Review by Dominik on January 23, 2025.

There's a German saying: Schuster, bleib bei deinen Leisten—"cobbler, stick to your trade". This proverb was the first thing that came to mind when I accidentally stumbled upon Ill Tidings' video for "Perchtensabbat", the flagship song of their latest release, Hymns To Demise. Imagine a stunning song reduced to the cinematic equivalent of a drunk uncle's forest cosplay party. This near-perfect song—don't worry, I'll explain why later—ruined by a black-and-white video where the band jams awkwardly in a forest while masked trolls, apparently trapped in invisible quicksand, shuffle aimlessly in the background. It's as terrifying as Tinkerbell showing up at your goth-themed Halloween gathering. Whoever is the person behind this visual crime probably spends their day job shooting Nutella ads, because it's saccharine (in a black metal way), messy, and completely uncalled for. (Though, for the record, I still like Nutella. Despite all dietary advice.)

After my initial attempt to endure this trainwreck of a video, I did the only sensible thing for round two: I closed my eyes. And thank god I did. Because musically, Hymns To Demise is everything the video is not: cohesive, thrilling, and full of surprises.

The album is a relentless, beautifully crafted slice of black metal that proves Ill Tidings has matured into a force to be reckoned with. Building on hints of brilliance from their debut, this sophomore release delivers memorable songs with a unique twist. The multilingual approach—English, German, and what I can only assume is an Austrian dialect so deep it might as well have been excavated with a pickaxe—adds an unusual yet seamless layer to an album that thrives on its coherence. Despite this linguistic variety, the album is a masterclass in consistency, flowing seamlessly from start to finish without any jarring moments.

There's also an overarching attention to detail. Each song offers something distinct—be it an unexpected riff, a haunting melody, or a vocal moment that practically forces you to rewind (or, in the true spirit of metal, smash the "repeat" button while brooding in your dark lair). This knack for adding small but effective twists elevates the tracks from merely "great" to "why am I headbanging at 2 a.m. in my living room?"

As is tradition on many albums, the opener sets the tone for what's to come. Ill Tidings immediately grab your attention with varying tempos, dynamic vocal range, and the kind of despair-drenched, bleak atmosphere that makes you question why you ever left your cave. The frontman, whose visual acting career we've already discussed (and will not revisit for his sake), more than redeems himself. He channels despair, psychological torment, and existential doom with precision, making you believe he's been to hell and rented a summer cottage.

The first standout track comes early with "Die Welt Stürzt Ein" ("The world is coming to an end"), a ferocious anthem that perfectly captures black metal's raison d'être: chaos, hopelessness, and apocalyptic beauty. The song is an emotional rollercoaster with an outstanding chorus. The whirring guitars sound like sirens of the apocalypse and support the vocals excellently. This is one of those moments you understand why black metal has evolved in the first place. You need this ferocity, combined with menacing melodies and a vocalist haunted by all demons from the underworld to paint a vivid picture of the world crumbling—both the one around you and the one inside you. If that doesn't send chills down your spine, you're probably already six feet under, cemented into a mafia-funded parking garage.

But then there's "Perchtensabbat", the album's crowning achievement. Lyrically, it dives into a folkloric tale of masked figures driving out the evil spirits of winter (if I understand this arcane ritual correctly), sung in that wonderfully incomprehensible dialect. Musically, it's a masterpiece. The track flows effortlessly between blistering sections and more restrained, double-bass-heavy respites, culminating in a guitar solo so good it could make even a stoic Norwegian shed a tear (remember: the "art" of writing is the "art" of exaggeration….). If the other songs have magnificent moments, "Perchtensabbat" is pure ecstasy from start to finish and plays in a league of its own. It's the kind of track you'll replay obsessively—provided you're not watching that cursed video.

Ill Tidings have done what so few can: created an album that combines consistency with moments of transcendent brilliance. For every second where you think, "Ah, this might be drifting toward mediocrity", the band delivers a punch to the gut to remind you who's boss. The production is clean but not sterile, heavy without losing warmth—a balance that strongly works in favor of this release.

That said, we return to the "Perchtensabbat" video. There's a lesson here: bad visuals can't ruin great music, but they sure can make you question some life choices. And yet, Ill Tidings have taught us to withhold judgment and to look (or listen) deeper. If anything, their "misstep" proves that, contrary to popular belief, you can get a second chance to make a first impression—provided your music slaps hard enough.

