Heiden - Andzjel (2022)
by Flork
Life is always full of surprises. And when I say this, I mean that some of the most beautiful things are shrouded in darkness. It’s like reaching through hundreds of layers of distorted chaos and eventually grasping a living, beautiful soul. And with Heiden, despite their two previous experimental rock releases, you will undoubtedly have this experience whenever you press play on Andzjel (Angel).
Their return to dark and atmospheric metal will come as a blessing to fans of black metal or those just curious about the genre. It opens with Neverim tem ocim (I can’t believe these eyes), an atmospheric that track that is full of ambience and touches of melancholy. It sets the tone and imagery of a forested part of the Carpathians, the White Carpathians, which is a lesser mountain range on the Czechoslovak border east of the band’s hometown in the greater Carpathian Mountains. This is the beauty of Czech and Slovak black metal and all its subgenres, as it explores the folklore and people of the region’s hills and valleys. I must admit that I like this album right from the start. Even though Neverim tem ocim is sung in Czech (as are all the tracks), the vocalist still manages to create images of pagan rituals and paranoia, with a sinister and harsh quality that adds to the overall intensity of the music.
Yet it’s not all darkness. Some of the tracks like Musim ti tolik rict (I need to tell you so much) or Zari (September) masterfully combine elements of progressive metal (as well as lighter, clean vocals) with the usual characteristics of the heaviness of black metal (hence the genre is known as post black metal). This is also evident in Svit, mesicku, jasno (Shine bright, little moon). This track evokes images of darkness and uncertainty with its slowed-down tempo from the relentless aggression of some of the other tracks, like Besu se nezbavis (You can’t get rid of the demons). This latter composition conjures images of Carpathian witches and the secrets hidden under the shadows cast by the ancient trees. The album ends with Patrim sem (I belong here), whose title is somewhat fitting, despite the misery and mystery of the content in the previous tracks. It is mystifyingly beautiful while full of dark ambience, portraying a land where its inhabitants are resigned and accepting of their fate.
Andzjel is certainly a nice return to their black metal roots, yet incorporates so many other sounds that the band has picked up along its way. Moreover, Heiden has evolved into a mature artistic unit that younger bands can look up to and should appeal to anyone who appreciates the black metal moods of Czechia and Slovakia. If you do decide to give Andzjel a listen to, try it alone while walking through the trails of the White Carpathians among its trees and lonely sounds of the wind. You’ll know what I mean when I say that some of the most beautiful things are shrouded in darkness.
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