Review by Fernando on November 2, 2022.

The mystics behind Ateiggär, Fauth Temenkeel and Fauth Lantav (aka Mentekel and Vâlant from Ungfell), after giving the world a taste of darkness with the 2019 EP Us D'r Höll Chunnt Nume Zyt, have finally returned with a proper debut opus, and on MMXXII anno horriblis, through Eisenwald, Tyrannemord is upon us.

Ateiggär is of course one of the many projects from The Helvetic Underground Committee, known for acts like Ungfell and Dakhma, and for also being a collective of eclectic extreme metal bands, and where Ateiggär is concerned, they play pure, true cult black metal in the style of early Satyricon and Kvist, that is to say, a very melodic and epic style of black metal that features varied songwriting and extensive use of keyboards and orchestral arrangements. The band displayed that style and with their own flare very well on their 2019 EP, and now that they're presenting a full length LP, the stakes are higher, and I can safely say that Ateiggär did not disappoint and this record is their definitive statement wherein they completely shed their influences.

Much like the debut EP, Tyrannemord is also a concept album, which accounts the assassination of Byzantine ruler Leo Armenius V, on a palace's chapel, while also drawing influence from the works of German poet and playwright Andreas Gryphius. And indeed, the band have very lofty and grandiose themes and concepts to enrich their music, and on that regard, they absolutely deliver black metal that's equal parts unrelenting and majestic. Fauth Temenkeel has often proved himself to be a versatile and dynamic songwriter and musician, and with Ateiggär, and especially on this record, his mastery of the subgenre and more esoteric influences truly shine. His guitar and bass work in particular is the most striking, his melodic and oppressing riffs and basslines form the backbone of the songs, and what's more impressive is how the strings for the most part are on the lower scale and the heavier sounding side, and feature a growling and exceedingly thick sound, the keyboards and synths do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to melodies and embellishments, and all this is rounded by his vocals which are on the guttural and echoing, from beginning to end, Temenkeel never lets up, and it gives this very symphonic record a true grit and rawness that other "epic" or symphonic black metal records often discard or lose altogether due to a sterile production.

That being said, while Fauth Temenkeel does have the lion's share of the instrumentation, his partner in crime, Fauth Lantav is by no means a slouch, the man has long proven himself to be a superb drummer, and his work speaks for itself, and that is still the case on this record, and more impressively, Lantav's drumming is the backbone of all the songs, his fills, rhythms, blast beats and double bass are fiendishly effective throughout and their absence in key ambient moments have more impact when they come back.

The last aspect to mention is the production, The Helvetic Underground Committee have always had a knack for producing black metal that's both professionally made but without diminishing the grit of black metal, and that's still the case for Tyrannemord, all the instruments are clear sounding, and the performances are excellent. The most interesting aspect however is the in-studio trickery, like the reverb and delay on the drums, distorted flanger guitars in bridge sections, and even samples of birds and choruses, and all of these elements complete the atmosphere of the record which also enhances the music and fully embodies the concept and themes in the lyrics, and while I don't speak Swedish German, the idea of a regicide within a house of worship does come across from the music. The only real critic I can offer is that the album is a bit uniform and falls a bit into monotony, but only by inches and through repeated listens, and given how ornate and massive the music as a whole is, I wouldn't recommend listening this record on repeat but that's just a disclaimer.

Overall, Ateiggär have truly nailed finding their sound and creating a massive album that's both vintage, yet fresh, with both ambitious songwriting and superb performances, this is not just a great addition for the Helvetic Pantheon, but a great record to listen on its own.

Best tracks: 'En Stille Feind', 'Us Lyschegiftig Schlaf Verwached', 'Chron' Und Tod'

Rating: 8.9 out of 10

Review by Fernando on November 20, 2019.

Switzerland’s “Helvetic Underground Committee” have been curating a fascinating and impressive crop of black and death metal bands, and their most recent band, formed by the members of Ungfell, no less is Ateiggär, and once again, the H.U.C., continue to deliver with yet another outstanding band.

As mentioned before, this band is a sister band/side project by the duo behind Ungfell, and instead of the folksy approach of that band, for Ateiggär, Fauth Temenkeel and Fauth Lantav have decided to make a throwback black metal mini album of pure second wave worship with their own flair and style. For starters, and most importantly, this band is a complete departure from the style found in the aforementioned Ungfell, both are distinct bands with a unique sound, the most telling sign is the vocal work of Fauth Temenkeel, he has switched his howling and wailing screeches from his other band for much more menacing and chilling growls that pay tribute to pioneers of the genre, his vocal work is a perfect departure and its foreboding intensity suits their new style perfectly, and as a seasoning to mix things up, there’s also added choirs and Temenkeel also adds shouts and howls to deathly effect in the songs.

