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%