With all that we have in ways of potential in the modern landscape that we found ourselves in, innovation is truly the driving force that keeps many of us coming back for more as the very influence of metal continues to creep across the globe. The progressive reaches of death metal, in particular, as fascinating to someone like me because of how many different directions it can be taken with it being very possible that two bands can craft two wildly different sounds yet still remain within the same style. It has been a hot minute since I’ve come across a band that really takes that progressive angle and runs with it to great lengths with the latest from Vinsta being the bewildering eye-opening listen that I’ve been needing.

It’s already a bold move to try and make a sound as bombastic and in-your-face like death metal even more dynamic and three-dimensional with the inclusion of whatever may come by introducing progressive elements to the mix, but some people are just simply that daring. Easily, it could fall apart if you don’t know what you’re doing, especially if you try and reach for too much. Vinsta has been honing their craft since they began performing this brand of death metal after starting out largely as a folk act with the progressive death metal coming quickly to Vinsta with its propencity for such showing quickly. Those folk roots were never truly abandoned, however, and it’s over the years that Vinsta has learned to bring them to the mix with extreme metal in such a splendorous form that they could be argued as one of the more attractive and interesting acts throughout the death metal underworld. It is with this newest effort, however, that Vinsta has crafted something that really stands out.

Just shy of a 49-minute runtime across nine tracks, “Freiweitn” stands apart from its predecessors and its contemporaries as a gorgeously made album that refuses to sit still, taking every opportunity to show the listener fresh sights that many may not expect possible from the world of death metal. “Progressive” really is the key word when talking about this record with the clear influence of bands like Opeth showing proudly throughout the experience without any blatant copy-and-pasting taking place throughout the experience to really show us just how genuine and talented of an act Vinsta has become with this, their fourth full-length album, certainly up for consideration as their grandest yet. “Freiweitn” is the sort of all-encompassing listen that demands you to fall within its depths more than once in order to truly absorb all that it has to offer, for you if really immerse yourself in all that the record is then you are sure to find sights and treasures that are simply awe-inspiring to stumble upon.

From the gorgeous instrumentation to brilliant sense of intensity that never overwhelms any other aspect of what Vinsta has carefully put together, this is a creation that many are sure to truly lose themselves in as it hasn’t been since the likes of Fragarak that I’ve seen death metal paired so brilliantly with a unique spirit and drive like this where it all comes together for a performance that simply begs investigation and adoration. This is a work like incredibly few others out there, and I have no doubt that “Freiweitn” will stand tall as Vinsta’s engaging and capturing approach to extreme metal that will set the band apart for years to come.

“Freiweitn” releases on July 28th via Eisenwald!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Freiweitn”, “Schwoaze Låckn”, via YouTube here or below.

PRE-ORDER “Freiweitn” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Vinsta on Facebook here.