After the promising debut Schöpfung (2018), WELTENBRANDT present their second work Transzendenz Schatten Romantik. However, the unwieldy title is not reflected in the music, which is easily accessible and melodic.

The gentle introduction of the opener Melancholia Urgewalt carries the listener into the realm of WELTENBRANDT's sounds with a floating piano melody. Hysterical shrieks mingle fluently with the keyboard motif. Heavy, drawn-out rhythms are the focus, pensive strings conjure up a melancholy, bittersweet aura. An excellent, restrained start - although this makes the following Apotropaion bang out of the speakers with even more power and riff emphasis. Much more fast-paced and biting, this track demonstrates the band's aggressive side. Successful lead guitars and a spherical calm moment bear witness to musical intuition and compositional skill. Fortunately, the wonderful keyboard melodies and string motifs crop up again and again and ennoble the course of Resilienz, among others, which is somewhat more epic and features even broader leads. A solitary melody floats alone in space and slowly picks up speed again - everything is in a melancholy flow, the compositions glide along like honey. A few changes of time signature enhance the dynamics. Short instrumental interludes (Ornament and Serenade) raise the emotional waters and are likely to bring a tear of emotion to the eyes of fans of Karg or Ellende. Enriching details such as the female voice on Vergängnisdenkmal are subtly woven in. Interesting: the entire album is sung in German, only one quatrain on Broken Crosses is sung in English.
The expansive finale Tiefste Rast once again combines orchestral sensitivity, heartfelt screeching, furious blast beats, melodic complexity and elegant piano notes.

WELTENBRANDT know how to combine melancholy, gloom and bittersweet melody with vocal aggression on this album. Filigree symphonics add a gentle facet and some guest musicians provide one or two moments of surprise. Pain can sound that beautiful...