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Genre: Thrash Metal / Death Metal / Folk Metal
Label: Self-production
Playing time: 38:50
Band homepage: -
Tracklist:
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ทางเดินเดิม
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เลือนลาง รำไร
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ชดใช้กรรม
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สองฟากฝั่ง
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เรืองรุ่ง
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ก่อนจะไร้ซึ่งวิญญาณ
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วิถีทาง
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Return to the Nature II
Thailand’s most important Thrash Metal band DONPHEEBIN finally found its very own style on their third output “อุบาทว์ – อุบัติ” or “Disastrous Device Occurrence”. After a live record called “Return To The Nature”, the band came back with its fourth studio record “สองฟากฝั่ง” or “Collision” that mixes energizing Thrash Metal with a few Death Metal passages and some ethereal sounds of nature with a few Folk driven melodies.
The best example for this mixture is the opener “ทางเดินเดิม” or “Original Passage”. The band had always opened their albums with one of their best songs and that’s also the case for their fourth strike. The first track opens with appeasing sounds of nature and harmonious Folk melodies before a vivid Thrash Metal song filled with well-done transitions and a couple of fresh and small changes throughout the entire track emerges. The extreme vocals seem to fit more to the sound than on the last record. Everything on here sounds more organic than before.
The band then varies between a few harsher and dystopian tracks and a few epic and melodic anthems.
The short thunderous up-tempo banger “เลือนลาง รำไร” or “Fuzzy Faintly” takes no prisoners and the interesting instrumental breaks underline the powerful drum play in this song. The short “วิถีทาง” or “Pathway” hits a similar vein and sounds like a dystopian Thrash Metal anthem from the eighties. This song also contains what is probably the most passionate guitar solo on the album.
In comparison to these short tracks, there are also a few more elaborated songs. The epic “สองฟากฝั่ง” or “Sides” shows in fact many different faces of the band. It starts as a dark and slow Thrash Metal track with discordant guitar riffs but as time goes by the track also shows its beautiful side with amazing guitar melodies and a truly epic feeling that only very few songs of the band have. “ก่อนจะไร้ซึ่งวิญญาณ” or “Without A Soul Before” even shows a few melodic clean vocals that sound great and come as a rare and welcome surprise. The band should have made more songs of this high quality. Fans of the band’s ethereal and nature bound tracks may be enthusiastic about the continuation of the “Return to the Nature” cycle that started on the first record. The final track of this album picks up the spirit of the original again and a final part can be found on the band’s sixth and last record to date.
My favourite song among many highlights on this album is though “เรืองรุ่ง” or “Morning Glow”. It has the soul of a pure Thrash Metal song but it contains a lot of addicting dark melodies. The almost industrial closure of this song took me by surprise and added not only a new creative note to the band’s sound but made the entire atmosphere of this song more credible and profound.
In the end, this record is one of the band’s most balanced and consistent releases. In times when the genre’s big names such as ANTHRAX, MEGADETH, METALLICA or OVERKILL released more or less convincing records, this band from Thailand definitely created one of the genre’s finest moments of the year 1997. Go and check this record out on Youtube!
(Online September 10, 2013)
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Genre: Thrash Metal / Progressive Metal
Label: Self-production
Playing time: 36:31
Band homepage: -
Tracklist:
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มิอาจเพียงชลอ
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สัญญาณเตือน
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ก่อนกาล ก่อนกลไก
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สนธยาเยือน
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สัญญาณเยือน
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มาถึงวันตอบโต้
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ใด ใด ไร้ยืนยง
After the balanced fourth album “สองฟากฝั่ง” or “Collision”, Thailand’s Thrash Metal pioneers DONPHEEBIN from Chiang Mei returned with a fifth album less than one year later. Popular bands of the genre should take this band as an example as the three young men show us that it’s still possible to release two high quality records within a very short time. The fifth release is entitled “สัญญาณเยือน” or “The Visit”. My Thai is not good enough to tell you what kind of visit we are talking about but it could be interpreted as visit of more atmospheric, fantastic and haunting territories. The band tried out a few new things without leaving their very own sound they had finally established on their third and fourth albums. It’s not only that this record’s song writing is gripping and more progressive than ever before. The sound and production of this release have also evolved and beat the first four albums in my opinion. This last aspect can be seen as a professional step forward for the band. The record still has the charming feeling as if it came from the mid-eighties and the drum sound could be more clear and dominant but especially the guitars and the overall atmosphere sound quite organic.
