Unimaginative, Repetitive and Lazy Industrial Rock on a Downward Spiral - A Review of Stahlmann's Quarz

Inspired by the success of Neue Deutsche Härte icons such as Rammstein, Oomph! and Megaherz, Stahlmann saw the light of day thirteen years ago and released its first eponymous studio album twelve years ago. The band had a distinctive style with its heavy silver make-up and extravagant pitch-black clothing and found a solid mixture of danceable darkwave sounds and sinister industrial rock passages in short, memorable and focused songs. The first signs of decline started to show when several band members left the band after the third studio record. Former guitarist Neill Freiwald started his own Neue Deutsche Härte band Erdling that is nowadays much more charismatic, consistent and creative than Stahlmann. The same could be said about another former guitarist named Frank Herzig who founded Schattenmann five years ago as this Neue Deutsche Härte band manages to stand out with its quirky lyrics that walk off the beaten path. Ten band members have already left Stahlmann and while several former band members have managed to push their careers to the next level, Stahlmann has been on a downward spiral for quite some time. The band's seventh studio album Quarz is the band's low point thus far in its career. I don't seem to be the only one who thinks this way since this release only managed to reach the seventy-eight position of the German Album Charts when the five predecessors all reached the top forty.

The problems start to show right from the beginning with opening tune ''Wollust''. The production is cold, noisy and heavily underproduced. The guitar play is lackluster, simple and unpolished. The rhythm section just plods along without any creativity or energy. The low vocals sound out of breath as if the singer had smoked a pack of cigarettes right before entering the recording studio. The lyrics are unimaginative, the song structure is by the numbers and the chorus is almost childishly simple. There are several other tunes of such quality on Quarz such as uninspired, short and forgettable ''Tobsucht'' that doesn't evoke any emotions whatsoever and failed ballad ''Herz und Tränen'' that sounds sleepy, lifeless and aimless.

The record's only saving grace is the occasionally solid programming that provides some atmospheric depth and catchy melodies. Those sounds aren't extravagant or memorable but they remind of the band's successful early years. The record's middle section features a few tolerable songs with catchy keyboard melodies but nothing to write home about.

Another issue is the product itself. The songs are particularly short, ranging between two and a half and four minutes. The album only offers ten tunes with a weak running time of thirty-three minutes. That might be acceptable for a punk rock or grindcore album but not an industrial rock release that is sold at full price.

At the end of the day, I would recommend checking out the new projects of Stahlmann's former members such as Erdling and Schattenmann rather than the vapid Quarz that is by far the worst release in the band's career thus far. If you are new to the band and would like to discover a better output by the band, I would recommend the band's third record Adamant. You could also start discovering the group chronologically if you have some more time on your hands. Quarz however isn't worth your attention and is one of the worst releases I have listened to this year. Here's hope that the band manages to find the spark to return to the quality of its early years after the pandemic.

Final Rating: 33%

Legendary Punk Trio at Its Creative Peak Forty Years into Its Career - A Review of Die Ärzte's Dunkel

Die Ärzte is a legendary German punk band that had a stunning return to form after a long hiatus that ended about two years ago. Since then, the band has released two studio albums and eight singles as the trio seems to be at a creative peak of its career. The band's most recent studio album Dunkel includes nineteen new songs with a generous running time of sixty-five minutes and should please anyone who appreciates alternative rock and punk rock.

This album includes quite a few creative highlights. Title song ''Dunkel'' has a great nostalgic tone and is danceable with its bubbly melodies and dynamic rhythms while the tongue-in-cheek lyrics are quite memorable and culminate in a catchy chorus.

Joyful ska tune ''Doof'' has a serious undertone since it offers a timeless statement against racism when the singer quotes his own wise grand-mother in a humorous manner.

Single ''Kraft'' that comes along with a memorable music video convinces with dynamic drum patterns and vibrant bass guitar play that makes you want to dance along.

''Schweigen'' might be a homage to German pop music of the eighties with its quirky Neue Deutsche Welle references in form of simplistic electronic music and distorted guitar sounds.

