| 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 |
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Hard-Wired Other Genres Reviews |
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| Home | |
| Review ratings: | |
| 1. Avoid | 6. Not Bad |
| 2. Poor | 7. Good |
| 3. Weak | 8. Very Good |
| 4. Worth The Effort | 9. Excellent |
| 5. Shows Promise | 10. Must Have |
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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! | |||||||||||||||||||
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The most amazing thing about this album is not the dynamic heights it regularly hits nor is it the sheer majesty that is a constant feature of its 12 tracks; no, the most amazing thing about it is that it took only two people to turn out such a massive sound, namely Martin & Tina (no doubt it would take a few more musicians to present this 'properly' on stage but that's another matter!!). I'm actually convinced that if the term 'symphonic goth metal' were ever included in the dictionary just a few seconds of this album would provide a better definition that a thousand words ever could as, throughout, the duo concoct a truly epic, full-blooded symphonic sound that's formed through a barrage of heavy guitars backed by symphonic strings (with standout tracks such as 'Fallen' & the excellent 'Endlos' being a prime example of the heights this album reaches) that is offset in places by some touching piano work while the rhythms provide a constant backdrop to the overwhelming musical vistas. The melancholic vocal style that the duo adopt add a more understated gothic-edge to the album, providing a definite contrast to the trumped up music, particularly on tracks such as the opening 'Vanitas' (although the choir recital of 'Hallelujah' soon ups the pompous ante once more!!) & 'Traenen Eines Clows', where the massed choir, strings & guitars again make for an epic experience. And that is very much what the album is about, continuing on its way in more or less the same fashion although the closing 'Gespenster' is likely to make you sit up & listen as the opening chords are a ringer for ABC's The Look Of Love & while it soon becomes obvious that this is where the similarity ends I'd be surprised if more people didn't notice it! I've no doubt that fans of such bands as Within Temptation & the like (you know, the bands with gorgeous female singers & lots of hairy blokes in the background!) will find plenty to love here &, while Mantus lack the commercial edge that is usually present with such bands, there's no reason why they shouldn't enjoy a decent level of success. | |||||||||||||||||||
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If you're looking for an intense listen of a different kind then this, from the Luxemburg-based band, based around one Jerome Reuter, is where you'll find it. It's not intense in that the music is at all heavy, exactly the opposite in fact as it's a mostly quiet album as notes from either the guitar, piano or dulcimer are sprinkled like confetti onto proceedings; no, the intensity comes from Reuter's vocals which are gently sung or spoken as the mood dictates in either French or English, being delivered with such quiet conviction that every word, every syllable is of the utmost importance & are recorded in such a way that it's as if his most private thoughts are being captured. It's certainly a very personal & startlingly intimate way of working &, similarly, the music often sounds as if it were being played right in front of you, as is the case during 'Le Chaitment Du Traitre'. There's a strong folky element running throughout much of the album & the mood is mournful & melancholic pretty much throughout with only the beginning of 'Le Vertige Du Vide' & the closing 'Chanson Des Gestes' bringing anything light to proceedings & even if the music does sound outwardly restful that earnest voice just keeps drawing your attention. Indeed when the album does pick up something in the way of power, as on the relatively epic 'L'Assassin' with Nikos Mavrides' violin adding the mood & 'Les Iles Noire', there's a certain Nick Cave similarity, the latter bearing a resemblance to Where The Wild Roses Grow &, while it sounds less spooky the spoken French voice is just as intense in its own way. One thing's for sure, this is not an album that would serve either as background music, neither is it something that you'd just put on, it deserves to be listened to in a manner that's as intense as the music & while 'La Commune' could have a wider appeal to gothic fans & 'Le Rose Et La Hache' has so strong a Gallic flavour, thanks to Borislav Ivanov's accordion, that it instantly brings to mind the image of the band playing it on a rainswept Paris street corner, it's not likely to have a very widespread appeal. Still, if it's a cloudy day outside & you're feeling in a reflective mood & that Nick Cave album seems just a little bit too joyous (or even that Leonard Cohen one!) then this could well fit the bill. