• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Eis have had a hard time. They started out as Geist and produced three excellent albums before some alt-rock pussies from Cologne threatened to sue them and they had to change their name to Eis. In 2012, they proved they still had the goods with the outstanding Wetterkreuz. However, they had lost a bit of momentum, and so this album was released two years ago without a lot of notice.

Eis play a powerfully cold, epic style of Black Metal with a big sound and big songs – none of these beasts are under 8 minutes – all of it wrapped in a dark, bleak atmosphere. The riffs are somewhere between Moonsorrow and Nightbringer, and the use of keys sometimes evokes Evilfeast or Emperor. Really, one of the best things you can say about any band is that they are not directly emulating anyone, and Eis really are not. They had their own sound as Geist, and they have just kept developing it. They have an EP coming up soon, and I am glad to see this underappreciated band is still alive.