''Tristesse'' however rather recalls French pop music of the sixties and seventies that goes along splendidly with its tongue-in-cheek lyrics about a hopelessly melancholic person who likes to be sad and listen to jazz music.

Another true highlight is hard rock tune ''Kerngeschäft'' that features a surprise appearance by German rapper of Kurdish origin Ebow whose performance adds some fresh irony to the catchy track.

''Anastasia'' is another tongue-in-cheek tune with thought-provoking lyrics criticizing exaggerated macho behaviour while the musicianship combines acoustic guitar passages and punk rock music leading to a catchy chorus you won't get out of your mind anytime soon.

The record's most epic tune ''Erhaben'' clocks in at four and a half minutes and has a melodic, dreamy and airy atmosphere that is supported by some surprising minimal elements of classical music and wonderfully melodic choirs.

The playful, melancholic and longing ''Danach'' offers another creative idea in form of relaxed jazz music combined with minimal psychedelic rock influences.

Die Ärzte's Dunkel is just as creative as its great predecessor Hell as almost every single song is worth being pointed out and would make for a promising single candidate. It offers quirky musicianship incorporating alternative rock, punk rock, psychedelic rock, ska, jazz, pop, electronic and even rap music. The diversified lyrics manage to be both timeless and relevant. The most stunning element is the band's excellent chemistry as the German trio sounds hungrier than ever before in its long career as the trio is going to celebrate its fortieth anniversary next year. Here's hope that the band will be able to play some concerts and festivals and perhaps release a new live album. Die Ärzte have certainly proven throughout the past two years and counting that this band is still relevant and should stick around for many more years to come.

Final Rating: 85%

Neue Deutsche Härte Heart with a Black Metal Soul - A Review of Roth's Nachtgebete

Michael Roth, also known as Blutkehle, is a singer who has been involved in many bands and projects in the German extreme metal scene throughout the past two and a half decades. He is the singer of controversial gothic black metal band Eisregen whose releases have been under scrutiny by German governmental institutions due to some explicit lyrics about morbid topics. Eisblut is similar in style regarding the lyricism as it deals with cannibalism, death and necrophilia while the music reminds however of traditional death metal. Goat Funeral shows a more occult side with English lyrics while the musicianship is based upon pitiless black metal. In the past, Michael Roth has also been involved in gothic metal project Marienbad that sadly only released one single album thus far and obscure short-lived black metal project Panzerkreutz. Michael Roth has also had a few guest performances for electronic gothic metal band Ewigheim.

Roth is a very interesting new project for the fifty-year old singer for two reasons. First of all, this is a collaboration between Michael Roth and his son Quentin. His son wrote most of the lyrics while the father is of course responsible for the vocals. Secondly, this is Michael Roth's most melodic project to date as this project can be described as Neue Deutsche Härte band, meandering somewhere between industrial rock and gothic metal. The material is similar to the music of Ewigheim with whom the singer has collaborated on a few occasions in the past.

The guitar play is more melodic than usual but still features a few heavy riffs on the thin line between rock and metal genres. The rhythm section is quite variable with slow, mid-paced and fast sections that are cleverly combined. The electronic elements are much stronger in this band than in all other aforementioned bands and projects. They give the more sinister tunes a creepy atmosphere while the less depressing songs have almost danceable sections. The vocals are variable as well. Michael Roth often sings in a low but melodic manner that is quite catchy but he also shifts towards more narrative passages with exaggerated pronounciation and towards his black metal origins that give some songs blistering energy. As you can read, Roth's Nachtgebete is his most creative, diversified and memorable release to date that entertains very well through twelve songs and forty-seven minutes. As if that weren't enough, this release's special edition includes a second disc with four exclusive tunes that would have deserved spots on the regular edition as well and increase the total running time to a generous sixty-one minutes.

