Year: 2025
Label: self-released
German neofolk duo Kaelte are back at it again. They remain more or less true to their style in every respect, from the policy of self-releasing their albums to the style of neofolk they perform.
In terms of packaging, this is a step back into an older style. Where the previous album Aus Tiefen Höhlen (see here) came in a nice digipak, this is again a cardboard slipcase. It’s the contents that matter, of course, but I must say I much preferred the look and feel of the previous album.
Musically, too, Bilder Aus Asche Und Blut is a step back in time from the previous album. Aus Tiefen Höhlen, featuring prominently Michael Tellbach of Art Abscons on it, expanded Kaelte’s sound towards post punk directions. The new album strips away that, and returns to the rudiments of Kaelte’s sound.
This means primarily acoustic neofolk with guitars and vocalist Sven Martin’s baritone vocals in focus. His wife Franziska provides help with contrasting backing vocals that flesh out the music. Drums and synths are the primary providers of additional layers.
But, don’t be misled by the “primarily acoustic neofolk” definition used above. The post punk may be stripped away, but there’s still a lot going on here in the background; there’s nary a track that’s just guitar and vocals. Additional, more electric layers add a lot of flesh on the bones.
The result is an album of German neofolk that doesn’t feel too German. This doesn’t sound like Darkwood or Forseti. It’s in a very classic neofolk vein, but Martin’s confident baritone helps give the sound its own character.
On the whole, this is a well crafted and performed package with a nice sound and proficient songwriting. Definitely good enough that some label should snap these guys up. The one thing keeping Kaelte from the front row of current neofolk is the fact that despite the overall proficiency, the “hit songs” are still missing. The songs that I would mention in this review as standout tracks to definitely check out.
As it stands, it’s actually the name of one track I want to mention. Das Parfüm Der Verräter must be a wink in the direction of Death In June. It’s not a cover. And actually, this song comes closest to being a true standout track.
At the end of the day, Bilder Aus Asche Und Blut is a fine album. But only fine – not great. It’s one or two truly memorable, standout tracks short of that. But fans of neofolk should still check out this album – it’s definitely worth a spin or two.
Only Death Is Real 