Review DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT “Innern” (Instrumental)

Exactly one year ago, Der Weg Einer Freiheit released Innern, their most mature and intense album to date. Now, 365 days later, Innern is back in the record stores – but this time, there’s a twist. This is the instrumental version of the album. What may seem a little puzzling at first becomes fascinating once you experience the record in its entirety.

Innern as an instrumental album offers an entirely new perspective on these songs. Without vocals, they actually gain a surprising amount of intensity. The overall mood remains intact, but suddenly, details emerge that may have gone unnoticed the first time around.

Innern (Instrumental) is much more than an album with the vocals simply taken out. Nikita Kamprad returned to the material and completely remixed the record. New atmospheric layers were added, transforming Innern (Instrumental) into a dark, threatening, yet compelling sonic landscape.

Just listen to “Xibalba.” Its frantic passages and atmospheric sections create a broad sonic spectrum that is easy to lose yourself in. And since we’re talking about “Xibalba,” this particular song was actually the spark that started the whole project. Bassist Alan Noruspour had spent considerable time working on the instrumental version of the track during the making of Innern. Once the vocals were added, he felt that something of the original atmosphere had been lost. From there, the idea of creating an instrumental version of the entire album began to take shape.

There’s also a strange sense of intimacy to these instrumental versions. Somehow, you feel closer to the songs, almost as if you’ve been allowed a little further into their construction. The fact that Der Weg Einer Freiheit can convey the same emotional intensity without relying on lyrics says a great deal about the quartet’s talent and craftsmanship.

Der Weg Einer Freiheit take the listener on a journey through brutal sonic landscapes that constantly interact with fragile, almost delicate moments. There’s a sense of unease hanging over the album, yet at the same time, it’s deeply captivating. And that’s perhaps where Innern (Instrumental) succeeds most: it embraces what art is ultimately about – emotion. And there’s plenty of it here. Who needs words when the riffs are doing all the talking?

With Innern (Instrumental), Der Weg Einer Freiheit have created another important chapter in their story. Everything falls into place, and even those who already own the original Innern will find plenty of new details here to justify adding this release to the collection. Innern (Instrumental) is a singular journey – one that’s well worth taking at least once.