered with a refined and pristine production. The instrumentation has a surprising variety, as you'll hear pleasant acoustic melodies and sorrowful violin strings, as well as melancholic leads that interlock emphatically with riffs that range from repetitive and hypnotic to ferociously melodic tremolos. The rhythm section delivers the typical mix of groovy rhythms and blast beats, but also sometimes trance-like beats. The vocals are also of a high standard, shrieking with passion and anguish, and occasionally backed up by haunting ethereal cleans that echo in a dream-like fashion.

The most notable factor for me, though, isn't the instrumentation itself, but the way in which the album effortlessly ebb and flows. The two-part tracks "Wahrheit Teil" and "Zeitenwende Teil" each flow continuously as one song; however, even though the remaining songs are standalone, you still feel as though the album comprises a single musical and conceptual journey, by the way in which the tempo gradually varies, and how the intensity breaks down into a mighty crescendo in the blink of an eye. It's like surfing an endless current that drags you in and pushes you back, or riding a rollercoaster where each dip or bend could cause havoc on your emotions, similarly as to whether there's a particular solo, riff, or general melody here that might suddenly uplift your spirits.

I wouldn't necessarily say Zerfall is the band's best release to date, when considering memorability or excitement, but it's their most mature and professionally composed offering so far, standing out particularly for its outstanding production, emotion-filled performances, and dynamic atmosphere. It's an album that must be heard in full, and repeat listening is almost essential if you are to uncover what's lurking within these diverse multilayered musical structures. 

Performance:	8
Songwriting:	7
Originality:	7
Production:	9