| Artist |
| Schwarzer Engel |
| Title |
| Apokalypse |
| Format/Cat |
| CD TRI 398 CD |
| Label |
| Trisol |
| Style |
| Symphonic Metal |
| Date of review |
| 11th July 2010 |
| Reviewer |
| Carl Jenkinson |
| Rating |
| 7/10 |
|
|
 |
|
It's no doubt an unfortunate coincidence that the wings that are sported by the subject of the cover are the same as those worn by The Rock in the recent Tooth Fairy movie but I'm sure it's going to raise a few titters, as might the fact that the name of the lead protagonist is Dave Jason (no sign of Rodney or Uncle Albert, though!). Dave's hursuit appearance provides a clue as to what you're going to find on here & so it comes as no surprise when, after a short intro the title track kicks proceedings off with an ultra-powerful brand of metal made up of scything guitars, hammering beats & gruff German lyrics with additional keyboard colouring & occasional cello, courtesy of Timon Birkhofer, all combining into a wall of sound that's almost overwhelming in its intensity; turn it up loud enough & your brain will be mashed & your head will be spinning (believe me, I speak from experience here!). And that, bar one or two quieter interludes, is what the album is all about, the power barely letting up, at times even approaching the sturm und drang approach of Rammstein, particularly during the achingly pompous 'Planet Hass' with its sonorous chorus (it's easy to imagine their live show featuring flames shooting off all over the place & such like!!) & while it does start to get a tad samey before 'Niemals Entzweit' brings the album to a suitably manic & thrashing conclusion, the more melodic elements that add extra colouring to the album while doing nothing to dilute the album's uncompromising mood do enough to keep the listener interested in the unlikely event that the all-out power doesn't!
|