At the end of the day, fans of any of the aforementioned bands can't get around Roth's very good debut album Nachtgebete. This release should appeal to fans of industrial rock and gothic metal alike. The sixteen songs are thoroughly entertaining without any significant ups and downs. If you are looking for one hour of sinister entertainment with melodic metal music and morbid German lyrics, Roth's Nachtgebete offers exactly what you have been craving. This kind of record manages to exteriorize negative emotions in difficult times to cleanse the soul and make you smile optimistically again. Let's hope that this isn't just a one-off project and that other releases will be following in the upcoming years.

Final Rating: 80%

Rookies Reaching Maturity on Their Third Output - A Review of Schattenmann's Chaos

Schattenmann is a Neue Deutsche Härte band formed by former Stahlmann guitarist Frank Herzig five years ago. The band has already released three studio records so far, with Chaos being the most recent output. The album comes along with fifteen brand-new songs that clock in at a perfect running time of forty-nine minutes. While the band's first two records were at times decent instrumentally, most of the lyrics focused on stereotypical shock value. Chaos is a significant step forward as it mixes industrial rock guitar riffs with energetic rhythm section and variable vocals with low clean passages, rough shouts and decently dosed vocal effects performing inspired lyrics on the pulse of time.

The album comes along with quite a few highlights. ''Abschaum'' criticizes an antisocial society expressing its exaggerated stupid anger in the streets while the musicianship is quite melodic and features some memorable vocal effects in the catchy chorus.

''Choleriker'' leads you onto a wrong path with its church organ sounds and choirs before it evolves into a sinister industrial rock tune that criticizes physically and verbally aggressive machos.

''Cosima'' offers social criticism on the pulse of time with bitterly sarcastic lyrics. The song talks about a man who orders a programmed sex doll and makes his most perverted obsessions come true without realizing that he loses his soul, social skills and common sense. The musicianship is harmonious and melancholic with a balanced mixture between electronic samples and rhythmic guitar riffs supported by catchy but rough vocals that find a perfect balance between energy and melody.

The stoic, sinister and energetic ''Spring'' features German comedy metal band J.B.O. and offers a surprisingly serious lyrical topic that deals with taking risks in order to overcome challenges and improve your life.

''Alman'' features some stereotypical German folk sounds with brass sections and criticizes closed-minded German tourists who are only interested in getting drunk abroad without caring about giving their country a bad name.

The clever rhythmic stomper ''IYFF'' deals with the negative development of social media in times of exaggerated conspiracy theories in order to generate attention and money. The musicianship is approproately aggressive and rhythmic while still coming along with efficient melodies and a memorable chorus.

Album closer ''Komplett auf Anschalg'' is quite interesting with its epic keyboard samples and upbeat rhythms that could also come from a pop punk band while the lyrics offer some optimism and resilience after having dealt with so many negative and depressing lyrical topics throughout the album. This tune concludes a roller coaster ride of an album on a conciliatory note.

While Schattenmann doesn't feature the most skilled musicians and singer, the band offers a lot of creative songwriting structures, clever lyrical topics on the pulse of time and genuine enthusiam with its vibrant band chemistry. Fans of alternative and industrial rock with thought-provoking German lyrics should certainly appreciate this output from start to finish. Schattenmann's Chaos is a huge step in the right direction as the band's strongest output to date. This album easily outclasses the latest records by genre colleagues such as Stahlmann and even Eisbrecher that keep repeating themselves while Schattenmann shows the courage, imagination and passion to cover new ground and unexpectedly compete for the Neue Deutsche Härte genre throne.

Final Rating: 85%

Diamond in the Rough - A Review of Erdling's Helheim

Erdling is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band that combines industrial rock with gothic rock. The group was founded by former Stahlmann and Sündenklang guitarist Neill Freiwald, the son of late television host Walter Freiwald. The band has been quite productive as it has released five studio albums in its seven years of existence. Helheim is the most recent offering featuring eleven songs with a total running time of thirty-seven minutes.

The band is quite distinctive from similar genre bands because it explores its extremes further than many other groups. Some songs feature quite fast and heavy riffing evoking a gloomy and menacing atmosphere in the key of groups such as Ewigheim that should sit well with gothic metal fans. In other tracks however, the group employs a more melodic style recalling folk and pop soundscapes and harmonious low vocals recalling Unheilig.

