Der Blutharsch
The Track of the Hunted

THE REVIEW

The death of Albin Julius on May 4, 2022, put an end to all his projects (and also to the controversies about his ideological positions. Nevertheless, the group was banned from Bandcamp) among them the now-psychedelic Der Blutharsch And The Infinite Church Of The Leading Hand. But it is with his old moniker (simply Der Blutharsch) that, in my opinion, he had given his best. In particular, "The Track Of the Hunted" shines with a dark aura that envelops the soul. Having abandoned purely propagandistic trappings, a more intense musicality is embraced. Albin Julius, a devoted follower of Richard Wagner, imprints these compositions with a compelling essence. The cathartic effect of this music is palpable: it's like listening to Wagner immersed in the depths of Martial-industrial darkness!

The first track opens with the sound of a bottle being uncorked, wine flowing into a glass, a toast with obscene and ambiguous overtones. An air-raid siren and an operetta chant transport us directly to the era of World War II, when Berlin was a victim of the destructive fury of the Allied bombings. The strings take command, creating an atmosphere of terror. The fifth track is martial and determined, imbued with anguish in the soul, while the eighth glorifies the Third Reich, and the music explodes into its triumphant march. The ninth track unfolds into a folkloric moment, a Nazi ditty unearthed by Albin Julius in an obscure nostalgia shop. The last track is a genuine delirium, characterized by electronic samples, martial rhythms, post-industrial and "Wagnerian" sounds, wrapped in a gloomy and pastist epic. In the final part, the atmospheres sink into the darkness of ambient. A ghost-track insinuates itself, maintaining the same "mood" of this magnificent album.

The controversies surrounding this project, although understandable, risk overshadowing the musical greatness of Blutharsch. The talent of the late Albin Julius is undeniable, as he brilliantly demonstrated in his collaborations with Death In June on the albums "Take Care and Control" and "Operation Hummingbird". His contribution, in my opinion, represents the last flashes of light in the career of Douglas P., lost in eternal darkness.