There are eldritch squawks during "Intro". A cold wind blows. The bagpipes take the lead for a melancholy tune. I'd feel sad if I was a bagpipe player too. The title track takes us further into Nachtgeschrei's Medieval Metal world. Though the singing is in German you can still understand the emotions expressed. The modern guitars mix with the traditional instruments well. This is no Dead Can Dance act of aestheticism though, unless Lisa and Brendan got merry on ale and went out looking for lusty wenches. The pace is varied allowing for heights and depths of feeling. It builds to a rambunctious climax that lesser bands would save until the end of the album. "Rauber Der Nacht" is the sound of Jethro Tull on Red Bull. In between the whistles, thundering drums and general merry making there's a melancholy Sisters-like guitar. Though the elements sound disparate they merge perfectly.

"Deine Spur" threatens to be nondescript. Then just before the three minute mark the instruments drop away to leave an acoustic guitar. The rest of the ride is much more fun once you've had the carpet pulled from under your feet. "Windstill" features ripples of elegiac guitar over the accordion-driven racket. It's easy to imagine an audience at Nachtgeschrei gigs being transformed into whirling dervishes. "Drei Lugen" is more of the same, but when you've got a fairly unusual sound in the first place perhaps you shouldn't be expected to vary it that much.

As if my cries were heard Nachtgeschrei create some variety by dropping the pace for "Lass Mich Raus". It's not quite a ballad, but its folky atmosphere reminds me of The Levellers. If the Levellers ever went heavy metal, which I don't think they did. A flute adds to the revelry. "Wutis" is the perfect soundtrack for a drunken carouse at a village fete. Just stick to the beer tent and don't upset the Vicar. It's instrumental, but doesn't suffer from not having vocals. There are jarring changes of style and tempo to catch out those who aren't paying attention. Or who are drunk. "Die Flugel" sounds like a German Neil Young. At a beer festival. What's not to like?

"Das Spiel" plays around with dynamics to keep things interesting. It's another one destined for the more adventurous dance floor. "Der Meister" is a galloping monstrosity. In a good way. "Reise Zu Den Seen" confounds expectations by being gentle plucked acoustic guitar and Bruce Springsteen-style harmonica. At any moment you imagine it to erupt into a blaze of instruments old and new, which is exactly what it does after four and a half minutes. But until then Nachtgeschrei show admirable restraint with this calm after the storm.

While I'm still not convinced I need more bagpipes in my life, Nachtgeschrei have persuaded me that in the right hands such instruments can be A Good Thing. The band combines the familiar and the unfamiliar, with a canny knack for dynamics that should ensure they appeal both to fans of the medieval and the metal.