Rating: 8.7 out of 10 – because Hymns To Demise is an incredible black metal album with only one fatal flaw: a video so misguided it makes you wonder if the trolls were behind it all along.

Review by Dominik on January 23, 2025.

There's a German saying: Schuster, bleib bei deinen Leisten—"cobbler, stick to your trade". This proverb was the first thing that came to mind when I accidentally stumbled upon Ill Tidings' video for "Perchtensabbat", the flagship song of their latest release, Hymns To Demise. Imagine a stunning song reduced to the cinematic equivalent of a drunk uncle's forest cosplay party. This near-perfect song—don't worry, I'll explain why later—ruined by a black-and-white video where the band jams awkwardly in a forest while masked trolls, apparently trapped in invisible quicksand, shuffle aimlessly in the background. It's as terrifying as Tinkerbell showing up at your goth-themed Halloween gathering. Whoever is the person behind this visual crime probably spends their day job shooting Nutella ads, because it's saccharine (in a black metal way), messy, and completely uncalled for. (Though, for the record, I still like Nutella. Despite all dietary advice.)

After my initial attempt to endure this trainwreck of a video, I did the only sensible thing for round two: I closed my eyes. And thank god I did. Because musically, Hymns To Demise is everything the video is not: cohesive, thrilling, and full of surprises.

The album is a relentless, beautifully crafted slice of black metal that proves Ill Tidings has matured into a force to be reckoned with. Building on hints of brilliance from their debut, this sophomore release delivers memorable songs with a unique twist. The multilingual approach—English, German, and what I can only assume is an Austrian dialect so deep it might as well have been excavated with a pickaxe—adds an unusual yet seamless layer to an album that thrives on its coherence. Despite this linguistic variety, the album is a masterclass in consistency, flowing seamlessly from start to finish without any jarring moments.

There's also an overarching attention to detail. Each song offers something distinct—be it an unexpected riff, a haunting melody, or a vocal moment that practically forces you to rewind (or, in the true spirit of metal, smash the "repeat" button while brooding in your dark lair). This knack for adding small but effective twists elevates the tracks from merely "great" to "why am I headbanging at 2 a.m. in my living room?"

As is tradition on many albums, the opener sets the tone for what's to come. Ill Tidings immediately grab your attention with varying tempos, dynamic vocal range, and the kind of despair-drenched, bleak atmosphere that makes you question why you ever left your cave. The frontman, whose visual acting career we've already discussed (and will not revisit for his sake), more than redeems himself. He channels despair, psychological torment, and existential doom with precision, making you believe he's been to hell and rented a summer cottage.

The first standout track comes early with "Die Welt Stürzt Ein" ("The world is coming to an end"), a ferocious anthem that perfectly captures black metal's raison d'être: chaos, hopelessness, and apocalyptic beauty. The song is an emotional rollercoaster with an outstanding chorus. The whirring guitars sound like sirens of the apocalypse and support the vocals excellently. This is one of those moments you understand why black metal has evolved in the first place. You need this ferocity, combined with menacing melodies and a vocalist haunted by all demons from the underworld to paint a vivid picture of the world crumbling—both the one around you and the one inside you. If that doesn't send chills down your spine, you're probably already six feet under, cemented into a mafia-funded parking garage.

But then there's "Perchtensabbat", the album's crowning achievement. Lyrically, it dives into a folkloric tale of masked figures driving out the evil spirits of winter (if I understand this arcane ritual correctly), sung in that wonderfully incomprehensible dialect. Musically, it's a masterpiece. The track flows effortlessly between blistering sections and more restrained, double-bass-heavy respites, culminating in a guitar solo so good it could make even a stoic Norwegian shed a tear (remember: the "art" of writing is the "art" of exaggeration….). If the other songs have magnificent moments, "Perchtensabbat" is pure ecstasy from start to finish and plays in a league of its own. It's the kind of track you'll replay obsessively—provided you're not watching that cursed video.

Ill Tidings have done what so few can: created an album that combines consistency with moments of transcendent brilliance. For every second where you think, "Ah, this might be drifting toward mediocrity", the band delivers a punch to the gut to remind you who's boss. The production is clean but not sterile, heavy without losing warmth—a balance that strongly works in favor of this release.

That said, we return to the "Perchtensabbat" video. There's a lesson here: bad visuals can't ruin great music, but they sure can make you question some life choices. And yet, Ill Tidings have taught us to withhold judgment and to look (or listen) deeper. If anything, their "misstep" proves that, contrary to popular belief, you can get a second chance to make a first impression—provided your music slaps hard enough.

