Not the most memorable name for those of us not speaking German (it translates to ‘The Way Of Freedom’, in case you’re wondering), but increasingly memorable musically, Der Weg Einer Freiheit are a rising name in German black metal.
The group’s third album, Stellar, adds an emotional dimension that was sometimes absent from their earlier recorded material, yet was very much on display during the group’s soulful live performances.
While this opus has a very calculating and even cerebral approach at times – its cold melancholy and use of considered introspection bring to mind countrymen Secrets Of The Moon on more than one occasion – it is undoubtedly a more stirring listen than the first two albums.
With an average song length of nine and a half minutes, the compositions here are slow-building and in little haste despite the high tempo percussive assaults. Occasionally they feel like they could do with a trim but the band’s crescendoing song structures keep you engaged until the closing bars./o:p
