Der Rattenfänger von Hameln, otherwise known as the Pied Piper of Hamelin, was a vengeful dude who used his pipes to lure kids to their doom after stingy parents refused to fork money over for pest removal services.  A truly brutal tale indeed, and you’ve got to admit, Rattenfänger makes for a fairly evil and foreboding-sounding band name.  Some of the masterminds behind Rattenfänger apparently agree with me, as they’ve released an album titled Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum under the rat-hoarder’s moniker.

Formed by members of cult Ukrainian bands Drudkh and Hate Forest, Rattenfänger is touted as the old school death metal counterpart to the aforementioned blackened groups.  The pedigree and the appeal is there, but unfortunately for listeners, the greatness is not.  There is sadly nothing about Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum that stands out over the mountain of traditional death metal releases in existence today.

Album notes boast that the lyrics of Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum are written in Latin, in the “style of medieval poets, thinkers and troubadours/minstrels.”  While that’s an interesting concept, it doesn’t work in the context of Rattenfänger’s material, which is essentially (mostly) uninspired doom-death with modern traces.  The quick blast-runs that fire out throughout the course of Epistolae… are rife with modern death (and dare I say it, core?) elements, including semi-breakdowns and overly-triggered double bass.  Not exactly what most would consider “old school.”

To be fair, Rattenfänger share some good moments, some echoes of icy terror that one would expect from a black metal musician’s DM side project.  They’re just too scattered and not unique or convincing enough to change my overall opinion of the album.  Epistolae Obscurorum Virorum is solid and heavy, but quite dull.  Perhaps an overhaul on the next album will lead to a better outcome, but don’t hold your breath.

(5/10 Jodi Michael) 

http://www.darkessencerecords.no/artists/rattenfanger/