Königreichssaal – Psalmen’o’Delirium

Another killer release from Godz Ov War Productions to end this year the way it started, the world and our civilisation on the way to collapse! Even looking outside my window it’s all darkness and emptiness. As if this wasn’t enough, the Polish black metal trio Königreichssaal hails with their second full-lenght album, which isagain full of darkness, insanity and obscurity, but also one describing an eternal battle between Devil and God, obscurity against light, evil forces against light and morality etc. They’re doing so on this seven-tracker sophomore album, that unlike the sound of it, was released during the summer. It’s moniker is Psalmen’o’Delirium, which according to their own interpretation ‘…reveals seven shades of madness, a moral journey with downfalls, possession and the constant will to rebuild the soul and body.’

In general I find the Polish black metal scene as one of the best of all black metal scenes. What I find sad about most of Polish black metal is that so many bands have ‘nazi sympathies’. I’ll not send such accusations towards the guys from Königreichssaal, and therefore leave political views out of this review, and focus entirely on the musical and instrumental side of their music. What I can say is that the lyrics match the music perfectly.

By going through the 41-minute album multiple times, it is quite clear that the Poles’ range of influences is quite extensive, but at the end of a day, ultimately it still sounds unmistakenably Polish. It means; a shrieking and whispering vocal style, heavily distorted guitars, unconventional song structures, and a great emphasis on atmosphere. Apart from these general characteristics, their sound is quite varied, as it to times can be pure black metal with numerous blast beats and deranged vocals, while other times they slow down the pace, going into the realms of doom, with the inclusion of some keyboards which creates these atmospheric and ‘doomish’ interludes.

Since it’s a conceptual release, all tracks feature similar black metal structures, but apart from the closing “Satyros” (references to mighty Satyricon?!), I find “Psalmen” to be a standout track, mainly due to heavily ambient intro, some crazy vocals (howls, cries, wailings, screams) and steady guiding drums, supplemented by some cold and distant guitars in the background. It’s just in the first part of the song, as emotional violin parts mark the beginning of the second part of this song, before it all ends in chaos and madness. The lyrics are uttered in German! As briefly mentioned before, I also like the way in which the album ends; with the closing track, “Satyros” ending on a high note with this intense, thick and suffocating sound.

Psalmen’o’Delirium has been recorded, mixed and mastered at ‘Impresssive Art Studio’ by Przemysław Nowak. It is raw and lo-fi recording, but pretty listenable if you’re fan of the genre. Quite fitting cover artwork is the work of K. Powałka ‘Visual Art’, while cover design and layout is done by Igor Datkiewicz & ‘WS Artworks’.

This diverse, varied, yet obscure and atmospheric black metal, is recommended for fans of the genre and bands as Satyricon, Darkthrone, Mgła, Bethlehem etc.

If still interested in this sort of black metal, then visit https://konigreichssaal.bandcamp.com/album/psalmen-o-delirium and learn more on this album from this unholy Polish trio.