Der Weg einer Freiheit : Innern
In the lead-up to Der Weg einer Freiheit’s sixth record Innern, frontman and guitarist Nikita Kamprad said that the album was both a chance for the German black metal group to look inward (hence the title) and the product of years of collaboration. On the surface, these statements are par for the course for any band deep into their career. They’re sentiments to fill press obligations. However, they ring differently for Der Weg einer Freiheit, given the group’s reputation as introspective and technical. If that’s what they’ve long been, what happens when they hone in on it?
That’s best answered by lead single “Eos,” which acts as a vertical slice for the record. “Eos” advertises Innern’s meaty metallic elements alongside its lush and spacious rock. It recalls Behemoth with a more refined vocalist as much as it does Wolves in the Throne Room if they didn’t record on a hippie commune. There’s also a push and pull dynamic on display as Der Weg einer Freiheit manipulate tension, going not only from loud to quiet but frenetic to anthemic. One could say it harkens to shoegaze, and although Der Weg einer Freiheit wield its might and layers, they deal with a different emotional texture. Their stoicism slots them beside pragmatic black metal descendents who withdrew from their emotions into the dark.
That being said, Der Weg einer Freiheit present a refined take on black metal that’s more to the tastes of those who herald Weakling and Neurosis rather than Celtic Frost and Bathory. There are instances in which tried-and-tested Norwegian waves strike, like the long scream on “Xibalba” and the main riff entering on “Eos.” And as satisfying as they are, they’re more memorable because they stand beside periods where Der Weg einer Freiheit move away from guitar-centric melodies in favor of total submersion. It’s here that Kamprad’s statement is most evident as the group jams atop one another without a clear guiding light. They contrast the guitar-first directives and veer into post-metal territory, demanding to be appreciated from a panoramic viewpoint.
It helps that Innern boasts production that a mother would put on the fridge if her child made it. Kamprad handled everything behind the boards at his studio. Being so close to the project means that he knows what to stress and what to compress. Innern, therefore, sounds pored over for clarity rather than aesthetic. It’s pristine, but, more importantly, it keeps the focus on the playing rather than homogenizing it. The mounting tension of “Eos,” for instance, would sound like an air conditioning unit were it not balanced the way that it was. It will offend those who require ruffage in their metal, and there’s no arguing that, but Innern is clearly not aiming for that approach. After all, “Forlorn” delves into brooding, post-metal-informed alternative rock, and it’s hard to imagine it paying off if it weren’t Kamprad’s production.
Put simply, Innern holds true to those press proclamations. It flexes the cooperative bond between Der Weg eiener Freiheit members and asserts the whole above the individual parts. That mirrors the plea behind “Xibalba,” which is to resist propaganda and segregation through self-analysis, then using those findings to build stronger connections. It’s a mature action plan, a conclusion that’s usually explained rather than felt. Innern, however, ushers toward it, stressing that to take action, one must feel as much as they think.
Label: Season of Mist
Year: 2025
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