Akalotz is a German Electro/EBM band from Kaiserslautern. I reviewed their first album, saw them perform as opening band whilst blowing off the stage the next band and thus I promised to review their next album. Their singer – Thorsten – was so kind to tell me in time and got me the music.
I must say that I declined a lot of electro/EBM bands in the past as most of them are just a copy of a copy or simply rubbish. The fact that I review this one really means it’s worth every second of my valuable time!
Man on The Run is not a cover version (Dash Berlin) or a joke about the Beatles song Band on the run but a real EBM hart hitter with that typical retro sound and roaring machines mixed with electronic drums and screaming vocals mixed with some gear anno 2017). I’m pretty sure that this one is already a hit on stage! Take it Like A God has even real drums in it, it’s a nice title for a song! The tempo is pretty good and the vocals do their best to keep the good flow going on. I also feel that this one will do good during gigs! Warzone reminds me a bit of Funker Vogt (lyrics and the whole feel), but then in a better and reworked version. It already sounds like a golden EBM track from the 80’s and I just love it! Rapt Tears sounds like a typical EBM song, but somehow I miss some extra shouting/extra backings here during the chorus to make it even stronger and raise it to the maximum level! Put some extra pepper in the vocals and it will turn into an instant club hit! Ages of Sorrow & Canting Monger throw some bombs and rage! Awake The Force comes in time as we all know the movie about the last Jedi will come out in December. It’s pure fun time here! Orange is Black reminds me of the title from the cool series Orange is the new black. Well: it’s a rager with a clear retro sound. It goes fast and hard, just as we all like it! The guitars in it are a nice extra touch. Mad Mind, Confront, Maveric Safety, Nothing Between Us … They are all great songs that will keep on spinning in your head and might fill the dancefloor or heat up the crowd during the excellent upcoming gigs! No Signal Response & Escalate to Dominate not only show good writing but also keeps on throwing great beats and a perfect rhythm at us! Mirage over Limit comes close to the old schoolFront 242sound (Headhunter for example): I just adore it! Exit goes a bit faster and hits pretty hard as it’s simply finger licking good! Seems like it was the end of the regular album! I had a blast!
Now it’s time for the remixes and we start with my favorite on done by Serpents: Canting Monger (you can clearly hear the influence of the remixes, lifting the quality of the original track). Start to shake, keep on dancing! Plastic Noise Experience also adds its own sound and reworks it into a classic PNE track of great quality! Check out No Signal Response remix! PYRROLINE does something with Rise and Fall , but the original version is stronger and better. Confront gets a à;GRUMH remix and changes into a darker one with demons and scary vibes. K-Factor closes it all with their remix of Mirage over Limit, giving it somehow a live feel and a sound that comes close to Front 242.
I can’t wait to see them on stage again and hope you all take the time to check them out and buy the CD!
