Review: Fjoergyn – Judasmesse

Style: Symphonic Black Metal, Avant-Garde Metal (mixed vocals, German lyrics)
Recommended for fans of: Arcturus, Borknagar, Emperor, Enslaved Ne Obliviscaris
Review by: Sam
Country: Germany
Release date: 2 June, 2023

The German black metal scene is a strange one. It is extremely prolific, yet few bands seem to market towards an international audience. The majority of them sing and/or growl in German, and their touring seems limited to mostly the German-speaking countries (and maybe a few surrounding ones like The Netherlands or Poland). Fjoergyn is a band in this scene I’ve known for quite a while. A couple of my friends are into the scene, and they all swear by this band, so it was a bit of a whiplash to find out that Fjoergyn barely exists outside of my Discord bubble and the German internet. But now that they have a new album out, it’s time to amend that problem.

Fjoergyn is not an easy band to get into. They started as an eclectic pagan/folk black metal band, but over time transitioned into a bombastic brand of symphonic black metal with increasingly progressive and avant-garde tendencies. Their compositions typically involve sprawling song structures built on a foundation of second wave black metal and crunchy industrial riffs with drastic mood switches and unconventional instruments that build up to a huge (sometimes multiple) bombastic climax. Paired with a language barrier from the German lyrics, it’s safe to say that hooks are hard to come by. While not particularly progressive in the sense of very technical playing and odd-time signature wizardry, their modern compositional style puts their appeal closer to that of Ne Obliviscaris and Enslaved than, say, Emperor. They are an ever-evolving band, and Judasmesse is another unique addition to their catalog.

What’s interesting about Judasmesse is that it actually takes a step back compared to their previous outing Lvcifer Es. The bombast of their core symphonic black metal sound remains as a driving force, but they reincorporated a lot of their pagan/folk metal beginnings. There seems to be a major influence from Negura Bunget in particular as eerie atmospheric riffs, ominous synths, and even cow bell (not the instrument!) samples can be heard on multiple songs. We also see a frequent inclusion of emotive, laid back sections amidst the bombast. Opener “Sturz” – while otherwise the most straightforward song on the album – breaks tension with ethereal orchestration before the crescendo, and during the “Prometheus” suite we find Pink Floyd-esque crying guitar solos, ethereal parts, and full on krautrock. And of course there is the instrumental track “Komm Abel” with more Floydian guitar galore and a heartfelt saxophone solo. Almost every song has something interesting going on in that regard.

But of course, what really matters in the end is whether the band delivers on the songwriting. I would say it’s mixed, but mostly they do. They’re masters at building and releasing tension, and they know how to make a climax sound huge (see: “Sturz”, “Prometheus III”). I never would have guessed all orchestration is synthesized because it’s so well done. The technical performance is stellar in general, with the drummer especially standing out for his varied playing. Where the record can fall short is that the direction can be a little wanting at times. The “Prometheus” suite is exemplary in that regard, housing both the album’s best moments, but also feeling a little disjointed. The closer “Warfarin” suffered similarly from a lack of a clear direction, ebbing and flowing a little too much. What also irked me was how the ethereal avant-garde parts of the middle section of the album didn’t permeate nearly as much throughout the rest of it, making the album feel uneven. 

I’m feeling similar as I did for The Anchoret a month ago. At its best, Judasmesse is world class, but it often ends up too dense for its own good, although maybe that’s just my current Adele-infested brain being unable to comprehend more complicated structures. I hope this review can help a little bit with bringing the band’s music to the English web. They’re a unique band that deserves to be heard.

Recommended tracks: Prometheus, Non Serviam
You may also like: Maladie, Dordeduh, Agrypnie (bandcamp) / Nocte Obducta (bandcamp)
Final verdict: 8/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page

Label: Trollzorn Records – Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Website

Fjoergyn is:
– Stephan L. (vocals, guitars, keyboards, songwriting, lyrics)
– Marcelus W. (lead guitar, vocals)
– Philipp T. (guitars)
– Sven G. (bass)
– Martin L. (drums)