Explore the sacred domains

Origin: Germany
Formed: 2018
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal, Neofolk
Status: Active
Label: Black Lion Records
Themes: Poetry, Darkness, Nature

Cineastre was founded in Kassel in 2018 by multi‑instrumentalist Jonathan Surek, who initially composed and recorded all material alone. From the beginning, the project distinguished itself through a fusion of atmospheric black metal and neofolk, shaped by poetic lyricism, pastoral melancholy, and a strong sense of German Romanticism. Early works drew heavily on acoustic textures, whispered vocals, and mist‑laden black metal passages, creating a sound that felt intimate yet mythic—rooted in nature, memory, and the shifting moods of the seasons.

The project’s first releases in 2019—Songs from a Time Forgotten and the demo Der Gesang der Waldkinder—introduced Cineastre’s characteristic blend of fragile neofolk and raw atmospheric black metal. These early recordings were praised in underground circles for their emotional sincerity and their ability to evoke woodland solitude and dreamlike nostalgia. The 2020 demo Auwald and the split Songs of Fragile Solitude expanded this aesthetic, deepening the project’s connection to naturalistic themes and poetic introspection. Reviewers often highlighted the project’s ability to balance delicate acoustic passages with surging black metal crescendos, creating a seamless dialogue between serenity and turmoil.

A significant shift occurred between 2020 and 2022 as Cineastre evolved from a solo endeavor into a more collaborative entity. Bassist Sommergeist and drummer Frühlingsgeist joined during this period, contributing to the project’s expanding sonic palette. Herbstgeist briefly took over vocal duties in 2021–2022, adding a harsher, more anguished edge to the project’s sound. The single Trümmer (2022) and the split Horcht wie Wintergeister raunen showcased a darker, more atmospheric direction, with denser arrangements and a heightened sense of emotional weight.

Cineastre’s self‑titled full‑length in 2023 marked a major milestone. The album was widely praised for its cohesive songwriting, evocative atmosphere, and the seamless integration of neofolk elements into a black metal framework. Critics noted the album’s strong narrative flow, its poetic sensibility, and its ability to conjure vivid natural imagery through both acoustic and electric instrumentation. The record established Cineastre as one of the most compelling emerging voices in German atmospheric black metal.

In 2024, the lineup solidified with the arrival of bassist Steffen Vollmar and drummer Florian Münster, both experienced musicians from the German extreme metal scene. Jonathan Surek resumed vocal duties in 2022 and continues to serve as the project’s creative core, shaping its lyrical and musical direction. This strengthened formation paved the way for the EP Fortgang (2025), which further refined the band’s blend of neofolk introspection and sweeping black metal, and for the full‑length Hymnen an die Nacht (2025), a work steeped in Romantic poetry, nocturnal mysticism, and atmospheric depth.

Cineastre today stands as a project defined by evolution, emotional resonance, and a deep connection to nature and poetic tradition. Their music bridges the delicate and the feral, the whispered and the thunderous—an ever‑shifting landscape where neofolk melancholy meets the vast, shadowed expanse of atmospheric black metal.