Despite working for nearly twelve years in the so-called health care system, the term “neurasthenia” was unknown to me. Generally the term describes a form of neurosis, which comes along with depressive moods like melancholy, dejection and intense mourning. Well, it was a good decision by NIFLHEIM to give their debut a name like this, because it is suitable for an album like this here. “Neurasthénie” is an unholy bastard, mixing styles like Doom and Black Metal. Very slow, with sparingly songwriting, where sometimes just one instrument or just a few tones are presented. From time to time a blaze of light in form a fine melody is flickering, but very soon it is again the desperate, depressive music, an effect that supports the melancholic atmosphere on this album. What I personally do not like are the vocals. They are just too much distorted, a little less noisy and they would be more fitting. But maybe the band is trying to underline the pain the vocalist is going through, so they decided to perform the vocals this way. Be it as it may, I am sure they have made there mind clear about this, because generally the album is very sophisticated, regarding aspect like songwriting and musicianship. It is well composed and if you are willing to getting involved, i.e. not listening this release in clear sunlight and ironing your shirts while listening, you are lost in a sea of nothingness. No kind of easy-listening here, but if you dare to take a step inside the world of NIFLHEIM, you will be rewarded with a subtle, fine album. www.myspace.com/niflheim5