Ewiges Feuer - New Dark Beat

This review was commissioned. However, it bears no weight on the score or decision. All reviews are written from an unbiased standpoint. 

Gotta say that I'm rather digging Ewige Feuer's debut EP "New Dark Beat". The title track is the first to come up and it might have a lower quality than you'd expect of other hard hitters in the scene, but I think this raw and somewhat lo-fi quality is purposeful in its charm. Rough around the edges but constantly moving. What I get is what I expect from EBM; a rampant beat that's nearly non-stop, but the influences from outside genres are noted. While being without vocals aside from a few digital, gutteral cries, Ewiges Feuer maintains consistent samples throughout the track and changes in pace and tone, such as around the two-minute and twenty-second mark, to keep the song fresh. 

I will admit to not being too huge a fan of 'Control/Liberate'. The vocals are rather poor, perhaps intentional. Infected with digital touches but never really popping but fading as if they're drowning in a sea of electronic waves. Not quite as good as what appeared on the previous track. The beat is also alright, but I feel like it's always building up to something without ever reaching that climax. 



'Kuumeuni (Fever Dream)' picks up the praise however as Ewiges Feuer returns to much more experimental sounds and playful synth samples. It retains a similar sound throughout its five-minute and fifty-two second run which can make it a bit dull, but the way the artist uses his limited sound pool and palette in the song is dashing and charming. 

'Neuer Dunkler Beat' is the final track on the album and has the same name as the title track...Only this one is in German. Kids, this is what taking four years of German in high school can do for you: translate industrial song titles....Sometimes. Disregarding my personal experiences, 'Neuer Dunkler Beat' is a moody and atmospheric EBM track that sounds like something that comes off of an arcade beat'em'up. Something like Streets of Rage. A perfect length, too, for the material within ending at four-minutes and twenty-nine seconds.

So, yeah, a pretty good debut EP with some room for improvement. Most notably with the vocals; if Ewiges Feuer can nail those down then they'll be in great shape. Until then, however. 
Apr 21 2024