New Jersey-based experimental/ambient/black metallers OSSEIN recently released their third full-length, a double album entitled Führer. A free download of the record is available on Ossein's MySpace page, alongside free downloads of their other releases (2008's Declination and Osaka).

According to mainman Nile Bowie, "Führer is a record about the God in Man, oppressed by Men playing God. Our brains react differently when exposed to various sound frequencies, which alter our mood, opinions, and consciousness. While some tracks on this recording are accessible & song based, many are heavily instrumental and may require patience for some listeners. Our goal is to inspire a variety of emotions and ideas, periods of self-reflection, and ultimately altered states in our listeners.

While some tracks are abrasive and dark, others offer more soothing soundscapes. While tracks like 'Maize In Afternoon Light' paint a picture of divinity after death, others like 'Once Metropolis' expose an uneasy view of future civilization & isolation in physical planes. Some show a more human approach, stripped down to acoustic instruments & voice, telling stories of failed leadership, philosophy, and the search for divinity. As a recording, we draw influence from artists ranging from Johnny Cash & Joanna Newsom, to Merzbow & Coil."

Conceptually, Führer is philosophical, ambitious and complex; musically it is eclectic, diverse, and haunting. The album explores the fragility and savagery of man and the lasting effects of mankind upon our ailing world, while allowing itself to shine a faint beacon of hope upon the future. Those who appreciate the unknown and the atmospheric, who see the beauty in dissonance and menace in ambience, will drink this album in. Fans of AGALLOCH, ORGY, ULVER, RADIOHEAD, SAUL WILLIAMS and WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM will all find something to love about Ossein.