Starting from the first feelings about this album, the thing that strikes one’s eyes at the very beginning is the cover art. The guy sitting on the leather couch with his eyes and mouth wrapped looks like a victim of some perversion. In fact, what I suppose, the bandages stimulate imagination and lead him to the depth of his mind. The same passage we must cross while we listen to this album, otherwise the enormous power of “Spiegel Der Urangste” won’t be revealed.
Sombre voyage into the deepest place of consciousness, and extreme fear of what lurks there is a purpose of the title song. Beginning with very unique riffs and percussion, which sounds more like knocking, song evolves into the masterpiece of form. Variety of tempos and melodies create unrepeatable atmosphere. The portion of feelings served by this piece of art is overwhelming, coexisting depression exudes from every sound. Although very simplistic in case of instruments, the atmosphere shocks and causes shivers. A voyage is depicted by melancholic howls of guitars creating such weird and unusual melodies... From time to time keyboard can be heard but only to strengthen the whole melody; keyboards doesn’t play a significant role in this orchestra of subconsciousness. The mirror of fears which was the desire of the seeker is found...yet not so fulfilling as he thought it’ll be...
The anger and terrible ecstasy embraces listener from the first sounds of the next song. Insane vocals almost hurt ears, they are very similar to those from Burzum, yet they sound more aggressively and such strangely that one may think they are articulated by some non human form of life. Lyrics are powerfull as well, they continue the vision and flow of depression. After the seeker had discovered the mirror of fears and found his transcendence, he now wanders at the blood soaked sand in bitter satisfaction and ecstasy. Guitar melody reminds of calm waves ebbing and flowing since the creation of sea, still with same frequency and with no aim and reason at all. The destination is complete; however, there’s still no fulfillment, monotony of this peaceful and gloomy landscape causes depression. Further part of the song shows that transcendence and unity can only be found in the abyss of bloody sea. Guitars and drums start to play much faster again to indicate the anger and hate towards nonsense of life. Wanderer plunges himself into the depths of overwhelming water to reunite with nature and elements, suicide is the only reasonable way to stop his desires of looking for fulfillment in eternity.
The journey ends with the end of the album. We can unwrap the bandages from our eyes after those 22 minutes of burying ourselves in thoughts. After that depression is as big as it was before listening, and we see that there’s only one way to mitigate the pain...