Gorleben – Menetekel

Founded in 2010 in Dresden (Germany), Gorleben is a five piece named after a municipality in Saxony, next to which an ill-famous radioactive waste storage facility is located. The band is playing a mixture of apocalyptic death/doom and black metal. The new album, entitled Menetekel, has been released through Darkness Shall Rise Productions. It comes three years after the release of their highly acclaimed debut, Game Over.

Tracklist:

1. Countdown

2. Sarkophag

3. Erg

4. Menetekel

This new 4-tracker album is ‘a warning about the destruction of our civilization and that the countdown on it is already running’. 43-minutes of Menetekel are divided into only four tracks, being lengthy and epic, constantly shifting between different styles and moods. Furthermore, Menetekel is a deep conceptual metal album that effectively creates a bleak, beautiful and utterly consuming sound. Instrumentation features some heavy riffs, prominent keyboards, electric piano, and a mix of harsh growls and female screams, adding depth to their sound. I enjoyed the fact that keyboards are in front of a sound wall, and what it brings to their sound. The lyrical content is a warning about humanity’s destructive nature, using time and apocalyptic dread as central elements. Finally, the overall atmosphere is rather apocalyptic, hallucinatory/psychedelic, unsettling and immersive, fitting perfectly into the overall image of the band and its sound.

“Countdown” opens Menetekel with birds chirping through a heavily distorted and a thick riff, reminiscent of early Black Sabbath. Next song is called “Sarkophag”, servering as a smooth transition from the previous song, while simultaneously featuring more psychedelic and improvisational/experimental sounds. “Erg” is again more emotional song where agonizing and extreme vocals (both male and female) appear simultaneously with melodic guitar trills. This track has some characteristics that are typical for depressive black, doom and post-metal. The album- and title song name “Menetekel” is chosen because it’s one of the oldest known prophecies, describing the legend of Belshazzar (the Babylonian king’s downfall) and a parallel to the present situation of humanity. The final offering “Menetekel” serves as a fine grand finale and a satisfying conclusion suggesting a dark exit to both this album and to human race in general.

This was a solid listening experience, and thus Menetekel is highly recommended for those who enjoy atmospheric, progressive and experimental death/doom/black metal and the likes of Dawn of Solace, Cult of Luna, Black Sun Aeon, Katatonia, Haxprocess, Mastodon, Mitochondrion etc.

For additional information on this particular sophisticated sophomore release from Gorleben visit bandcamp.