Album Review: Ertne - Der schwarzen Flamme Vermächtnis

Album Review 

Artist: Ernte

Der schwarzen Flamme Vermächtnis

Purity Through Fire

Release Date: February, 13, 2026

Score 8/10 

Review by Rick Eaglestone

Switzerland's Ernte return with their latest offering,  Der schwarzen Flamme Vermächtnis  (Legacy of the Black Flame) 

The album opens with Warriors of the Black Flame, which wastes absolutely zero time in establishing intent. There's a raw immediacy here that grabs you by the throat, but what's striking is how the production – handled by Häxär at Inferno Studio and mastered by Greg Chandler at The Priory Recording Studio – manages to capture that essential black metal atmosphere whilst allowing every instrument to breathe. The guitar work throughout this opener is layered with purpose, weaving between tremolo-picked fury and slower, more meditative passages that demonstrate a genuine understanding of dynamics. As ever Askahex's vocals are suitably venomous.

The Rise of the Older Ones continues the assault but introduces some wonderfully unexpected violin work courtesy of Askahex, who pulls double duty on bass and this classical instrument. It's this kind of detail that elevates Ernte above the legions of black metal acts content to simply worship at the altar of the Norwegian second wave without bringing anything new to the conversation. The violin doesn't feel tacked on or gimmicky – it's woven into the fabric of the song in a way that feels organic, almost inevitable, adding an extra dimension of darkness that complements rather than distracts from the overall sonic assault.

To Ashes sees the album's first real shift in pacing, and it's here where the band's maturity becomes most apparent. Having released four albums prior to this, Ernte understand that unrelenting aggression can become monotonous without moments of genuine atmosphere to provide contrast. The track builds with a patient malevolence, allowing space for the instrumentation to create genuine tension before unleashing its full fury. There's an almost ritualistic quality to the arrangement that perfectly complements the album's thematic content.

Lucifer, clocking in at just under four minutes, is the album's shortest offering and perhaps its most direct statement. Where some bands would pad such a track with unnecessary intros or outros, Ernte get straight to the point which is followed by Lord of Ascending Flame which hands down one of the album's crowning glories. The interplay between Häxär's guitar work and the rhythm section here is exceptional, with bass lines that actually contribute to the song rather than simply following the guitars. There's a technical proficiency on display that never sacrifices atmosphere for showmanship – every note feels purposeful, every transition earned. The song builds to a genuinely cathartic climax that rewards the listener's patience with its earlier, more deliberate sections.

Wo sie wandelt marks a return to German lyrics and brings with it a slightly different energy. There's something particularly menacing about Askahex's vocal delivery in their native tongue, and the band lean into this, crafting arrangements that feel distinctly European in their approach to black metal. The violin makes another appearance here, this time taking a more prominent role in creating the song's unsettling atmosphere.

The album closes with Ritval Pyre, and what a closer it is. There's a finality to this track, a sense of culmination that ties together the various threads the album has been weaving throughout its seven-track, thirty-six-minute runtime. The production choices here are particularly inspired – elements fade in and out of the mix in a way that creates genuine unease, whilst the overall intensity never wavers.

What's most impressive about Der schwarzen Flamme Vermächtnis is how it manages to honour the traditions of second-wave black metal whilst incorporating elements – the violin, the more considered approach to songwriting, the refusal to rely solely on blastbeats and tremolo picking – that demonstrate genuine artistic growth. This is a band that understands the genre they're working in but isn't content to simply retread well-worn ground.

The artwork by Monsain Design perfectly captures the album's aesthetic – dark, uncompromising, and unapologetically Satanic.

Uncompromising black metal executed with both reverence for tradition and a refusal to stagnate