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Well now, it’s time for some life-affirming sounds all the way from the US of A, Bellingham, WA to be precise. Jan Peters has been playing music and cheering audiences for over 25 years with some pretty lovely creations. So go get your rocking chair, put it on your decked veranda – or maybe you’d prefer a hammock, gently swinging between the trees in this lovely spring sunshine, with the butterflies fluttering by. Take your pick, tune in to this channel when you’re ready. ‘Cold Seattle Morning’ is as sweet as a honey-covered crumpet, with a cinnamon toast aftertaste. It’s got some really pretty guitar picking too, it’s toe-tapping bliss, really… “I didn’t sleep last night” – well it’s worth staying up to listen to this in the early hours, it’s mellow and has a golden ambiance. ‘Call to All’ pushes away like a steam train, with a definite eco-awareness attached – so that would make that a bio-ethanol train then. It’s got that feel-good factor, like you’re doing something good for the planet just by playing the CD, so you can stop feeling guilty about those carbon emissions. Phew. Ohoooh, and I do like ‘Shaking Away’ – featuring such truisms as: “Now is the time for everyone to see/that everyone is related to a refugee. Anything that happens to one of us, happens to us all.” Yes! Get that Jim Davidson, and any NF types – go figure, that includes you. It’s all down to karma at the end of the day. Such a strong statement sung so sweetly, but would be equally good blown up on a poster, somewhere near Parliament. Everything swings most pleasantly through ‘Drumming In The Night’ and ‘Little Lost One’, then BAM! It’s “Hasta La Vista baby” to numb sculls with ‘Primera Vista’ (the vista concerned could well be the U.S. government program established in 1964 to provide volunteers to work at improving the living conditions of persons in impoverished areas of the U.S., its possessions, and Puerto Rico.) But then again I could be wrong. ‘These Waters’, the title track, polishes things off to a buffed shining finish. What more can I say – for music that touches the soul, for any life moment that requires a certain amount of soul-searching or Deep Thought, this would be the perfect accompaniment. Cos we’re all on the same side when the mushroom hits the sky, aren’t we? | |||||||||||||||||||
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Once aware of Art Brut there is no room for sitting on the fence. You will either love singer Eddie Argos, with his witty way with words, or you'll run to the hills from the band's 'slap dash' style of recording. This time ex-Pixies front man Black Francis has joined the team on production duties.
Debut single "Alcoholics Unanimous" is catchy, no doubt we will hear people across the land sing, 'Bring me tea! Bring me coffee!' The way in which the backing vocals disagree with singer Eddie raises a smile. "DC Comics And Chocolate Milkshake" ruminates on the finer things in life, and what it means to be an adult. There is also a laugh-out loud moment as Eddie sings: "I'm in love with the girl, in my comic shop/She's a girl that likes comics she probably gets it a lot." Black Francis is a subtle presence throughout, inspiring the guitars to be a little more raucous than usual, such as during "The Passenger" which is what the Iggy Pop of the song of the same name should have been i.e. an ode to the delight of using public transport. Eddie Argos is a fine English eccentric. Despite his claims of 'arrested development' and 'Peter Pan syndrome' ("DC Comics And Chocolate Milkshake") I like to think the tale of fancying a girl, but being too shy to talk to her as documented by "Am I Normal?", took place in Argos' past. Somehow such behaviour seems less endearing when you are 29. The Art Brut musical palette is limited to spiky guitars on songs that know they lack variety so get out while the going is good, before the listener has had a chance to get bored. "What A Rush" stems from the debate about whether The Beatles or The Stones were better. As ever, the backing vocals are worth paying attention to: 'Parents please lock up your daughters his rebellious henchman is giving the orders!' "Demons Out!" is an Indier-Than-Thou invective against talent shows such as The X-Factor. Argos postulates that 'If we can't change the world lets at least get the charts right'. The 'ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh' backing vocals are delightful during the chorus. There's also an over-the-top metal guitar solo that adds to the feeling of hysteria. Argos seems particularly inspired when writing about music, as during "Slap Dash For Cash" in which he asks 'Why would you want to sound like U2?' Black Francis' influence shines through here, giving the song a punk edge."The Replacements" is also about Eddie's love of music, in which he debates whether the cheapness of second hand records makes them better than reissued CDs which have extra tracks. A guitar solo during "Twist And Shout" with a Pixies feel makes up for the (deliberately) out of tune singing. "Summer Job" sees Argos in nostalgic mood again, about the titular employment. Best line: 'In the staff room I feel like an anthropologist'. The final song "Mysterious Bruises" is almost eight minutes long, which is about 20 minutes in relative Art Brut time. It starts slowly, before gaining tempo. This song is about a drunken night out and the injuries you receive which you can't recall. Laugh out loud moments: 'I only dance to songs I like/So I was sat down most of the night' and 'I fought the floor and the floor won'. This song shows a subtle sophistication, including a mix of tempos, which hopefully signposts the band's future direction. I never thought I'd want eight-minute Art Brut songs, but if this is how they use their time then they are more than welcome. |
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