Let it be known, it was about time to dive into what the Netherlands continues to offer, and I’ve found a curious creation by Ter Ziele, titled “Embodiment of Death“. This act carves its own path, pouring out mind-bending, desolate riffs alongside fragile melodies and vocals that cut deep. The band’s musical form stays rooted in doom metal‘s crushing weight while incorporating elements of post and black metal, sketching a domain that reverberates with shadows and unspoken dread.

Ter Ziele
© Wietske Elzinga
Through the Musical Maze
The album opens with “As Long As I Breathe“, a perfect introduction—short, yet essential. Following this, “The Separation of Body and Soul” asserts the group’s doom metal identity. With this second song, Ter Ziele creates tension through sharp, unstable textures without accelerating the tempo, maintaining a deliberate and impactful pace.
As the album progresses, tracks like “Of Noumenon Reality” and “This Mortal Coil” demonstrate the band’s innovative approach, presenting weighty, emotionally resonant music that strikes at the core. The latter, at least for me, serves as the peak of the album, exploring the fragility of life amidst a disintegrating world. It’s a cry for dignity—a final defiance against the relentless march of time.
And if the album starts with a track designed to provoke deep thought, it only makes sense that it closes with something equally potent. Thus, the final piece, “As Long As I Breathe, I Am To Suffer“, takes the form of a delicate yet powerful composition, characterized by piercing vocals and instrumentation that carry the weight of the themes explored throughout.

The cover artwork for “Embodiment of Death”
© Jarek Kubicki
Final Words
There isn’t much color inside “Embodiment of Death” by Ter Ziele—neither in the artwork, nor in the lyrics, and that’s exactly the point. The album is drenched in shadow and bleakness, with melodies that echo like whispers from a dying world. In this space of reflection, Ter Ziele expertly build tension, without increasing the BPMs, and every note holds weight. Any increase in speed would only diminish the atmosphere they’ve created.
“Embodiment of Death” marks a striking addition to the doom metal landscape, and it arrives on February 28, 2025, through Tartarus Records.
Tracks
“As Long As I Breathe”;
“The Separation Of Body And Soul” [07:30];
“Of Noumenon Reality”;
“This Mortal Coil” [05:09];
“As Long As I Breathe, I Am To Suffer”.
Follow Ter Ziele!
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TERZIELEDOOM;
Bandcamp: https://terzieledoom.bandcamp.com/album/embodiment-of-death;
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TERZIELEDOOM;
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ter_ziele.