Rating: 8.7 out of 10 – because Hymns To Demise is an incredible black metal album with only one fatal flaw: a video so misguided it makes you wonder if the trolls were behind it all along.

Review by Michael on March 21, 2023.

Oops, is this new In Flames? That was my first (positive) thought when I heard the intro to 'Feeding The Decline', the first song on Deimos' Dawn debut. Melancholic violin sounds (as they were also heard on the debut album of the Swedes from what it feels like a 1000 years ago) start the song but after about 25 seconds a Tom Araya memorial scream ends this mind game and you get a nasty, brute thrash riff rolling around the ears and this will be repeated on all eleven songs in a similar form.

What this new German thrash metal band formed around Marc Grewe plays is uncompromising thrash, which stays on a high tempo mostly, but also slows down here and there in favor of some groovy elements. For example 'The Final Illusion', which starts quite modern but develops into a galloping stomper that is very catchy and has a quite great chorus.
'Over Your Dead Body' reminds me in parts of newer Kreator (guitars), with Marc's vocals giving it a heavier touch than, for example, "Hate Über Alles" has. The song is also very catchy and has some cool groovy parts that almost invite you to bang. Whereas, when Marc tries to sing a bit more melodic, the whole thing sounds like a slightly drunk Lemmy (although, as we know, there never was such a thing). Songs like 'The 4th Wall' or 'Two Handed Game' remind of Forbidden on their "Distortion" album and also a few bluesy influences like in "When In Doubt: Kill!", which have strong parallels to Overkill and of course Black Sabbath. A really cool thrash highlight can be found on 'Put Down That Weapon' pretty much at the end of the album. The song starts pretty quiet and then literally explodes in the further course. Especially the chorus is aggressive and insistent but the whole song is also spiced up with a few casual thrash guitar solos. That song is a real grenade. Also 'Unholy Water' impresses with its catchiness and melody and reminds of Morgoth a bit. The song is played mainly mid-tempo thrash, which is ultra groovy and guaranteed to be a real live banger.

As a conclusion it can be said that Deimos' Dawn have presented a damn good thrash metal debut which skillfully combines modern sounds with old school thrash on which all five musicians show their skills. Marc Grewe shows that he can perform not death metal only but also thrash and now I'm curious about what else will come from him and the band. 

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Michael on March 21, 2023.

Oops, is this new In Flames? That was my first (positive) thought when I heard the intro to 'Feeding The Decline', the first song on Deimos' Dawn debut. Melancholic violin sounds (as they were also heard on the debut album of the Swedes from what it feels like a 1000 years ago) start the song but after about 25 seconds a Tom Araya memorial scream ends this mind game and you get a nasty, brute thrash riff rolling around the ears and this will be repeated on all eleven songs in a similar form.

What this new German thrash metal band formed around Marc Grewe plays is uncompromising thrash, which stays on a high tempo mostly, but also slows down here and there in favor of some groovy elements. For example 'The Final Illusion', which starts quite modern but develops into a galloping stomper that is very catchy and has a quite great chorus.
'Over Your Dead Body' reminds me in parts of newer Kreator (guitars), with Marc's vocals giving it a heavier touch than, for example, "Hate Über Alles" has. The song is also very catchy and has some cool groovy parts that almost invite you to bang. Whereas, when Marc tries to sing a bit more melodic, the whole thing sounds like a slightly drunk Lemmy (although, as we know, there never was such a thing). Songs like 'The 4th Wall' or 'Two Handed Game' remind of Forbidden on their "Distortion" album and also a few bluesy influences like in "When In Doubt: Kill!", which have strong parallels to Overkill and of course Black Sabbath. A really cool thrash highlight can be found on 'Put Down That Weapon' pretty much at the end of the album. The song starts pretty quiet and then literally explodes in the further course. Especially the chorus is aggressive and insistent but the whole song is also spiced up with a few casual thrash guitar solos. That song is a real grenade. Also 'Unholy Water' impresses with its catchiness and melody and reminds of Morgoth a bit. The song is played mainly mid-tempo thrash, which is ultra groovy and guaranteed to be a real live banger.

As a conclusion it can be said that Deimos' Dawn have presented a damn good thrash metal debut which skillfully combines modern sounds with old school thrash on which all five musicians show their skills. Marc Grewe shows that he can perform not death metal only but also thrash and now I'm curious about what else will come from him and the band. 

Rating: 8.5 out of 10