Review by Felix on April 21, 2025.

Ainzamkait is a new project that was released by Purity Through Fire. The German label stays true to itself. “Was des Lebens nicht wert” attaches little importance to innovation. “No frills” is written in big letters on the agenda as well. Therefore, “only” pure blackness falls over the audience as the songs spread their sinister vibes. Okay, the intro and the small-format title track, a 147 seconds instrumental, seem to build a kind of double run-up and this start into the album does not suck, but I also cannot see its necessity.

Anyway, things get much better quickly. A mid-tempo number like the overwhelming “Heidentum” scores with merciless stoicism (tempo changes are evidently forbidden) and almost hypnotic lines. Its raw and harsh appearance is built on guitar lines which are massive but connected with the underground at the same time. Furthermore, I enjoy an almost opaque production and the throaty vocals that express disgust and misanthropy, while the lyrics evoke the rites of the time before Christianization. Of course, the song pattern is primitive, predictable and some may find it boring. But in my humble opinion, this monument is the first expressive and impressive statement here and its authentic vibes send shivers down my spine. Black metal legions march before your inner eye, each soldier with a grim, determined face and the lone wolf who runs Ainzamkait cannot hide his German origins. “Feindesleid” trusts in a similar song pattern and its desperate melodies lend it a sinister beauty. Its great guitar tones at the beginning catch my attention right from the get-go and thanks to the self-limiting approach of our lonely friend, we have the reassuring warranty that the guitars will not stray too far from their own opening in the next six minutes. And so it is.

“Was des Lebens nicht wert” is based on a raw production. Modern sound options have not been used, everything sounds down-to-earth. Maybe Ainzamkait were just not able to create a better sound, but I think that this kind of mix is part of the concept. A concept which hails the underground wholeheartedly. So fervently, in fact, that the lyrics also remain in the usual realms. Stupid or trve? You decide. I can only conclude that Grimnir der Zornige, the guy who runs Ainzamkait, is obviously familiar with the aesthetics of the genre. The artwork, another case of stupid or steadfast, emphasises his spiritual connection to the essence of black metal too.

The remaining tracks are okay and one of them even features clear (and nearly questionable) vocals, but they don’t have the same impact. Either their guitar lines are less strong or they reveal an unexpected mildness like the somewhat tired closer. „Widergänger“ delivers both: actually great, once again clearly defined guitar lines and an ambient section in the centre of the song which does not make the track better. It is still a good and respectable track, but it shows that a song does not necessarily benefit from an additional idea. Nevertheless, we have to keep in mind that “Was des Lebens nicht wert” is a debut, so we cannot take for granted that everything works perfectly. One thing is for sure, the album indicates a very solid potential and it will be interesting to see how things develop in the camp of Ainzamkait. With the stoic, narrow-minded and probably polarizing mindset which is reflected in the songs, the artist has a good prerequisite to reach the next quality levels step by step.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10