Trhä - din cëppehen lëvatsë ë∫ nu debu£ gjërima (2026)
An unusual and occasionally fascinating atmospheric black metal album, combining abrasive guitars, frantic drumming and tortured vocals with surprisingly melodic synthesizers and fantasy-inspired electronic textures. Trhä's musical identity is certainly distinctive, but the chaotic arrangements, exhausting production and repetitive structures make the album more interesting for its originality than for the actual listening experience.
With din cëppehen lëvatsë ë∫ nu debu£ gjërima, Trhä continues to explore the rather peculiar musical universe created by Damián Antón Ojeda. Across four extended compositions, the album combines raw atmospheric black metal with dungeon synth, ambient electronics and occasional blackgaze influences. It's a rather unusual combination, and while I appreciate the originality, I find the music considerably less convincing when it comes to songwriting and overall coherence.
What I appreciate most is the contrast between the aggressive black metal instrumentation and the unexpectedly melodic synthesizers. The guitars are heavily distorted, the drumming is frequently frantic, and the vocals are particularly abrasive. Yet underneath all this aggression, there are bright electronic melodies and almost playful keyboard passages that create an interesting contrast. It's certainly a distinctive approach, although not always one that works particularly well.
The opening "navaqiΩaw" immediately introduces the album's rather chaotic character. At almost thirteen minutes, the composition moves between aggressive black metal, atmospheric keyboards and more restrained electronic passages. I appreciate some of the melodic ideas, particularly when the synthesizers become more prominent, but the transitions often feel abrupt. The music seems to move from one atmosphere to another without always establishing a coherent direction, making the extended running time rather difficult to justify.
The production doesn't help either. The guitars create an almost impenetrable wall of distortion, while the vocals are buried beneath the instrumentation. I understand that this raw approach is part of Trhä's identity, but I find it unnecessarily exhausting. The synthesizers occasionally provide some welcome relief, although they are not always sufficiently prominent to balance the aggression.
"mëdelípi¶eenΩëcunna¶jan" is my favourite track on the album, mainly because the electronic melodies have a stronger identity. I particularly appreciate the contrast between the almost innocent synthesizer passages and the relentless black metal instrumentation. There is something rather unexpected about the combination, creating moments that feel closer to a fantasy video game soundtrack than conventional extreme metal.
However, even here, I find the composition rather repetitive. Several musical ideas continue for longer than necessary, and the constant contrast between bright keyboards and aggressive guitars eventually becomes somewhat predictable. It's an interesting track, but one that could have benefited from a more focused arrangement.
"i gaw ne elfjaden t◊íe jënda’ab gona" introduces a slightly more restrained atmosphere, with greater emphasis on melodic textures and ambient electronic developments. I particularly appreciate the moments where the aggression gives way to quieter instrumental passages, allowing the synthesizers to establish a more distinctive atmosphere. There are some genuinely beautiful ideas, but the extended ambient sections don't always develop sufficiently to maintain my attention.
The closing "gat◊ëb ∫én’aw£lel niho∫nën" is the album's longest composition, bringing together the different musical elements explored throughout the record. The combination of frantic drumming, heavily distorted guitars and surprisingly cheerful synthesizer melodies creates an unusual atmosphere. I appreciate the imagination, and there are a few enjoyable melodic passages, but the arrangement often feels unnecessarily crowded.
At times, the different instruments seem to compete rather than complement one another. The guitars dominate much of the mix, while the synthesizers introduce melodies that don't always connect naturally with the heavier sections. The gradual movement towards a quieter ending is effective enough, although I find the overall composition too long and fragmented.
My main problem is the lack of coherent songwriting. Trhä clearly has plenty of musical ideas, but the compositions often feel like collections of contrasting textures rather than carefully developed pieces. The transitions between aggressive black metal, melodic keyboards and ambient passages can be fascinating, yet they rarely create the kind of musical progression that would make me want to return to the album regularly.
I also find the production unnecessarily abrasive. Raw black metal can be particularly effective when the atmosphere and intensity contribute to the compositions, but here the distortion occasionally becomes an obstacle. The vocals are almost completely unintelligible, the guitars occupy an enormous amount of space, and the drums frequently add another layer of aggression without providing much rhythmic variety.
The synthesizers are probably the most interesting element, but even their novelty eventually wears off. The contrast between aggressive metal and almost childlike electronic melodies is initially surprising, although the album relies on that same idea repeatedly. I would have appreciated a little more variation in the arrangements and greater attention to developing memorable musical themes.
The duration is another limitation. With four extended compositions spread across almost forty-six minutes, the album requires considerable patience. I don't mind lengthy atmospheric black metal, but these compositions don't always contain enough musical development to justify their running times. Several sections could have been considerably shorter without losing much of their character.
Nevertheless, I appreciate Trhä's willingness to experiment. There is something genuinely personal about Ojeda's musical universe, and the combination of black metal, dungeon synth and fantasy-inspired electronics certainly distinguishes the project from more conventional bands. Some melodic passages are surprisingly beautiful, and I occasionally appreciate the almost euphoric atmosphere created by the keyboards.
Ultimately, din cëppehen lëvatsë ë∫ nu debu£ gjërima is a decent atmospheric black metal album with an unusual musical identity and several interesting melodic ideas. I particularly appreciate "mëdelípi¶eenΩëcunna¶jan", where the contrast between synthesizers and aggressive instrumentation works best. However, the chaotic songwriting, abrasive production and unnecessarily repetitive compositions prevent me from developing a stronger connection with the music. An original and occasionally fascinating record, but one I find more impressive for its imagination than genuinely enjoyable as an album.
66/100
Playing time: 00:45:57
❤️ Favourite track: "mëdelípi¶eenΩëcunna¶jan"
+ Original combination of atmospheric black metal, dungeon synth and bright electronic melodies
+ Distinctive fantasy-inspired atmosphere, with occasional genuinely beautiful melodic passages
+ Interesting contrast between extreme aggression and almost innocent synthesizer textures
– Chaotic songwriting and abrupt transitions that prevent the compositions from developing coherently
– Excessively abrasive production, with distorted guitars and buried vocals making the listening experience exhausting
– Repetitive extended compositions that rely too heavily on the same contrasts without sufficient musical variation
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Country: US
Final Verdict: 66% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 209th / 781
Highlight: mëdelípi¶eenΩëcunna¶jan
Made me think of:
Sadness
Paysage d'Hiver
Lantlôs
#newalbum #newalbum2026 #albumrelease #newmusic #albumoftheday #nowspinning #NowPlaying #musicdiscovery
#AtmosphericBlackMetal #Trhä #US
#LP #Album #release
