Our site has had a long history with the German black metal band Infestus. Unlike some musical histories marred by mishaps and mediocrity, this one is fondly remembered, because although the music encompassed by the succession of Infestus releases (which is about to be six albums long) has never been entirely predictable, it has never been disappointing.
The history now continues with the newest Infestus album, Entzweiung, which is set for release by the band’s new label Talheim Records on April 19th. We’ll have more to say about the album as a whole in due course, but today our focus is on the song “Fuga Nocturna“.
To put the song in context, we first share some words about the album from Infestus‘ mastermind Andras:
“Entzweiung deals with two inherently opposing forces that have always existed within me, whose relentless tear on existence establishes the act of Entzweiung. On the one hand, a profound yearning for maximum distance from this world, a desire for tranquility, for freedom from external impressions, entanglements, and relationships. A pursuit of ultimate detachment from everything deemed contemptibly “human” as a potentially last resort for healing.
On the other hand, a force diametrically opposed, binding consciousness like chains to earthly existence, engulfing one in its sadistic omnipotence, drawing the “soul” into darkness, slowly devouring it from within.
Without further defining the origin of these antagonists here, my creative endeavors have always been inseparably linked to their existence. And ultimately, they might even be one and the same.
In the case of “Fuga Nocturna“, those competing forces described by Andras become manifest through constant contrasts in the music.
A dolorous piano melody slowly unravels and wanders forward even when joined by jagged chords, snapping beats, and ragged snarls. Juxtaposed against that moodiness, Infestus creates tension and turmoil as the guitars and the vocals soar in anguished intensity. Big booming bass lines and galloping drums join with strident cries and high-swirling fretwork to create sensations of wild confusion and ferocity, and gasping words and brittle notes sink the music into somber gloom.
Nothing in the long song roots in place for very long. And so the guitars ring out like brilliant chimes, and longingly glimmer above spoken words, creating moods of nostalgia and yearning. But moments of agony and despair continue to assault any sense of reflection or wistfulness, through vocals that tear themselves apart in pain and fury, tidal storms of roiling and blazing riffage, and rapidly hammering drums.
The push and pull of the music brings in soulful soloing and hints of hopefulness, but also dramatic upheavals of searing agony and blistering hostility, like sonic tempests of brilliant fire and the pain they bring, as well as a final collapse into depressiveness.
We’ll also share comments about the song that we’ve noticed from Andras:
Switching between fragile acoustic moments to bursts of erupting desperation, this song will leave you speechless in its tragedy. A nerve-racking journey through despair, marked by a profound yearning for salvation through withdrawal. Fuga Nocturna – the nightly escape.
On the new album, Andras performs everything — drums, guitars, vocals, bass, piano, synths, etc — and mixed the album as well. It was mastered by Markus Stock at Klangschmiede Studio, and credit for the fascinating cover painting goes to Devinez, with E-design and layout by Andras.
The album is available for pre-order now:
PRE-ORDER:
https://tal.hm/store-at-infestus
https://tal.hm/store-de-infestus
https://infestusbm.bandcamp.com/album/entzweiung
INFESTUS:
https://tree.tal.hm/@infestus
https://www.facebook.com/infestus.official