Cemetery | Thoughts On Life… And Death | Independent

 

    Cemetery was founded in 1990 in Schongau, Bavaria, by singer and guitarist Dani Zizek and drummer Michael Bolz. Early on, the band quickly built a reputation in the German underground, especially after the release of their 1991 demo, which gained attention far beyond Germany. Sharing the stage with groups like Fleshcrawl, Dark Millennium, and Pyogenesis, they seemed destined for a strong career. However, in 1994, shortly after finishing their debut “Enter The Gate,” their label went bankrupt, and Cemetery disbanded.

More than two decades later, the project was revived, eventually leading to their 2017 comeback. With various international line-ups and notable collaborations, the band has since stabilized around Zizek, Heilmeier, Hendel, and Kasper. Cemetery’s sound blends old school death, black, and progressive metal into something distinct, and although they perform live only on rare occasions, their music continues to circulate through underground channels worldwide.

Their 2025 release, “Thoughts On Life… And Death,” is a concept album running just under 50 minutes, exploring the rise of a totalitarian regime and the crushing of individual spirit. Told through the eyes of a fictional character named Jim, the story unfolds in ten chapters, combining raw aggression with atmospheric, experimental passages.

The opening track, “Thoughts On Life,” is a fast, stripped-down beginning that frames Jim’s initial reflections and anxieties. It moves directly into “Among The Dead,” where heavier death metal roots come forward as Jim senses societal collapse. “Grief, Anger And Despair” raises the intensity with furious drumming and cutting guitar work, fitting Jim’s confrontation with political injustice. “Physical Fear” slows the pace into something heavier and suffocating, depicting Jim’s arrest during a violent uprising, before expanding into a sprawling mid-section.

The short instrumental “Nothingness” shifts the album into its second half, where the experimentation grows stronger. “Lock The Doors To Your Mind” merges all of Cemetery’s stylistic elements into a restless, shape-shifting piece, embodying Jim’s psychological breakdown in prison. “Believe” contrasts bursts of speed with quieter sections, echoing the pressure placed on him to abandon his individuality. This leads into “Truth A,” largely instrumental and unsettling, where the atmosphere of interrogation and forced judgment dominates, moving away from traditional death metal into more progressive and oppressive territory.

The closer, “Thoughts On Death,” stretches past eleven minutes and drifts into doom-death territory. Slow, heavy, and despairing, it portrays Jim’s final moments after enduring torture and abandonment, capturing his last grasp at dignity. It stands as the emotional weight of the album, closing the concept in grim resolution.

“Thoughts On Life… And Death” balances aggression and atmosphere while keeping the storytelling central. It’s an album with a strong narrative backbone, moving from classic death metal roots to experimental progressive paths. For listeners drawn to concept-driven extreme metal, it offers a grim and immersive journey. A brilliant combination of Death, Pestilence, and early Opeth, leaving me to wonder why such bands remain unsigned.

Score: 8.5

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