Essenz "Manes Impetus" _ 12" LP _ Amor Fati

"How do you put something into words that leaves you speechless? “Manes Impetus”, the third album by Berlin-based ESSENZ is one of those albums from which you expect a lot, but which then exceeds all expectations so far that you can no longer hears, but only feels. That causes goosebumps not only when listening, but already when thinking about it. That degrades any objectivity to total irrelevance. And that actually leaves the strong albums of Funeral Mist and Mare behind, even if ESSENZ is certainly not a thoroughbred black metal band. The Geisterturm, as the title translates as the translated title, is acoustically implemented in a way that is aptly implemented in a way that is rarely heard.The ghosts manifest themselves in spoken and whispered vocal passages as well as in sound effects that get your blood pumping freeze in your veins and make those ghosts frighteningly real, while The Storm turns into whipping, frenzied, primitive but perfectly played Black Metal unleashed. Doomy passages and occasional Death Metal borrowings also find their way into the songs again and again, but the pitch-black element clearly dominates, playfully and atmospherically. G.ST's impressive vocal performance and the awesome sound (the drum sound in particular is a dream) round off an album that is second to none. My album of the year so far, without a doubt."
— Andreas Schulz, Deaf Forever (9.5/10)