The opener is once again a very good indicator of what we might expect from the album. “มิอาจเพียงชลอ” or “May Only Delay” convinces with an absolute impressive guitar play. From Groove and Thrash Metal driven PANTERA riffs over discordant VOIVOD signature melodies up to melodic guitar solos in the key of the calmer tracks of METALLICA, the guitarist proves his immense talent in this strong opener. He leads us through dark atmosphere, dystopian sound shapes but also into more promising and harmonious territories. You almost feel as if you were listening to the soundtrack of constantly evolving horror movie. The drums, the bass and the vocals are of a good average quality in here but the guitar sounds are absolutely well crafted. They are incredible and really have to take my hat off to Sombut Kaewthit.
The good news is that the entire album is in the vein of the great opener. Already the second track “สัญญาณเตือน” or “Alarms” takes you off where the opener left you wanting more. The song shows off some amazing guitar melodies on one side and a few dystopian Thrash Metal parts that lead to a more harmonious closure somewhere between epic and slightly Folk driven Progressive Metal parts and a haunting horror atmosphere. Once again, the guitars are the shining parts in this track.
Another song that really stands out is the longest song and title track. Imagine the greatness of the first two tracks multiplied by two and add a stunning vocal performance to this. The track includes unusual high pitched vocals that add a different touch and eerie effect to the atmosphere. We also have a more melodic clean vocal approach that finally contrasts the usual harsher vocals that sound more accentuated in here as well. In this track, it’s not only the guitar player that shines but also the vocalist. It’s sad that the production of the rhythm section isn’t as great as the production of the vocals and the guitars but despite this little flaw, this song is a milestone in the band’s career.
It’s really hard to tell if I prefer this more atmospheric record, the very consistent previous fourth effort that was driven by epic but energizing Thrash Metal songs or the band’s first milestone that mixed great pure Thrash Metal anthems with completely stripped down and relaxed ethereal rock ballads. Each of these three albums should definitely get your attention. This record here is maybe the most progressive release of the band. If you adore Progressive Thrash Metal, this is probably the right DONPHEEBIN record for you. Don’t miss your chance to discover one of the year’s greatest records and get in touch with this Thai legend.
(Online September 10, 2013)
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Genre: Progressive Metal
Label: Self-production
Playing time: 51:39
Band homepage: -
Tracklist:
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ปรากฎการณ์-ปรากฎกาย
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มันเริ่มมา
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...คือชีวิต
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ไม่เช่นนั้น
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Judgement Day
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เพียงเริ่มทาง
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คืนค่ำวัน
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วันใหม่ - วันหม่น
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Return To The Nature III
“ปรากฎการณ์ ปรากฎกาย” or “Phenomenon Appeared” is the sixth and until now final record of Thailand’s metal pioneers DONPHEEBIN. This record released in 2000 somehow closes the circle that once started with “โลกมืด” or “Dark World” seven years earlier. It’s a sad thing that these three outstanding musicians didn’t release more records but at the same time, this album is a very good swansong if they won’t come back in the future.
This album continues the more atmospheric and progressive vein of the last two albums and even completely abandons the band’s Thrash Metal most of the time. The opening title track which is still among the harder songs including a few Thrash Metal elements is already hold in a more melodic mid-tempo pace and includes a few melodic shouts next to the less impressive guttural vocals. Most of the other songs even go further.
This fact is underlined by three instrumental tracks among nine songs on the band’s longest album. While the instrumentals “...คือชีวิต” or “Life Is…” and “Return To The Nature III” are very appeasing, folk driven, ethereal, laid back, mysterious, nature bound and spiritual, the third instrumental “Judgement Day” starts like a brilliant rock ballad before it gets a slightly harder touch towards the middle of the track.
