Nachtreich
Sturmgang

For years, we have witnessed countless fusions between (neo)classical music and metal, with outcomes sometimes garish and poorly executed and other times yielding good results. So is there anything else to add that hasn't been said by various bands (the "big" ones and the "small" ones)? Well, maybe there is.

The Nachtreich is a musical project born in Germany (specifically in Bavaria) in 2003, whose mainstays are Peter Honsalek (viola, piano, and keyboards) and Uli Kaineder (guitar, bass, keyboards, double bass, and violin), with guest Roman Sladek (drums). So far, they have only produced demos, six in total, but only the last two are official releases. What's special about this group? First of all, they do not delve into grand orchestration (I don't think they even have the financial means to attempt such a feat) but instead, they express only their personal talent, engaging in a sober, incisive chamber music, at times with vaguely pastoral flavors, other times with a more "stormy" tone, accompanied by a metal component that most of the time seems to be merely a crutch, a support, a means to add sonic depth and substance. Another peculiarity is that everything is exclusively instrumental.

In this "Sturmgang" from 2009, tracks alternate with metal influences (but an "autumnal" metal, devoid of solos or elaborate embellishments; somber, like falling leaves) and others solely of chamber music, starring the piano and the small string section. You immediately realize that it's something different from the usual and of good craftsmanship: the opener "Im Sturmwind" is a good "summary" of the various components coexisting, while the following "In die Ferne" (one of the best tracks) demonstrates their skill as classical musicians. The background of the wind and the melancholy of the strings paint a twilight, delicate, autumnal scene. With the following "Abschied (Ein letzter Gruß...)" the times begin to extend (this track is over 13 minutes long). We could ideally divide it into three parts: a first chamber part, a second characterized by the metal/classical fusion, and a third completely ambient part, with only the whistle of the wind as the protagonist, inviting us to leave with it. However, in the second part, it seems that the instruments are even slightly out of sync at one point. An ambitious track that would have had a greater impact if it were shorter. The following tracks, in fact, in my opinion, suffer from excessive length that overly dilutes their impact. The subsequent "Der verlorene Weg" is a gentle piano sonata, whose notes fall delicately like pure white snow. But here too, the length (8 minutes) slightly affects the evaluation of a composition that could very well have been shorter. The penultimate "Von Sturm getrieben" follows the dictates of the metal/classical/chamber fusion imparted by the opener, while the concluding "Erinnerungen" (11 and a half minutes) is almost entirely chamber music, except for the final part which again sees the addition of the metal accompaniment.

For a demo, the production is good, the idea is remarkable, the execution more than satisfactory (except for that imperfection in track 3). However, it suffers from the excessive length of some tracks, a length that sometimes proves detrimental as it dilutes them too much when a shorter duration would have ensured a greater impact. Keeping in mind the different offering they provide in this field, their mastery of classical instruments, and the "autumnal" feeling that this demo creates, I would assign it a 3.5, which I am compelled to round down - for now and for the reasons mentioned above.

However, it is a recommended listen, a valid interlude for those who, like me, prefer the voice of the rain to the assertiveness of the summer heat.