Furthermore, the musicianship displayed is also very impressive. The guitar and drum work are the main highlights next to the vocals, Lantav and Temenkeel perfectly complement each other, the drums have the expected blast beats and double base melodies but at the same time, Lantav adds that little more spice and flair to the rhythm section by incorporating different drum patterns, some ominous and weirdly orchestral percussion for key moments and a seamless finesse that’s usually minimized on “trve kvlt” black metal, but make no mistake, Fauth Lantav has raw speed and aggression to spare, truly honoring the masters of black metal and he effortlessly switches between technical prowess and raw aggression. The guitar work displayed, again is a fitting tribute to the second wave, tremolo picking, shredding speed and wailing riffs but what makes it interesting and adds that extra layer of flavor is the more melodious and atmospheric side which are punctuated by the keyboards, the keyboard truly complete the very specific sound Ateiggär sought out to do, and its reinforced by the lyrics which eschew the satanic and occult leanings of the genre for astrology, ancient alchemy and the works of Johannes Kepler, all of these themes and concepts combined are what sells this EP’s sound, a throwback black metal style with subtle symphonic traits that evoke the mysteries of the cosmos and the stars, in a weird way this could be a space black metal EP but without the need to add industrial or overly progressive elements.

The final aspect to note here, is that for an EP, the length is just one song short of being a full length, all the songs clock between six and seven minutes which make it a satisfying and worthwhile experience that isn’t rushed and it most definitely doesn’t drag, it’s the perfect length and it give the band enough time to flex and make an impression. The only negative is really a nitpick, the music here at times would sound eerily similar of early Emperor and Satyricon which isn’t in it of itself a bad thing, and the album isn’t completely derivative, far from it, the influence is just noticeable if you’re familiar with those bands and the band experiments with atmospherics and melody in a much more effective way that those bands did in their earlier days.

Overall, Ateiggär is nothing short of another triumph for both the H.U.C. and their label of choice Eisenwald and I’m beyond excited to see what these guys have in store next for this project. It keeps the fires of the black metal cult alive and it pushes the genre into new, and mysterious heights.

Best tracks: “Und d Korybante tanzed in Sturm”, “En Blinde namens Duracotus”, “De Dämon us Levania”.

Rating: 8.7 out of 10

Review by Alex on November 12, 2019.

Ateiggär taunt an age aching back to the first time hearing Darkened Noturn Slaughterult's "Follow the Calls for Battle" but with an addition of keyboard synth broadening the landscape of their sorcery. Produced on such a professional scale that could mislead anyone familiar with the scene into thinking Us D'r Höll Chunnt Nume Zyt is a full-length record, the gloss is but one component aiding to present the talent within the entity; thus, before I could even summon the thought of murmuring run-of-the-mill, I had already been proven wrong. The glitter of the mysteries manifested on Us D'r Höll Chunnt Nume Zyt are glorified and made dangerous through Ateiggär's battle-speed drumming, controlled rhythmic fluctuations, strikingly barbaric black metal vocals, dream-like/lunar keyboard-synth and pianos in-turn also anchoring the smoothness of their debut. Distinctly 2nd wave black metal that comes with that familiar chill of the early to mid-90s era of the movement still rank in the womb of its nurturing. Us D'r Höll Chunnt Nume Zyt has a-lot happening within just 27 minutes that don't appear as distractions during the solidifying of Ateiggär's sound; good on their part for not writing a monotonous buzz of drowsiness, instead finding entertainment in playing with the space between bridges by mending auras immersive to the nostalgic listener/s. It's a property to behold on all tracks, however, not overdone nor does it override Ateiggär's fiery black metal framework.

This revivalist era of second wave black metal; (not that it had been lost to time but went deeper underground with the approach of the 21st century) has brought us Ringare, Vargrav, Desciples of the Void, Nachtig and many others well worth the time. Now making way from Swiss sands is Ateiggär, that not only play a real serenade to the apex of second wave black metal but attempt in making it interesting simultaneously. 'Und d Korybante tanzed in Sturm', 'Us d'r Höll chunnt nume Zyt', 'En Blinde namens Duracotus' and 'De Dämon us Levania' offer instant gratification through the fluent combination of different musical elements wielded by Fauth Temenkeel and Fauth Lantav. As said earlier the Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult influences are to be heard throughout Us D'r Höll Chunnt Nume Zyt, particularly in the drumming department and at some points are reflected through the riffs. By taking notes from the German masters and applying it to their script, Ateiggär has managed to tune one of the more promising EPs of 2019. Turns out Fauth Temenkeel and Fauth Lantavare are associated with the Helvetic Unerground Committe which a testimony regarding the quality is put forth by the combined unit; nothing under the sky of such prestige is without coveting repute. As the band's name is translated 'initiator of ideas' ones does get the sense this young faction may be on a quest to reinvent the weaponry. Us D'r Höll Chunnt Nume Zyt shows us what they can do and their understanding of the genre thus raising anticipation of what lies ahead.

Rating: 8 out of 10