Ever since its inception, one of the chief criticisms about Black Metal is that it is arguably the most narcissistic strain of heavy metal. Sure, almost every metal band deals with depression, hopelessness, cynicism and other self-focused maladies. But far too many Black Metal projects revolve around an individual who consciously and self-centeredly decides to embrace his own fatalism and spiral toward death — rather than looking for a community of like-minded individuals struggling with the same mental issues.
Guitarist Nikita Kamprad and vocalist Tobias Jaschinsky were met with such skepticism when they formed Der Weg Einer Freiheit in 2009 in Northern Bavaria. The band’s self-titled debut, issued in 2009; and its successor, 2012’s Unstille, were met with lackluster responses due to their insular approach and perceived hostility. Personnel and health issues further compounded the band’s rocky start. But following the departure of Jaschinsky in the same year the band’s second album came out, Kamprad took the reins, and ever since, he has slowly revamped Der Weg Einer Freiheit to the extent that the band is now one of Germany’s most deeply appreciated metal acts.
Innern finds Kamprad continuing to steer Der Weg Einer Freiheit in a more outward-looking direction, without compromising his artistic inclinations for the sake of building a bigger audience. This time around, it appears that Nikita has not only found inner peace but is willing to share it with his band’s fanbase — and, dare we say, maybe even inspire some of those devotees to pursue joy instead of self-destruction. That isn’t to say, not even in the slightest, that Innern is a touchy-feely record; to the contrary, it appears that Kamprad’s maturation into a human being who knows and accepts who he is gives him a boost of confidence that makes Der Weg Einer Freiheit’s trademark Post-Black Metal sound even more vibrant and effective.
Initial reactions to the record have actually made the opposite argument: that Innern is Der Weg Einer Freiheit’s most introverted record among the six full-lengths they’ve made thus far. But in addressing topics such as existentialism (“Marter”), war (“Eos”) and propaganda (“Xibalba”), it’s clear that he — perhaps taking a tip from Gojira — is, dare we say, trying to make the world a better place.
“I strongly believe that the meaning of life, or fulfillment in life, is not a goal you achieve — it’s a process that you work on, not an achievement,” Kamprad recently told Veil of Sound in our interview. “It’s something you can always, every day, work on. It can be playing sports — many people find calmness and energy in doing that. Or you can integrate meditation in your daily life and try to become a better person instead of just doing nothing and consuming shit. Remember: You are the one that has the power to change your life.”
With Kamprad having arrived at that realization in his life, and having applied it to his band’s sixth record, it’s no wonder that it will be regarded as one of the year’s greatest metal records: one that hits hard by virtue of masterful execution of musical adeptness, and that simultaneously leaves listeners feeling better about themselves than when they pressed play. In a world that is completely upside-down, perhaps Black Metal is our best hope of survival.
