• Callejon - Man spricht deutsch (2013) (9/10)

    Genre: Metalcore
    Label: Self-production
    Playing time: 46:25
    Band homepage: Callejon

    Tracklist:

    1. Schrei nach Liebe (feat Bela B.) (DIE ÄRZTE Cover)
    2. Schwule Mädchen (FETTES BROT Cover)
    3. Alles neu (PETER FOX Cover)
    4. Ich find dich scheiße (feat. K.I.Z.) (TIC TAC TOE Cover)
    5. Durch den Monsun (TOKIO HOTEL Cover)
    6. Mein Block (SIDO Cover)
    7. Ein Kompliment (SPORTFREUNDE STILLER Cover)
    8. Hier kommt Alex (DIE TOTEN HOSEN Cover)
    9. Major Tom (PETER SCHILLING Cover)¸
    10. MfG (DIE FANTASTISCHEN VIER Cover)
    11. Alles nur geklaut (DIE PRINZEN Cover)
    12. Chicago (CLUESO Cover) (Bonus Track)
    13. Boomerang (BLÜMCHEN Cover) (Bonus Track)
    Callejon - Man spricht deutsch

    CALLEJON is not only a Spanish word for alley or side street but also the name of one of Germany’s most famous Metalcore bands founded in and around Düsseldorf in 2002. After four regular records and a rise to popularity, the band decided to release a cover record under the synonym of KALLEJON featuring thirteen popular German songs from the eighties up to today and covering all genres from Neue Deutsche Welle over Hip Hop to Alternative Rock. This record happens to be quite a fun ride and the band manages to make sound all of these tracks as they were they own and created a lot of curious and funny moments.

    Two video clips had been done for two of the strongest cover tracks which open the record. “Schrei nach Liebe” is a cover of the legendary German Punk Rock band DIE ÄRZTE that talks about the topic of Neo-Nazism in the country and that was a big hit twenty years ago. The new version features the band`s drummer Bela B. as guest vocalist and offers an even more energizing feeling than the original track with some catchy riffs that could also come from old RUNNING WILD. The video tells the story of a few right-winged criminals that stroll around a suburb by destroying things and beating up people before they arrive at a table dance bar and change their mind in order to peacefully party with the sympathetic people hanging around over there. The second track “Schwule Mädchen” is a cover of a famous hip hop track by FETTES BROT and works surprisingly well as a Metalcore track with many catchy hooks and aggressive vocals that sound a little bit like WALTARI. The video shows a gang of maniacs on drugs torturing and killing a young woman in an abandoned garage before the police comes in to fight the criminals.

    Another well done cover version of a hip hop track is PETER FOX’ “Alles neu” that gets a mean and straight touch in comparison to the diversified and almost jazzy original. I also like the modern cover version of PETER SCHILLING’s pop success “Major Tom” of the eighties that sounds very Thrash Metal orientated and could be a track of KREATOR. Another surprise for me was the well done adaption of the Punk success “Hier kommt Alex” that was originally done by DIE TOTEN HOSEN which is still one of Germany’s most famous bands. The new version doesn’t beat the angry and at the same time very melodic and epic original but the electric organ sounds and the mixture of modern and melodious vocals on one side and the angry and unchained screams on the other add interesting new facets to this track. If you like the latest release of a band such as AVENGED SEVENFOLD, you will also dig this song. The middle part is filled with pure aggression and even fits better to the lyrics than the original track.

    In the end, CALLEJON offer many entertaining cover songs of famous tracks that play or have played a very important role in Germany’s musical culture. The songs though sound like original CALLEJON tracks without losing the charm, melody or spirit of the originals. A few tracks happen to be less impressive than others but no true stinker can be found on this release. The band manages to make songs that I didn’t appreciate in their original form sound more than just bearable and does a good job on tracks that have been regarded as untouchable classics. This fun ride of an album is highly entertaining and a must have for any metal head who would like to get a closer connection to Germany’s musical culture as this release includes some of the country’s most popular songs of the last thirty years.

    (Online February 23, 2013)

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