*2023 stock* German proto heavy metal and proto doom metal has always been more of an underground topic due to the fact that most bands only reached a regional level in every aspect. Dies Irae are certainly something of an exception to the rule when it comes to the quality. What you get here is a heavy and dark music with open song structures that leave much room for experimentation. Despite the fact that the simmering fuzz guitar cuts through your burning soul like a chainsaw there are still many parts in each song showcasing a fondness for playful jazz inspired passages where all musicians can prove their skills and the whole band still conjures a gloomy atmosphere. Except for the short interlude “Salve Eumel” which is just some Latin babbling.

But you feel the light footed swing the musicians have while playing in those certain sections. In other cases Dies Irae go utterly crazy in a psychedelic freak out fashion. We have to remember this album came out in 1971 and musicians as well as fans quite often were completely out of their mind. Trippy moments are given on “First” in abundance in between the hard hitting heavily grinding doom outbursts. Nobody was even eager to call it doom yet but all ingredients were there. Think of a jamsession with Black Sabbath and Amon Duul II and you come at least close to something that could sound like Dies Irae. This album is highly original and unique and definitely has a place among the greatest krautrock albums of all times. You can literally hear the acid doing its work but in a very skillful way. Friends of proto metal from the early 70s who dig a progressive edge with their music and have a fondness for trippy psychedelic rock shall grab a copy of this beautiful reissue for originals on Pilz Records fetch prices above 1500,00 US$. And this is definitely an album worth spinning every once in a while. Turn on, tune in, drop out!!!