When Sebastian Görlach parted ways with DÉCEMBRE NOIR in the spring of 2024, the decision did not mark the end of his musical journey. Instead, it opened the space he needed for a creative new beginning – or rather, a return to the very essence of what had always drawn him to metal. With AVERTAT, the musician from Thuringia reconnects with his roots and the holistic songwriting approach that defined DÉCEMBRE NOIR.
The debut album “Dead End Life” lives up to its title: bleak, oppressive, and unflinchingly honest. The already released track “[7]” deals with vigilante justice in the aftermath of a horrific act of violence. Other songs explore the darker sides of human nature, trauma, and emotional scars. The band’s blend of melodic death metal and crushing doom provides the ideal sonic landscape for these themes – heavy, atmospheric, and relentlessly somber. While parallels to DÉCEMBRE NOIR are unmistakable, AVERTAT offers a distinctly different perspective on death-doom. A key factor is the involvement of vocalist Enrico Langguth, who did not come from a metal background, even though his performance on “Dead End Life” suggests otherwise. His expressive, emotionally charged delivery adds a fresh dimension to the genre, while Sebastian Görlach contributes the deep growls, creating a dynamic interplay that amplifies the album’s emotional weight.
AVERTAT is not a side path or a nostalgic echo of past work. It is a fully realized artistic statement – raw, personal, and uncompromising. With “Dead End Life”, Görlach enters a new creative chapter, driven by the same forces that have always defined his relationship with metal: emotional truth, atmospheric depth, and the ability to transform darkness into sound.