The album’s epic “เพียงเริ่มทาง” or “Just Beginning” also underlines the laid back direction of the band’s sixth output. What we have here is a really calm and slow paced epic with multiple laid back vocals, a versatile but never thunderous drum play and a great mixture of acoustic and electric guitar play. The song reminds me of a METALLICA ballad that meets an experimental ballad of AMORPHIS’ third or fourth album. We have to wait for more than two minutes and a half before melodic vocals set in and they only remain one element among many others. While the instrumental part of DONPHEEBIN has always been more important than the rest, this is the album where this fact becomes most evident. Once the vocals are there, they sound more natural than before and fit in very well though. This record and especially this song sound as if the band was in peace with the entire universe. And isn’t that a great way to close the short but impressive career of a stunning band?
In the end, this record is definitely the calmest one of the band. Its sound can be compared to the calmer songs of the band’s very first effort seven years earlier while the song writing itself has matured and sounds more progressive than ever. This record is dominated by appeasing and still powerful acoustic and electric guitar melodies. Fans of instrumental albums and Progressive Metal should try this album out while fans of the band’s more Thrash and Death Metal bound releases may only like a few songs on here. I really like the album but I think that it ultimately probably is too calm for its own good. You really have to be in the right mood to dig this record because three instrumentals and almost all songs that mainly focus on the instrumental parts can be too much for some of us.
(Online September 10, 2013)
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EISENPIMMEL (in English: IRON DICK) is a German Punk Rock band coming from the cultural heart of Germany and the magnificent town of Duisburg (the home town of DIE TOTEN HOSEN). The diversified band is composed by five charming gentleman and one gentlewoman and is right now working on an ambitious Rock Opera project that may make you forget about bands such as AYREON, QUEEN and TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA – or maybe not. I’ve contacted singer and band leader Siggi Katlewski who told me more about the first thir(s)ty years of EISENPIMMEL and what is yet to come.
EISENPIMMEL are very thirsty from time to time
Sebastian Kluth: “Hello there and greetings to the Ruhrpott! Please introduce yourselves to our readers from all around the world.”
Siggi Katlewski: “I am Siggi. I’m introducing myself. The other five members aren’t here right now. They won’t introduce themselves. And I wouldn’t like them to be here anyway. You know, private sphere is very important to me: having a wank alone at home, reading a book with pictures and other stuff in it, eating some tuna out of a can on my own. You get what I mean? With five other guys on the same couch, I can’t do these things.”
Sebastian Kluth: “There are unspecific rumours that at some point someone in West Germany wanted to exchange your band for the East Germany based band DIE PUHDYS or maybe not. Why is EISENPIMMEL so popular and what’s the essence of your band?”
Siggi Katlewski: “We are a six-piece Rock band with seven band members. The name came rather spontaneously and is definitely inspired by the zeitgeist of the eighties.”
Sebastian Kluth: “What is so great about the Ruhrpott and your hometown Duisburg?”
Siggi Katlewski: “People here are grounded and rents are still payable. There is a lot of unemployment; we have many beautiful landfills and the Rhine-Herne Canal. Now, let’s talk about the negative things. I dislike the structural changes and downtown architecture. I mean, we have to pay attention because it could happen that Duisburg might one day look like Düsseldorf and if this happens people will rather head directly for Hanover.”
Sebastian Kluth: “What are you guys doing if you aren’t creating profound artistic compositions for EISENPIMMEL?”
Siggi Katlewski: “Plenty of stuff. Wolle and Mütze are social workers. Karl has some sort of computer, you know? Addi is a concert organizer. Bobo makes his driver’s license. Bärbel and me are sole traders without getting any subventions. We are also working on creative merchandise products for EISENPIMMEL such as coasters or penis warmers.”
The band's legendary penis warmers
Sebastian Kluth: “Are some of you guys also active in other bands?”
Siggi Katlewski: “Yes, some of us are and were active in bands such as 2nd DISTRICT, DIE JAMMERLAPPEN, HASS, RENT A COW, SLIME, TELEMARK and UPRIGHT CITIZENS. I’m tired of listening up all of them but these are the irrelevant essentials.”
