Style: Progressive metal, mathcore (Mixed vocals, mostly clean)
Recommended for fans of: Leprous, The Contortionist, Between the Buried and Me, Unprocessed
Country: Germany
Release date: 30 January 2026

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Though the COVID-19 pandemic is long over, its effects are still felt in subtle ways across the world. Many of us still get a funny feeling when engaging in the rituals that kept us sane during lockdown, and fears of being trapped inside forever linger quietly in the backs of our minds. For Nils Wittrock of The Hirsch Effekt, COVID instilled uncertainty in the state of his band. Latest release, Der Brauch, aims to explore these latent emotions and establish a trajectory for the Germans’ future. Will they cross over die Brücke with confidence, or will der Doppelgänger take over?

For Der Brauch, dynamics are the name of the game. Most tracks begin with a quiet guitar ostinato over a spacious rhythm, which then gives way to a huge, cinematic chorus. Tracks like “Das Nachesen” and “Der Doppelgänger” include asides that both let the compositions stretch their legs and allow The Hirsch Effekt to indulge in fast-paced, chaotic instrumentals. The record’s more subdued moments are tense, embodying a modern Leprous feel (“Die Lüge”, “Das Seil”) as they mount in atmosphere around uneasy arpeggios. “Die Brücke” is Der Brauch’s wild card, fully leaning into bright post-hardcore and offering a moment of levity before the utterly crushing heaviness of “Das Nachesen”.

The Hirsch Effekt’s use of dynamics helps to deliver a weighty punch in its most grand moments and acts as a vessel to convey the emotions of each piece. “Das Seil” begins brooding and mysterious in its alarm-like synth stabs and dirging, despondent vocals. Tension is built as a clean guitar rambles around tightly-knit melodic phrases, with tasty staccato guitar picks in its later third. A triumphant solo signals a release before being hopelessly crushed once again at the track’s conclusion. In these final seconds, the introductory alarm synths, bellowing harsh vocals, and towering percussion coalesce in a wall of frustration as the narrator deals with the non-linear process of growth and healing. “Der Doppelgänger” similarly evokes a sense of inner turmoil gone off the rails; its introspective beginning melodies turn sour as they shift uneasily in meter in the second chorus, exploding in maniacal, technical fervor over its bridge.

“Der Brauch” successfully uses dynamics to portray feelings of inadequacy and a desire to sink into reclusion, broken out of in exultation during its explosive choruses. Acoustic guitars ramble with a pastoral affect that engenders stagnation, but heavy percussion and chunky grooves later inspire a sense of triumphant confidence: though the thought of sinking into obscurity is tempting, the undying human spirit refuses the notion outright. “Die Lüge” evokes a sense of betrayal in its ominous synth pulses and warbly, gated vocals. The feathery, reverberating guitars of “Die Brücke” conversely exude optimism and a desire for growth.

Each track on Der Brauch successfully highlights facets of The Hirsch Effekt’s sound. “Der Doppelgänger” is an energetic mega-banger throughout, “Das Nachesen” is apocalyptic and chaotic, and “Die Lüge” is deliciously menacing in its quieter moments. At the same time, the record’s pieces don’t quite coalesce into a greater whole. Every track is enjoyable, but some kind of glue is missing that would transform Der Brauch into something greater than the sum of its parts. This is in part due to the comparatively weaker quieter passages: many of the record’s subdued sections feel serviceable but ultimately utilitarian, leading me to tune out until all of a sudden I’m smacked across the head with a thumping, bassy cudgel. “Die Lüge” bucks this trend through menacing synths and horns that have me on the edge of my seat in its quieter moments, and “Der Doppelgänger” cleverly builds on its introductory lick into a grand chorus and even grander instrumental break.

Additionally, the songwriting feels a bit too polished and streamlined at points, as virtually every song switches between quieter verses and a loud, explosive chorus; the repetition leaves me a bit wanting and stagnates Der Brauch’s narrative arc. Where the record shines the most is in its rawer moments and its diversions, whether it be vocal performances that eschew polish in favor of emotional depth or the maniacal, technical asides of “Der Doppelgänger” and “Das Nachsehen”. “Der Faden” incorporates a collage of ever-so-slightly misaligned vocal layering with an exceedingly endearing execution that breathes life and personality into the track.

From a songwriting perspective, Der Brauch is well-constructed and polished, effectively using contrast between quiet and loud to evoke intrigue in its heavier moments. However, in those same dynamic extremes lie a compositional disconnect and an asymmetry that favors the louder sections. Der Brauch’s cover image represents a kind of rebirth, but the creature that is born from the skull is smooth and flawless. What is missing from both the cover¹ and the music is more of the human element; those messy, jagged edges are the difference between being fully brought into an artist’s internal world and just being told about it. The Hirsch Effekt certainly have a wealth of experiences and emotions to share, and I hope that in the future, they let us in further than arm’s length.

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Recommended tracks: Der Doppelgänger, Der Brauch, Der Faden
You may also like: Benthos, Without Waves
Final verdict: 6.5/10

Related links: Facebook | Instagram

Label: Long Branch Records

The Hirsch Effekt is:
– Nils Wittrock: guitars, vocals
– Ilja John Lappin: bass, vocals
– Moritz Schmidt: drums

1. As sick as the design is, a closer inspection reveals a ton of funny details that show the album cover is almost certainly AI-generated. ↩︎