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Urfaust > Verräterischer, nichtswürdiger Geist > Reviews
Urfaust - Verräterischer, nichtswürdiger Geist

Walking through the darkest hall - 80%

John Hohle, September 25th, 2022

The title of this review is literally what I felt when I heard this work from the Germans. It's like I'm wandering like a zonewalker through a hallway that gets darker and more eerie the deeper I go, but I can't stop.

Urfaust is not a conventional band. It is not the only band that showed that black metal is very attached to experimentation, originality and musical delirium. With their debut Geist ist Teufel they had already demonstrated it, where the Germans offered a work that was far from being conventional but much more ambitious than any debut usually is and it became a milestone of the genre.

But with Verräterischer, nichtswürdiger Geist they decided to do something even more risky. It looks a bit like the debut of course, however this second album has its own aura. Only the introduction entitled "Dunkel, still von Ewigkeit" anticipates perfectly what this work would be like. Creepy, puzzling, strange and quite atypical. And without warning resounds "Ragnarök Mystiker" where we can hear IX's characteristic singing style, with its lament-embroidered babble and his exasperating screams.

Musically, Verräterischer, nichtswürdiger Geist has a sound similar to the debut album, but a bit more flawed where it manages to sound even more atmospheric and abrasive than Geist ist Teufel. Although the tempo is slower, making the album even more atmospheric, more depressing at times. As I said at the beginning, you crawl through a corridor that is only illuminated by the light of the moon that passes through the windows, trying to escape from that darkness.

At the moment that "Trauerhöhle" sounds, you feel that the album gives off even more melancholy in its music, but that it progressively becomes more mysterious and disturbing. This track was an introduction to the rarity par excellence of this work called "Verflucht das Blenden der Erscheinung" where there is a piece that would leave anyone baffled. It is a song that bets on an electronic music style but without neglecting that dark, hypnotic and abrasive aspect of the band. It is definitely something very different from what surrounds the album in general terms, but as I said before, it is not a piece that escapes the somber atmosphere of Urfaust.

And traditional black metal returns with "Der Gottesverächter" which is characterized by a rather sad atmosphere, with guitar riffs that exude desolation, where IX's voice makes the whole atmosphere more desolate. However, all that bitter time abruptly culminates with "In den weiten öden Räumen" which is another piece with experimental touches, characterized by subtle orchestral melodies like the introduction of the album. But in this case the progression of the song becomes more and more disturbing, to the point of reaching a powerful climax, ending this album.

Urfaust's second work is marked by desolation and strangeness. As the title says, when I heard this work for the first time, I imagined that I was in an endless corridor where I could barely see my hands, dragging myself forward to reach the exit. But the darkness becomes more and more evident and it is very difficult to escape.

Verräterischer, nichtswürdiger Geist - 70%

Mannaz _Musikal Moloch, April 4th, 2018

The first steps of Urfaust were fascinating and regarding this album as a whole, their structure and sound has indeed improved. Extraordinary exceptions are the instrumental ambient songs, which are very satisfying listening to and are well composed. Although quite a bit long, they are on the one hand very eerie, but got on the other hand a slightly touch of bitterness and sadness. They seem to tell suspenseful stories without words, what makes you listen even more closely. But all in all it is difficult to take a clear position on that album, because some aspects of the arrangement and instrumentation aren't obvious to me.

I can understand the artistic aspect of overdrive and special effects, like flanger, but an overuse, for example like in “Verflucht das Blenden der Erscheinung” sounds just amateurish and is very exhausting listening to. In addition to that, the composition in a whole stays on a very moderate level. There are some good attempts for remarkable melodies like in “Der Gottesverächter”, but all in all the range of the chainsaw-like sounding guitar seems limited or in other words very expectable. The drums are typically mid-tempo and create a very monotone, hypnotic atmosphere. Its sound and the style of playing is slightly more advanced as on “Geist ist Teufel”. Also to mention, is that the drums are now composed in a way to create catchy hook-lines. Already known for the not understandable lyrics, which are in addition to that still linguistically not distinguishable between German and Dutch, Urfaust continue this mysterious path on „Verräterischer, nichtswürdiger Geist". Opera-like vocals combined with frightening screams full of pain in such a arrangement are definitely the signature aspect of Urfaust and is in my opinion a great achievement. But beside this very ceremonious and terrifying feeling regarding the vocals, most of it does not sound as passionate as on their previously released “Geist ist Teufel”. Indeed still powerful, but in my opinion there could have been more.

„Verräterischer, nichtswürdiger Geist" has got in my ears particularly the typical aspects of the Urfaust sound, but still seems to be very experimental. Regarding this aspect, if you are an experimental musician, than there are in my view only two options: you either create something extraordinary new, at least pave the way for it, or you fail and it is not possible for your listeners, at least for the most, to get the message within. Ironically, Urfaust did with this album both. They are following are very experimental and fascinating path, but now and then they trip. You can understand the main message of their music, but sometimes there are things, which are not obviously comprehensible. In conclusion, the album is definitely worth listening to, especially to perceive a impression for all these ideas of Urfaust, but first and foremost because it is an exciting, eerie, mystical and fascinating musical journey.