Sebastian Kluth: “What are your musical inspirations?”
Siggi Katlewski: “We are open for all influences apart of the negative ones. Seriously, inspirations don’t only come from pizza or beer, it can be Samba or Blues Rock, movies made by Billy Crystal or a cute Border Collie. I mean, okay, that last thing hasn’t to do anything with music but so do I.”
EISENPIMMEL are always inspired: the special edition of their latest record includes coasters, pizza advertisements and a TV guide
Sebastian Kluth: “How comes you write and play songs from so many genres like Blues Rock, Rockabilly or Schlager?”
Siggi Katlewski: “Musical diversity is a good measure to avoid perspiration. It’s more relaxed to play a completely stupid Carneval song about penises than forty straight German Punk anthems. It’s a question of physical strength and condition, I guess.”
The cover artwork of one of the band's most famous releases: "Komm mal lecker unten bei mich bei" with smash hits like "Salmonellenpogo", "Ich halt den Männern die Stange" and "Staat hau ab"
Sebastian Kluth: “Your band employs female and male vocals. How do you decide who sings what or if Bärbel and you perform together?”
Siggi Katlewski: “It’s all about female intuition versus male stubbornness.”
Sebastian Kluth: “Your Ruhrpott accent gives your songs a very special charm. Who had the idea to sing that way and what do people from other places around the world think about it?”
Siggi Katlewski: “We are singing the way we are talking. Well, almost. When we’re talking in our everyday lives, most sentences don’t rime but besides that fact it’s exactly the way I told you. Does that answer your question, Sebastian? Well and honestly said, sometimes I could laugh about my own stupid accent. Most of the time I’m the only one who laughs though and that’s why I need to drink so much beer to calm down and change my mind. I don’t know what other people think about it. Our fans drink too much beer and forget about their anger or they are just screaming around and talking nonsense. It’s quite hard to find someone with whom you could talk about serious topics like the elections of the bird of the year.”
Sebastian Kluth: “When you were younger, your band didn’t give many concerts. There were even other bands that have played under the banner of EISENPIMMEL but since the last few years, things have changed and you happen to perform a lot more than before. How comes that?”
Siggi Katlewski: “In the eighties, we were lazier than we are today. When you are in your mid-twenties, the only things you care about are drinking beer and having sex. That’s why it made sense for us to encourage numerous other bands to play under our name. We had a lot less to do that way. But when you’re getting older you start reflecting on the things you have done and on those that are yet to come, you know and you begin to have so many doubts about yourself. It’s great to be on stage and get the confirmation that nobody wants to listen to you because it proves you that everything you have done in your mid-twenties has turned out to be right and justified.”
Many bands played under the banner of and paid tribute to EISENPIMMEL on this sampler: ALI MINIUM UND DIE GLEITPLANKEN, DIE KUPFERBERGER NULLENSCHRUBBER, SILBERGURKE SPEZIAL, STAHLSCHWANZ, VULVA VON VORNE...
Sebastian Kluth: “On the internet, you are giving some updates of an ambitious Rock Opera project you are working on. Don’t you think that your fans might think you are becoming too bourgeois and that you only want to cash in and assimilate to mainstream tendencies?”
Siggi Katlewski: “Nothing is less mainstream than a Rock Opera project. Well, at least the kind of Rock Opera we are working on. And we really don’t have that many fans and that’s why we don’t care about things people say that don’t even exist.”
Sebastian Kluth: “What’s the current status of your project?”
Siggi Katlewski: “We have written something around thirty songs and some more will be done quite soon. I guess our new album could see the light of day in spring or summer 2014. Maybe we are going to release a trilogy. It depends if megalomania will finally get the status of a recognized disease next year.”
Sebastian Kluth: “What are EISENPIMMEL’s projects after this ambitious release?”
Siggi Katlewski: “We just want to take a break from all that shit.”
Sebastian Kluth: “Thanks for the interview. The final words to our readers are yours!”
Siggi Katlewski: “If you want to understand the essence of Punk, you need to listen to Hip Hop.”