Sieghetnar "Bewusstseinserweiterung"

Black Metal, Ambiental / Experimental

Re-release with completely redesigned artwork, remastered sound and this time with vocals.  Includes an 8 page booklet.
It is also known as Bewußtseinserweiterung² , but the squared symbol appears neither on the release nor on the label's page.

This was the third full-length from German black metal export Sieghetnar, although today I'm covering the reissue on Pesttanz Klangschmiede which, given the information I have, includes vocals as opposed to the original release which didn't. There's also some new artwork too, which is without a doubt superior to the original, and what I could imagine to be a nice bonus for any fans of the act. For the uninitiated (like myself prior to listening) Sieghetnar play a drawn out, atmospheric blend of black metal taking cues from minimalistic Darkthrone or even early Blut Aus Nord.
Whilst Sieghetnar seems to know how to craft some decent black metal riffs, and some chilling atmosphere, I don't believe the wealth of the material on offer warrants such extended length. Outside of the intro there are two tracks just over the ten-minute mark, and one clocking a leviathan thirty. This would be all well and good if the ideas felt primed to be spread over such a long length, but really a lot of this stuff would be pushing it at seven or eight minutes. Whilst I can appreciate a lot of the parts individually, when it comes together on the whole my attention wavers throughout.
I guess some of the charm in the more atmospheric blend of black metal is being able to lose yourself in a trance, zoning out to the unsettling backdrop; but when acts such as the aforementioned Blut Aus Nord or even US luminary Leviathan can manage to chill and take over the mind in shorter, poignant track lengths, I can't help but feel Sieghetnar come off overblown. One thing I do feel Sieghetnar do really well though, is utilize their spacey synthesizers, and again it springs to mind Blut Aus Nord, particularly the more atmospheric parts of Ultima Thulee.
Fans of the style might well find more in the way of enjoyment here than I did, but the way I see it is: any second wave style black metal elements Sieghetnar offer can be heard to superior effect in the early Darkthrone albums, and if I'm looking for atmosphere I can find it in a more absorbing and concise manner with Darkspace I. As such I can't find all that much reason to give this one a recommendation, the music doesn't really cut it any higher than average, and with similar, superior releases out there I severely doubt I'll be returning for further listening.

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