After OW001's maiden-voyage into outer space, Outworld now takes us to the underworld courtesy of label head Klangkuenstler's 'Balthazar' EP, which marries raw peaktime-power with claustrophobic-come-ecstatic atmospheres, served over the course of four tracks.
The devil's dancing on the title-track: as serrated off-hits shatter on tough kicks, a wicked saw-riff begins to drill through the drums as if summoned from Hades. In contrast, the bass-driven body and pulsating sinus-tone of 'Zorn Amons' grind like teeth as they build in tension. A moment of illusive release comes with 'Das Schattenreich', on which the reverberating, fast-paced percussion
runs for escape, hunted fiercely by a meaty trance-lead. On 'Jenseits', though, Klangkuenstler pulls us back into purgatory, showcasing a dramatic end to a carefully crafted and devilishly fun EP of rough club bangers.