Album Review: Teufelsdom – Teufelsdom
Band: Teufelsdom
Album: Teufelsdom
Label: Primitive Devil Worship
Release date: October 11th, 2025
Country: Russia
Format reviewed: High Quality Digital Recording
Teufelsdom – Teufelsdom via Primitive Devil Worship by Ioana
I can’t help but feel a little honored when musicians reach out to me on the topic of reviewing their music. As one may assume, this happens to be the case for Teufelsdom, and their self titled debut record, with the only specification being that the review ought to be published after the album’s release. Given that said time has come… Shall we talk music?
The album is harsh and raw as much as it is creative and dynamic. Right off the bat I was pleasantly surprised by the vocal performance. It is comprised mainly out of these low growls with an eerie, chant-like quality that resembles Beherit’s “Drawing Down The Moon” as much as it is its own entity. Needless to say, it offers the record a very distinct atmosphere, which, when paired together with the oddly specific mood of the production (raw yet crisp at the same time and with a clear old school charm), it makes for an undoubtedly potent mix. Nevertheless, if you are a fan of any kind of interesting vocals, then this will be something right up your alley without a doubt.
Another aspect that stood out as early as the first track is the approach to riffing Teufeldsom chose to showcase on the record. Most of the tracks appear to be centered around one mair riff, two at most, off of which the rest of the song tends to grow forth, with melodies and different touches being incorporated into the soundscape along the way. This particular style of songwriting is reminiscent of Mayhem and the bands of the Norwegian second wave, yet in the case of Teufelsdom, it comes off more… tense and claustrophobic rather than outright cold. That is not to say that the album lacks in terms of good old grimness. The careful listener will have no trouble observing its presence during the slower moments of the album, where the repeating riffs become almost hypnotic in their presence.
Given that I have brought up songwriting and structure several times thus far, it would only be fair if I actually elaborated on said topics and gave them the attention they deserve, because, simply put, the main reason why Teufelsdom holds up as well as it does is because of its pacing. The tracks span around 5 minutes, not too short that they feel rushed, not too long to the point they feel drawn out and drowned with filler. Instead, what one ends up getting is a dose of pure, no nonsense black metal that oozes intentionality with every audible note. This is the mark of a band who has no time to waste on pleasantries, and, in all honesty, we need more of this kind of approach.
Now here we get to what is without a doubt the best part, or, at least, the most striking part of the whole album: the piano. Without any exaggeration, this album features some of the best use of piano in all modern black metal, as it has the perfect balance between intriguing and eerie. It is not overly complex to the point where it comes off as symphonic or sugarcoated, but not ambient level simple. And in that perfect balance, the result is nothing short of unnerving, especially since this piano sequences sometimes show up seemingly out of nowhere, at times in the middle of the song, amplifying the tension of the music. But what am I even talking about, it won’t make much sense unless you actually listen to the album.
All that being said, Teufelsdom definitely left a strong impression on me, and this album is nothing to sleep on. For all eeriness enthusiasts out there, this one is for you. And once again, I find myself wondering… If the debut record is this good… then how will the albums to come end up sounding? 9/10
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9/10 Epic Storm
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