Review by Felix on November 20, 2025.

Purity Through Fire strike again with another German newcomer. Siechknecht, a word monster which can be roughly translated with slowly dying slave, show up on the radar with a debut EP. Four songs give the signal to start a wild hunt and at least one dude of the quartet is no beginner. With some experience from Order of Nosferat and Sarkrista, the band is able to perform a comparatively simple-yet-powerful form of black metal. Due to their pretty perfect sound, the guitars appear like a bastard between a tank and a steamroller and this alone gives me a good feeling.

Siechknecht don’t give a f**k about intros, they celebrate their energetic approach right from the beginning. A cool guitar line thinks it has found its perfect partner with the mid-paced rhythms, but soon a merciless high velocity eruption tears everything apart. This mix of tempos leads to a dynamic and firm kick in the yellow, rotten teeth of wannabe black metal fans. By contrast, we, who listen to this kind of music by conviction, enjoy the masterful frenzy of the opener and "Sieben Nägel Und Ein Gebet". Why? The most obvious reason is explained quickly. There is an insane, somehow bloodthirsty note resonating, especially in the completely unleashed high-speed parts.

While the not overly dirty production has definitely enough strength to create a devilish aggression, Siechknecht also find the time to integrate a few less murderous sequences. The Germans never sound mild or even weak, but the title track demonstrates that they have more options than total hate and violence. The almost romantically titled closer "Segler Der Nordmeere" is kicked off by a more or less normal rock riff, but the very expressive vocals lend the song a proper dose of paranoia. Just like the three previous songs, this track combines a surprisingly big portion of catchiness with a subtle stench of death. Thus, the atmosphere of the EP is not too far away from the aura we know from the outputs of their label mates Atronos or Mavorim.

Clear case, "Pestmond" catapults Siechknecht on a very respectable level and it can easily happen that these newcomers will become a truly great number in terms of Teutonic black metal. Time will tell. Yes, all of the four songs do not lack substance in any way. However, we know that it needs more than good song-writing skills. Think of stamina, think of integrity, think of the necessary bit of luck. Maybe a first full-length will bring more clarity. Until it is released, I enjoy "Pestmond". Many times.

Rating: 8 out of 10