Review by SzejkElRopa on February 12, 2026.

Black metal thrives on black masses, rituals in the middle of the forest, icy landscapes, and monumental castles. Three years ago, Antrisch proved that it is possible to take black metal on a journey to the lands untouched by human presence with their "Expedition II: Die Passage". Telling a story about a 19th-century expedition that proved fatal, they undoubtedly left a mark on my musical taste. In 2026, the Germans returned, however, with a much different thematic focus. While the previous album was at least partly thematically connected with black metal, this time, we are taken into the middle of the Amazonian jungle as well as a certain deeply twisted mind.

"Expedition III: Renitenzpfad" tells a story about the conquistador Lope de Aguirre. Despite his earlier crimes, which included rebellion against the Kingdom of Spain, atrocities, and even killing his judge, whom he had been seeking revenge for three years after the failed attempt to sentence him for his crimes against the Indians, he managed to get on an expedition to El Dorado in 1560. He overthrew and killed Pedro de Ursúa, who was leading the expedition, and declared himself to be a "Prince of Peru, Tierra Firme and Chile". Before he was finally killed, it can be said that he got the taste of his own medicine - he was caught in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. Before being executed, he killed his daughter and wife.

As it was in the previous album, this one is also mostly based on melodic/half-melodic riffs and vocals. The atmosphere is mostly crafted by the latter. For instance, at the beginning of 'Bittergrün - Los Marañones II', the lead riff builds tension, and the vehement vocals make this song unforgettable. Furthermore, the middle section of this song is also remarkable, featuring an ambient, suffocating passage and another melodic riff. Another element, on which the songs lean, is the spoken introductions, which go hand in hand with passages. These appear in many songs, for example, in 'Abkehr - Non Svfficit Orbis'. Around the 90th second of this song, the vocalist can be heard speaking as though he were terrified and was reporting the situation from the middle of the dense jungle. After that song turns definitely more violent, with an aggressive yet, once again, very memorable melodic riff in the style of Antrisch. Also, this song contains an ending spoken passage in Spanish that is accompanied by another eerie ambient sound sample. It can be said that it perfectly matches the name of the band, which means "eerie" or "strange" in Austro-Bavarian. Another thing that is worth highlighting is the introduction to 'Canis Lvpvm Edit - Wolfsfalle | Verratener Verräter', which is, by all means, terrifying. The sounds of tortured people stay in the mind for a long time. The song lengths are from five-and-a-half to eight minutes, and none of the tracks is too long or overcomplicated. Even the 'Abkehr...' with its multitude of atmospheric breaks doesn't sound tedious at all. That proves that songwriting has been meticulously thought out.

Maurice Wilson again manages to transfer emotions very clearly with his praiseworthy confident vocal performance. His snarling didn't change from the last album, and surprisingly, taking into account how dominant the vocals are, this album isn't by any means boring despite over 40 minutes of playtime. While the riffs are mostly melodic or at least half-melodic, there are certain moments when the guitars are almost blurred by the wall of sound that is caused by the screams and drums. My favorite part of the guitarwork was the melodic tremolo riffs, which stood out from the rest of the instruments. On a side note, some clean guitar moments sound... quite foreign. For instance, the middle part of 'Hidalgo Infernal - Der Baskische Wolf' or the introduction to 'Bittergruen - Los Marañones II' - for me, they both sound as if they were taken from some Spanish or Brazilian soap opera. It's not a con of this album, rather a fun addition. The drums didn't amaze me in any special way, but it can't be said that they were a bad part of this album. Lastly, the bass guitar wasn't audible all the time, but there was a moment in 'Canis Lvpvm Edit...' that contained a heavier riff and an outstanding bass guitar part.

I need to admit that this album didn't amaze me in the same way that "Expedition II: Die Passage"  did, maybe because of the change of environment or the different story. While the previous expedition focused on hopelessness in the deathly situation, this album's main goal is to convey captivating madness in the suffocating and claustrophobic jungle, as if it were present both in the scenery and in Lope de Aguirre himself. When it comes to music, I don't think it was as mesmerizing; however, the differences are minor. Taking into account that not many bands have decided to delve into such terrain, combined with black metal, I give this album 9.2/10. "Expedition III: Renitenzpfad" is slightly worse than the previous one, yet it doesn't mean that it is a bad work. Contrarily, it is a brilliant album, with atmospheric riffs, a great idea for the story, a charismatic vocalist, and much more. Recommended to everyone who enjoys the combination of history and black metal. I believe the guys Antrisch are capable of delivering a 10/10 album one day. The potential they possess is enormous.

Rating: 9.2 out of 10