I can certainly appreciate some post in my black metal, but how well that blend works depends entirely on a band's ability to strike a delicate balance between fury and despair, subdued but menacing aggression, and ambient, introspective melody.

Opener "Marter" hooked me early, erupting into a storm of furious riffs and discordant melodies reminiscent of modern black metal acts like Gaerea. What really stood out, though, was the drumming, particularly the R-rated cymbal work in the haunting midsection of the song. Tobias Schuler deserves special mention here; much like Kartashov of Panzerfaust or Darkside of Mglá, his clever cymbal work, ghost notes, and hooky offbeats are integral to the band's sound, not just on this track but across the entire album.

It certainly helps that Der Weg einer Freiheit excel at maintaining momentum and variation within lengthy compositions, most running between six and ten minutes. Clever songwriting ensures that each wave of riffs and melodies evolves naturally, bringing fresh intensity and mood shifts as the songs unfold. "Xibalba" clearly showcases this, while "Eos" builds patiently before exploding into an onslaught of chaos and closing in dramatic fashion. These tracks exemplify how skilled they are at keeping the listener fully engaged.

That said, Innern isn't without flaws. "Fragment" drifts for too long before finding its footing, and when it does, the harsher passages feel a bit one-dimensional. Together with the piano piece "Finistere III," it mostly serves as a bridge to closer "Forlorn," which, while good, leans heavily into softer blackgaze territory à la Alcest.

All told, Innern is an album of two halves. The opening trio are furious, desperate, and full of life, while the latter section loses steam before ending on a somewhat bittersweet high. Still, Der Weg einer Freiheit walk the razor's edge between elegance and aggression, and I can't deny that I've been listening to Innern almost daily since discovering it a couple of weeks ago.