Verräterischer, Nichtswürdiger Geist. - 70%

Perplexed_Sjel, September 18th, 2007

Urfaust took me by complete surprise the first time I had heard their unusual blend of music. I was unaware that the bands vocalist performed in such a way, with some form of clean vocals. Verräterischer, Nichtswürdiger Geist represents somewhat of a change to these unique vocals in the fact that they're not quite as cut throat or powerful as they were on Geist Ist Teufel. They're still emotive and hauntingly dark, but not to the same extent as they were on the massively impressive Geist Ist Teufel.


Verräterischer, Nichtswürdiger Geist continues where we left off on the debut full-length. This is in terms of the depressing atmospheric nature Urfaust creates with their unusual blend of clean and indecipherable screamed vocals. They're bellowed out with raw emotion and intense passion, this is a positive that has remained from the debut which is pleasing. Urfaust had managed to perfect the aforementioned aspects therefore there was no real need for change.


The buzzing chainsaw-esque guitars remain very much the same again. Playing at a generally slow pace, which compliments the vocals Urfaust have as they tend to be slow and transcendental in approach. The vocals can sometimes be swept away in the perpetually slow droning riffs. A negative with this approach to play is the fact that Urfaust have a very hazy production. Elements of the music can be lost in the haze and this can sometimes mean Urfaust lack direction.


The long drawn out ambient songs are needless in my opinion. They showcase next to nothing of Urfaust's undeniable ability. I'm not overly fond of orchestral music as it is, so these parts can often be hard for me to appreciate. Elements like this can be risky. It entirely depends upon the listener as to whether they will understand the need for such occurrences. Said passages add no depth and detract from the depressingly dark atmosphere that Urfaust have spent the majority of the album creating. It can seem like you're listening to two very different bands and two very contrasting albums.


Contrasting emotions are also somewhat problematic here. Verflucht das Blenden der Erscheinung for example appears quite upbeat, whereas other songs will seem completely dissonant and differ from the moods and tones Urfaust have laid down. Der Gottesverächter is a good example of a contrasting song with it's mid paced melodies and stunning rhythmic nature. Urfaust have followed up a great full-length, with a rather mixed bag. Verräterischer, Nichtswürdiger Geist fails to harness what the previous full-length had established and thus leaves the listener feeling dissatisfied. Ragnarök Mystiker is a particular highlight.

Eerie black metal - 98%

WickedSaint, September 3rd, 2006

This stuff is incredible. I've been a fan of Urfaust for a very long time now, and they never cease to amaze me. There's always some new little detail to discover through the poor recording-quality. Because the quality of the recording is very low, but everything is still audiable and it serves to create a great atmosphere and enhance the already eerie and haunting feeling created by the droning riffs and drums and Willem's incredible vocals, ranging from tortured screams and howls to the sludgy, almost drunken clean singing and what sounds like the secluded and mournful rambelings of a man tortured by insanity and lonlines.

This album is majestically started with the epic classical piece Dunkel, Still von Ewigkeit (Dark, silent eternity), clocking in at over 13 minutes, which builds up a great atmosphere, starting of softly and over the last two minutes building up to a booming climax then setting of Ragnarök Mystiker. This song is quite representative with it's triplet/shuffle-feel on the instruments, the very characteristic singing of Willem and the droning guitar and simple drums. This is continued by Gespinnst der Verderbens (Web of Destruction) following in the same vein as Ragnarök Mystiker, sending the listener into a trance of repetition and great atmosphere to the point where the music isn't even there anymore, it's not music, it's just something that is there, that surrounds you with it's tortured chants and mauling distortion on the guitar. This is then followed by Trauerhöhle (Cave of Sorrow), an ambient track at over 10 minutes of length, in the same vein as Dunkel, Still von Ewigkeit, but more droning at first but with the same type of climax. Verflucht das Bleden der Erscheinung (Cursed the blinding of appearance ) follows closely behind with a very sinister intro and some extremely tortured screams. The mood is set by the intro and it follows through the entire song, it puts you back in the trance. Der Gottesverächter (The Despiser of God) is probably one of my favourite songs on this album, it's more melodic than the song proceeding it and the vocals are mostly clean and very melodic. Closing the album is In den Weiten Öden Raumen (In the wide, deserted rooms), another ambient track and the shortest one of those on the album, a very mellow song for the most part, serving as a great closer and gets you out of your trance.

All in all, a bloody great album by one of my favourite metal bands, well worth buying, although I guess you either love it or hate it, since it can be quite weird at times. A definite gem and must have in black metal.