Review | Elli Berlin – Aus der Asche [EP]

Independent Release

From belle to brutal.
Summarizing the transformation of German singer – songwriter Elisa Nürnberger’s poppy schlager past into the powerhouse brutal vocalist Elli Berlin, subsequently the charismatic fronter of Null Positiv, is quite extraordinary. As a Britney beauty she made her first steps on the German stages as a vocalist, but 12 years in she has morphed into one of the most powerful performers in Germany. Elli Berlin’s latest video releases show the audience she is ready to step up for the highest ranks, competing with every vocalist in the field.

METAL MODEL AND PERFORMER

Trading her teeny appearance for an in-your-face persona, Elli has established quite a name in the field as a metal model and performer. With her band Null Potitiv she released three full length albums and was roaming the giant Wacken stage with a blistering performance in 2017, before returning to stir the masses with her solo offerings `Lieb Mich’ (2021) and `Mutterherz’ (2022).

BRAND NEW EP

Her brand-new EP-offering `Aus der Asche’ however creates intense waves with the song drawing together her brutal vocal abilities atop memorable hooks and melodies. The song recently debuted on YouTube as an introduction to her upcoming solo album and leaves a path of devastation. 

The low droning guitars that take us into the heavy swagger dosed title track blend krautrock with Rammstein stride, without maintaining its unique Elli mark. The song towers with memorable hooks and recognizable melody and chorus that take the best from Elli. She swirls ‘n scats moaning and growling around the vocal lines, while breathing fire like Arch Enemy’s White-Gluz and Gossow into the heaviest sections of the song. The death in this metal output is tremendous and she shines with her vocal delivery. You don’t even recognize the song being belted out in German, it is this impressive Elli sings these agonizing power chops. The solo is impressive, as is the sudden atmospheric break following. Elli whispers over the distorted wailing guitars before the double bass drums fire up speed and turmoil.

POWERHOUSE VOCALS

,,Lebensretter” (Lifesaver) opens with drizzled synth and roaring guitars, reminiscent to Märzfield, while Elli soars timid vocals around the subtle instrumentation. Here she fuses her past to her new-found metal accolades, without subduing it from the heaviness. The jagged cadence and modern tech sounds add to the feel and make the song grow on you. 

On ,,Gefallene Engel” (Fallen Angel) Elli and her counterpart Teufel (TanzWut) evoke a heavier than hell Rammstein sound. The marching beat and synth-guitar interaction is memorable, and even more so the interaction of both performers. Elli switching her subtle pop register towards the heavy gutted powerhouse vocals, aligning with Teufel’s hard rousing vocals, the song blends Rammstein bliss with melodic intensity and some folk elements that work wonder well.

Straying from the rest of the music slightly, without falling away from its intentions, ,,Lieder unserer Zeit” (Songs of our Time) displays Elli’s creativity as a composer. The song packs the same intensity, yet is brings new modernity to the front. The synth and drum interplays are captivating, with guitars and drum cadence intensifying constantly unleashing its memorable bridge and chorus. Nesting instantly, the song and its hooks and melodies keep pulsating its fierce recognizability. Simply astounding, and rousing at the same time!

ELLI BERLIN – THE CONCLUSION

With the focus on melody, Elli links the previous track to a hybrid metal ballad that outshines any of the German tracks released lately. ,,Goodbye” is subtle, like an 80s Nena song, but has a tremendous unload of power in its chorus. Where Elli focusses on a heartfelt moaning delivery, she works towards the multi-layered heavy guitar bliss of the bridge that rapidly builds its momentum for its gut wrecking chorus. Elli wailing out her powerful vocals, touching the melancholic footnotes, she makes the song work firing on all freakin’ engines. The towering solo injects the right dose of metallic agony as Elli returns to the fold for the short end game of the song, making it die out gracefully. 

As beautiful and powerful she comes across on the pictures, it is Elli Berlin touching your gut with her powerful appearance and vocal delivery on this new EP. All songs are representative and modern, packing awesome momentum and stride, with Elli’s vocals at the helm. Melodies are infectious, the groove impressive. Cadence in German metal marching style and rousing outcalls make this EP whirl impressively. 

Elli Berlin has transformed her past into a modern future! Im-f*cking-Pressive!