Waldgeflüster - Knochengesänge I & Knochengesänge II

 Waldgeflüster is a black metal band from Germany, who formed in 2005.  Their latest release "Knochengesänge," is actually a double album.  The second part is a sort of a reworking/rearranging/reimagining of the first part but both are more than separated enough from each other that it really does feel like two different sets of songs. 

Both albums are memorizing to me and offer a lot of replay value.  I honestly can't decide which one I like best!  I hear a lot post and folk in these releases too, even on the first album which is definitely more blackened.  The vocals are mostly clean but that is ok because Winterherz has a fantastic voice, with a lot of inflection and catchy cadences.  Both albums sort of feel like a metal version of something a singer/songwriter style album.  It makes for an interesting listen--and one I can't quite let go.  As of the time of me writing this review, both of these releases together are my most played albums at the moment. 

As I mentioned previously, Part I is the more heavy and aggressive side of the double album.  With that being said, both parts feature elements of the other one, so it isn't much of a stretch to say if you like either part, you'll go for the other one as well.

"Krähenpsalme," opens the first album with gentle acoustics, crows, and what sounds like a fire burning and popping.  Very quickly it dives into black metal, complete with extreme screams and unbridled fury. It sounds cold and tragic but epic as hell.  The melodic passages are beautiful and successfully meld black metal and folk into one force of nature. 

"Der kleinste König und sein Architekt," is one of my favorites on part 1.  The atmosphere is a gripping combination of fire and melancholic textures. The first five minutes or so bring about that said fury while the latter half turns into another world.  I love it when metal bands can be both heavy and gentle, this song does both the right way.  It is also catchy as fuck.

"Lethe," is another banger but this time with layered vocals that heighten the urgency against the weight of the music.  The music itself flows smooth, like a poem set to black metal.  After the 6-minute mark, the song gets huge:  groovy riffs, dark approach, and just a really dense atmosphere.  

The final song is apparently a cover of The High King's "The Parting Glass."  I don't know who that is but upon my research, I discovered the song itself is a traditional Scottish folk song, so I guess this is really just a cover of a cover?  Regardless, I really like this and have found myself jamming this one a lot!  It keeps the same theme and feels of the previous songs but with a rich, unique flavor to it. 

Part II uses clean vocals and takes the songs and totally changes them.  My favorite is "The Little King and His Architect," which is a reimagining of "Der kleinste König und sein Architekt."  This version seems more ancient and has the quality of longing or yearning to it.  At least, that's my interpretation. The clean vocals are quite expressive and haunting as well. 

"Crusade In The Dark," is another favorite of mine on Part 2.  This might just be the catchiest song on the album and the vocals are absolutely astonishing, in the way they mix with the flow of the music and integrate themselves into the fabric of the song.

I could go on and on about this album.  It's just that good---definitely one of the biggest surprises for me in 2025.