Opener ''Rabenherz'' is among the heavier tunes with steady drum patterns, gritty riffs, sinister programming and variable vocals with low guttural parts and ethereal clean parts that add an epic atmosphere.

''Der Mensch verdient die Erde nicht'' is an obvious single candidate as it combines thought-provoking lyrics with a mixture of aggressive sections with emotional vocals and melodic passages such as the epic chorus with additional choirs and danceable electronic elements.

''Fimbulwinter'' flirts with appeasing folk melodies and an overall slow pace. Guest vocals are performed by filmscore and soundtrack vocalist Julie Elven who adds a smooth note to the middle section that also features the record's most beautiful guitar solo. This is a quite experimental song by Erdling's standards but the risks are certainly rewarded because this song qualifies as an immediate highlight.

Another noteworthy tune is title track ''Helheim'' with its enchanting electronic textures recalling groups such as Alphaville while the soft and almost narrative vocals recall the aforementioned Unheilig. Once again, these risks pay off and make for an imaginative song that grows with every spin.

''Das Ritual'' is another outstanding tune that might however be controversially received since it's only based upon simplistic folk-inspired electronic sound samples combined with monotonous spoken word passages recalling groups such as E Nomine. It's the kind of song that would fit perfectly on the soundtrack of a folk-inspired open-world video game but not so much on a contemporary metal or rock album.

The concluding folk ballad ''Baum des Lebens'' continues this style but modifies it further as it flirts with neofolk inspirations in the key of Dornenreich and Empyrium. This ambitious closer ends a courageous album on an airy, dreamy and imaginative note.

As you can read, Erdling's Helheim offers more diversity than many other Neue Deutsche Härte bands or even industrial rock and gothic metal groups in general. While several experiments work surprisingly well, others might be controversially received and could need some time to grow on many listeners. This experimental side makes the final result creative, entertaining and surprising but also at times confusing and incoherent. At the end of the day, Erdling's Helheim is recommended to open-minded listeners who value inspiration over consistency and don't mind occasional shifts in genre and quality. If Erdling were able to work on smoother transitions between its different styles in the future, then the quartet could potentially compete for the genre throne and earn its definite commercial breakthrough after the pandemic. As it is now, the band must still be considered a diamond in the rough with some unexploited potential but much promise. The tendency is very positive but the band could still grow and achieve greater things in the near future, so let's keep a close eye on these sympathetic German underdogs.

Final Rating: 80%

Dear readers,

Since the ongoing pandemic has been preventing me from going to Germany for two years now, I have decided to create a playlist with forty songs sung in German. I have decided to focus on more recent material of bands that I like but I have also included a few select highlights of songs that I regularly listened to in my teenage years. This playlist includes forty songs ranging from medieval folk rock over punk rock with rap passages to epic black metal. You can get two hours and fifty-five minutes of eclectic entertainment here. Enjoy and share with friends interested in German culture!

