THE BEAST

On June 6, 2025, German black metal act Empeiria released their debut full-length, The Ascent: Szenen der Katharsis , via the ever-consistent Vendetta Records . With its evocative title translating to “Scenes of Catharsis,” this meticulously crafted concept album marks a bold entrance into the genre, channeling a rich tradition of Scandinavian black metal through a distinctly modern, boundary-pushing lens.

Empeiria, whose name symbolizes “the un-tangible, the negation of limit,” is the brainchild of the duo known only as π & η . Their vision eschews orthodoxy, opting instead for a sonic palette that is as emotionally immersive as it is compositionally intricate. Across seven tracks, The Ascent wields a dynamic arsenal of searing tremolo riffs, layered choral arrangements, visceral blasts, and brooding atmosphere, marrying aggression with nuance in a manner that feels both reverent and forward-thinking.

At its core, The Ascent: Szenen der Katharsis is a tripartite emotional odyssey , each segment exploring a distinct psychological state:

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  I–III : A descent into torment, guilt, and internal fracture.

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  IV–VI : The emergence of resilience, confidence, and self-affirmation.

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  VII : A final confrontation with existential truth, offering neither resolution nor despair—but transformation.

Each act is mirrored by deliberate shifts in tone and tempo. The album opens in a haze of anguish and tension, gradually gaining clarity and momentum through the middle passages, before collapsing into a final movement that balances bleakness with enlightenment. The result is not just a record, but an experience: operatic in scope, meditative in depth, and punishing in execution.

In a genre saturated with posturing and orthodoxy, Empeiria stands out for their sincerity of purpose and commitment to emotional narrative . The band’s refusal to confine themselves within rigid subgenre lines—embracing everything from atmospheric layering to raw aggression—places them in the lineage of innovators such as Ulver, Dodheimsgard, and early Emperor.

With The Ascent: Szenen der Katharsis , Empeiria doesn’t just add to the black metal canon—they challenge and expand it. For fans of extreme music who crave something that speaks to both the soul and the subconscious, this is a must-hear.

Available now digitally, and on LP and CD formats via Vendetta Records.