Membaris - Black Plasma Armour

Membaris is a black metal band from Germany, who formed in 1999. Their latest release, “Black Plasma Armour,” is their sixth full-length album; they have also released two splits and a demo.

I’ve never heard of Membaris before receiving this promo but I’m definitely a fan now. This album is FANTASTIC. It has a sound that is firmly rooted in 90’s black metal but it’s so much more than that. Upon first listen, it hits all the hallmarks of the genre; make no mistake, this is terrifying and furious. However, it’s also far more layered and intricate than it reveals itself on first listen. The song arrangements are so deftly organized that multiple listens were easy—I was so engaged that I didn’t have a choice in the matter. 

The music is just atmospheric and melodic enough, without the need of being labeled as either of those sub genres. At times, this album took me back to my early days of discovering extreme music, specifically when I first heard bands like Old Man’s Child or Borknagar.  

Production compliments the songwriting. An album such as this needs to be heard—and each instrument is perfectly placed in the mix. Across the album’s six song, 44 minute runtime, I found it easy to follow any one of the instruments I wanted to. But I found it just as easily to take their sound in as a whole. The bass in particular is a standout element—maybe even the album's MVP.

Each song stands out from the other one even while coming together for the album as a whole. There is a catchy hook or standout moment in each song and that’s due to the song’s have multiple passages that offer consistent change—this isn’t endless drum hammering and tremolo riffs. 

The album opens with the title track—I love the riffs….heavy, fast, yet just expansive enough without being proggy or pretentious. By the 30 second mark, the song is in full swing and I can’t tell you if the bass or the drums are more enthralling—the whole band knows their craft exceedingly well. The slower parts really stick out to me because of the bass that takes its own journey underneath the tempo. The band culminates the song to a clean section around the 4:15 mark, where the bass takes center stage. But I can’t discount the drums here either as they play their own imaginative and intricate passage. The guitars are clean and deceptively simple, adding yet another layer. 

“Sigil II (Star Ritual)" is a gripping experience from beginning to end. The opening moments are sprawling, cold, and a little alien. The song settles into a groove very quickly and unfurls out smoothly, like a miasma spreading. I found the clean vocals to be engaging and a nice touch against the blackened ones. The cadence of both styles is catchy too, and that’s always a good thing to me even for black metal. The intensity of the song grows as the band barrels towards the halfway point. At this point, the song grows more atmospheric, even tragic and somber.  

“N.O.V.A.,” is a very aggressive song that’s full speed within seconds. The drums are groovy as hell, pushing the song along at a pace that’s both arresting and majestic. Little details, like a break around the 40 second mark with spoken word or the rising action near the halfway point with towering guitars and melodic bass, make the song seem alive. It’s moments like these, the care and attention to details, that make this album a cut above many I’ve heard in January. The melancholic, and surprisingly Gothic, mid section is yet another highlight. The song builds back up gradually, pacing itself in the best way.

The final song, “Onwards to the Last Blink of Reason,” is one of my favorites on the album, if not my favorite. The beginning is urgency defined but still containing an approach all their own. The vocals are some of the most vicious on the album too. The bass and guitars play off each other, changing the direction of the song in subtle ways. The clean vocals mark my favorite passage on the song, because for a few precious moments it’s mountainous before diving back into caustic, blackened fury. 

Membaris’ “Black Plasma Armour,” is one of the better black metal albums I’ve heard in January and kicks off the genre for 2025 in a big way. There isn’t a reason to ignore this album, even if you only slightly enjoy the genre.  

Special note: Their label doesn't seem to be on bandcamp or have a full album upload on YouTube but I have a song below. If I get a full link, I will update the review.