Review by Dominik on October 4, 2026.

For many years, you walked a very thin line when openly displaying patriotism in Germany. I love my country, and I was glad that, over time, people understood that being a patriot doesn't automatically make you a nationalist. But apparently, standing still was never really an option. Instead of staying inside this well-established comfort zone, the far right started creating its own parallel reality and reclaimed the idea that it was their mission to take Germany back to the good old times. A time when the country was supposedly prosperous, safe, and able to rely on its own people instead of having millions of immigrants doing the work for us. It is depressing to watch how feeding people a steady stream of populist lies can make them turn towards right-wing nationalism. But what does all of this have to do with German Verheerer's ("Devastator") latest release "Urgewalt" (something like "primal force" or "primordial force")? I mean, black metal is known for many things, but openly taking a political position isn't usually one of them.

However, this is exactly what Verheerer does here. The band clearly speaks out against fascism and oppression. The guys dedicate the album to those who have risen against it, both historically and today. This firm stance may be unusual in the genre, but it is something I highly appreciate. "Urgewalt" uses the First World War as its thematic foundation. Following the band's attitude, this is obviously not about glorifying war. Instead, the album looks at what war does to the people caught inside it. This is war viewed from the mud, not from the parade ground. History becomes a warning about the political forces that make such violence possible. I particularly like the contradiction between the title "Urgewalt", with its suggestion of overwhelming and almost glorified force, and the album which portrays the human devastation caused by that force. But I cannot rate an album based on its message and themes alone, right?

Unfortunately, where the release is very clear in terms of its thematic foundation, the musical side is much less straightforward. Yes, Verheerer's main influence is black metal. But the band is courageous enough not to give a damn about its conventions. Just as you need to immerse yourself in the lyrics and visual presentation to get the full picture, the music demands a similar amount of attention and effort. The song "Kriegstreiber" ("Warmonger") may be the most challenging example. If you dig it, you will probably become a firm disciple. I had my difficulties, so let me try to explain why.

The song is a patchwork of different motifs and ideas. It starts with a melancholic piano intro before morphing into a hard-hitting, slow-moving section with down-tuned guitars sounding like a death metal mimicry. Before you have time to settle in, the riffs become more melodic traditional black metal, while the drummer creates a surprisingly effective groove. Then the song picks up speed and starts to alternate between short bursts of blasting and more mid-tempo passages. But don't think the band is done with you yet. Traditional heavy metal suddenly creeps in before, around the four-minute mark, a short reprieve prepares you for the most aggressive section of the song. Again, it doesn't last long. Another change in dynamics follows, and suddenly everything becomes more introspective and depressive. Clean vocals pretending to be gothic lead the song towards its conclusion, which consists of another two minutes of tragic narrative and thematic reflection. Who is the villain? Who is the beast? The soldier killing at the front, or the people at home talking about war? Other bands need an entire album to cover this amount of ground. Verheerer does this in one song. That probably explains my challenge with this approach.

That the band can make my life considerably easier is demonstrated by the opener and title track. Following a short intro, the song gets down to business. But make no mistake: although it is more accessible, it still displays considerable stylistic width. Icy tremolos support blasting drums and an unusually articulate vocalist, before suddenly being replaced mid-song by an unexpected, completely unhinged solo. Already here it becomes painfully obvious that you will need more than a few spins to figure this album out.

"Grabenwurm" ("Trench Worm") is another one on the positive side. It starts in a fairly relaxed fashion, built around a recurring riff with a nice black'n'roll swagger. Although the music initially feels more restrained, the vocal delivery manages to convey the brutal absurdity of war perfectly. Later, a guitar line adds equal measures of desperation and alarmism. And, of course, Verheerer throws in enough dynamic changes to give you a small migraine. "Totenvolk" ("Dead Folk") is another highlight and, for about a minute, makes you believe that somewhere around the middle of the album you are finally being served a more straightforward black metal song. The approach works. Until it doesn't. Another unhinged solo hits you from left field, completely ignoring whatever expectations you may have foolishly developed. The chorus is outstanding and probably the purest black-metal moment on the album. This is followed by another shift in velocity and an interspersed narrative before the whole thing collapses into yet another black maelstrom. Easily my favorite track on the album.

"Urgewalt" is an interesting piece from many angles. It clearly puts variation above mindless aggression, although a song like "Lungs" may make me sound like a liar. I am leaning toward liking the release, because it shows courage on several levels. Musically and creatively, as well as in taking a firm position against something that keeps me awake at night: the ever-growing shadows of my homeland's tainted past resurfacing. So no, "Urgewalt" is not the easiest album to digest. It sometimes feels as if Verheerer deliberately built a maze and then handed you the map upside down. But perhaps that is exactly the point.

Rating 7.8 out of 10, because civil courage and thematic substance can make even a musical migraine worth having.