Pestnebel "Reich Der Schatten" CD

PESTNEBEL have been leaving their dark mark on the German underground and beyond since 2002. Their first CD, "In den schwarzen Abtauchen der Ewigkeit" (In the Black Abysses of Eternity), was released in 2003, followed by their second album, "Der schwarze Tod" (The Black Death), in 2005. In July of that same year, they holed up once again in Panzerklang Studio to record the album under review here, which, however, wasn't completed until February 2007 – why this happened remains a mystery to me.

Here, too (as with all the other Warfront releases I've reviewed), they deliver old-school black metal, but with the difference that this album is definitely among the best of the four CDs I've received from the label. While the mix isn't absolutely perfect (if you get that pun, feel free to read on, hehe!), it's nowhere near as bad as, for example, the dreadful DARK RAVAGE – a complete waste of resources. Furthermore, the band occasionally uses canned organ or choir sounds to underscore their dark anthems, which blend seamlessly into the overall sound and appear very well thought out.

The fact is, with this album, the duo PESTNEBEL has captured the dark atmosphere of true black metal quite effectively and knows how to unleash its hatred and the coldness of its sound upon the listener.

While "Reich der Schatten" isn't quite a masterpiece, anyone who appreciates true black metal should definitely check out this band – they certainly won't be disappointed!

Sample: youtube.com/watch?v=SiUQl6JJWWQ&t=321s