1. Die Kassierer - Erdrotation

2. Die toten Hosen - Wannsee

3. Die Ärzte und Elbow - Kerngeschäft

4. Steckbeckenzecken - Schlagerpunks von nebenan

5. NanowaR of Steel - Schwanzwald

6. Subway to Sally - Sieben

7. Letzte Instanz - Sonne

8. Schandmaul - Der Kurier

9. In Extremo - Kompass zur Sonne

10. Saltatio Mortis - Sie tanzt allein

11. Die Streuner - Ein Mönch kam vor ein Nonnenkloster

12. Vogelfrei - Magst du Mittelalter?

13. Coppelius - Der Luftschiffharpunist

14. Bloodsucking Zombies from Outer Space - Mörder Blues

15. ASP - Werben

16. Lindemann - Platz eins

17. Hämatom - Zwischen Gangstern und Ganoven

18. Die apokalyptischen Reiter - Volle Kraft

19. Samsas Traum - Sauber

20. Powerwolf - Glaubenskraft

21. Tanzwut und Liv Kristine - Stille Wasser

22. Unheilig - Maschine

23. Rammstein - Radio

24. Stahlmann - Gottmaschine

25. Schattenmann - Cosima

26. Megaherz - Wir könnten Götter sein

27. Eisbrecher - Kontrollverlust

28. Roth - Ein Nachtgebet

29. Equilibrium - Blut im Auge

30. Crematory - Haus mit Garten

31. Blutengel - Reich mir die Hand

32. L'âme immortelle - Stumme Schreie

33. Erdling und Julie Elven - Fimbulwinter

34. Oomph! - Seine Seele

35. Ewigheim - Die Augen zu

36. Adversus - Borderlineprinzessin

37. Thormesis - Türme des Schattens

38. Eïs - Über den Bannstein

39. Stillste Stund - Sternenwacht

40. Umbra et Imago - Ohne dich

Dear readers,

This my final list honouring different forms of art in the year 2021. Despite the ongoing pandemic, I have managed to go to the cinema from time to time and watch at least enough new movies to build a respectable list of my twenty favourite films of the year. Overall, the movies I have watched this year were a little bit less impressive than the films I have discovered throughout the past year. My favourite movie Spencer came as a huge unexpected surprise that I can highly recommend anyone who likes gloomy dramas. No Time to Die has been a significant step forward for the James Bond franchise and concludes Daniel Craig's era on a very high note. The Little Things is an excellent psychological thriller that I coincidentally bought on DVD today and might revisit soon. Other noteworthy movies on this list are the atmospheric dystopian science-fiction thriller Reminiscence that has a special place in my heart, Cry Macho that underlines once more that Clint Eastwood is one of the very best actors and directors to be around and Chinese blockbuster Be Somebody that certainly walks off the beaten path and that should get more recognition and respect from Western audiences. You can find reviews for most of these movies right here on my blog, so don't hesitate to read them and check some of these films out on your winter holiday! Here is a direct link to my list on the Internet Movie Database: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls088150664/

1. Spencer

2. No Time to Die

3. The Little Things

4. The Protégé

5. Nuo Fo / Raging Fire

6. Reminiscence

7. Snake Eyes

8. Cry Macho

9. Godzilla vs. Kong

10. Free Guy

11. Copshop

12. Malignant

13. Cruella

14. Ice Road

15. Red Notice

16. Escape Game: Tournament of Champions

17. Don't Breathe 2

18. Jungle Cruise

19. The Many Saints of Newark

20. Yang Ming Li Wan / Be Somebody

Dear readers,

It's this time of the year again! I have published my ten favourite songs from each month of the year and have now decided to compile the twenty best tracks of the year 2021. Several songs have grown on me as time went by, I have discovered new tunes that weren't included on previous playlists and I have spent quite some time thinking about a reasonable track list order, starting with my very favourite tune of the year and going down to the twentieth best song of these past twelve months that is however still worth your attention. This playlist features a multitude of different genres from folk rock over punk rock to epic black metal. Please click on the following link to discover my epic playlist with twenty songs from twenty different bands that offers two hours and eight minutes of creative, diversified and energetic entertainment: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5Pr45q71SXstph8ssYen1A

1. Galneryus - Whatever It Takes (Raise Our Hands!)

2. Unto Others - When Will God's Work Be Done?

3. Helloween - Skyfall

4. Therion - Tuonela

5. Iron Maiden - Hell on Earth

6. Amorphis - The Moon

7. Lords of Black - Before That Time Can Come

8. Hämatom - Zwischen Gangstern und Ganoven

9. Bodom After Midnight - Paint the Sky with Blood

10. Blind Guardian - Deliver Us from Evil

11. NanowaR of Steel - Der Fluch des Käpt'n Iglo

12. Lovebites - Winds of Transylvania

13. In Extremo - Weihnachtskater

14. Darkestrah - Gift of Mud and Venom

15. Lost in Grey - Souffrir

16. Cult of Luna - Wave After Wave

17. Alien Weaponry - Blinded

18. The Offspring - We Never Have Sex Anymore

19. Eisbrecher - Kontrollverlust

20. Die Ärzte feat. Ebow - Kerngeschäft