It’s the first time I review this band and I regret it after listening to their 9th studio album as it’s really worth every cent and you’ll be able to see them at Graspop (Dessel, Belgium) and the M’era Luna Fest in Germany! The cool thing is that this album mixes all kind of styles: from cold industrial, hard riffs, punk, electro to metal! They are on Fire and thus caught a matching title for this treasure chest filled with gold, pearls and diamonds!
The Intro is a bit chaotic, but with a clear sense of danger and darkness coming! The real first track is also their first single and is in fact the reason why I wanted to give this album a go: Hate Like Me. It’s metal and electro mixed with a punk attitude and great lyrics. In this song they deliver one blow after another. The vocals scream but also sing in a very clean way whilst the music keeps on hitting. It’s a dancefloor hit and a message to the people! This is a bit what a lot of people expected from Rammstein!
Broken United is a track that will please hardcore industrial fans and metal lovers and it mixes the best of both! Can’t wait to see them perform it on stage! The break down part is a bit lesser, but it also shows they have a softer side. I also notice now how much bands must have been influenced by them and I feel really sorry I waited 9 albums before reviewing them for the first time. I know it’s a bit strange at my age to discover a band that exists for such a long time, but I’m so happy I gave them – finally – a shot! More power and like horse driven is Guns At Last Dawn. We also hear the vocals of Burton C. Bell (Fear Factory). This song is an absolute must play during gigs. But here again the break down is a bit weird (and recalls me of Mister Manson). Lobotomy starts in a softer way and turns into a retro EBM dancefloor minded track with clear Front 242 and And One influences (or is it the other way?). DJ’s will adore this one and I hope they play it a lot! One Fire is a cool screamer with a mix of EBM, some industrial shock rock aka Marilyn Manson and a slice of Funker Vogt. Bottle Of Pain is classic drinking song with a touch of classic instruments and an acoustic guitar with Shane MacGowan on vocals. It’s a very special one with lots of melancholy and sadness. It brings in a more diverse sound and shows again that they are more then just beats and powered up riffs! I adore it! 2045contains lots of vocal samples and brings a pretty negative vision of what will come. The story is also more important then the music. This one sounds to me more like a filler then a real track, however it also brings a part of the concept. The followingInterludetells us more about the concept, so listen carefully to it. This one reminds me a bit of J. Cash. Now up tosomeaggrotech with catchy parts called: Understand. The guitars are also pretty cool and gives it an extra dimension. The darkness is all around.
With California über alles comes a great cover version of the song crafted by Dead Kennedys. The bass and percussion are really hitting it all, whilst the vocals really tops it! Listening to it whilst knowing the original is really not a downside! Last Days Under The Sun goes back toharsh industrial and EBM and thus mixing Suicide Commando with Front 242! They close this chapter down with The Other: a slow one with a haunting feel and scary echo’s on the vocals. You feel the rage and the anger, but the vocals and the music keep it all inside. You know it’s going to burst, but not during this song. It’s asking the question, giving you a hint about the answer and suddenly leaving you behind in order to think about it.
There is more for fans who buy the digipak: a bonus cd with the music from Hellblade and that is a classic video game. Andy LaPlegua and David Garcia deliver more stuff you will adore! There is also a remix cd Mixfire (more details are mentioned in the end).
I really regret I didn’t review them earlier and loved this one, just as my 10 year old son! Next phase is catching them live! This album might come back in my list of top albums of the year in December!
CD
1. Intro
2. Hate Like Me
3. Broken United
4. Guns At Last Dawn
5. Lobotomy
6. One Fire
7. Bottle Of Pain
8. 2045
9. Interlude
10. Understand
11. California Uber Alles
12. Last Days Under The Sun
13. The Other
Bonus CD
1. Hellblade OST Helheim
2. Hellblade OST Surt
3. Hellblade OST The Northmen
4. Hellblade OST River Of Knives
5. Hellblade OST Ray Of Hope
6. Hellblade OST Dillion
7. Hellblade OST Trials Of Odin
8. Hellblade OST Sea Of Corpses
Remix CD
1. Last Days Under The Sun (Fear Of Domination Remix)
2. One Fire (Rave The Reqviem Remix)
3. Guns At Last Dawn (Judgement Is Freedom Remix by Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory)
4. Last days Under The Sun (Gigantor Remix)
5. Understand (Solar Fake Remix)
6. Hate Like Me (GrooVenom Remix)
7. One Fire (Flynt Flossy Remix)
8. Last Days Under The Sun (Gigantor Dub Remix)
