Austrian Death/Black Metal force Richthammer have
returned with a new single, “Durch Trieb zur Qual,” marking their first release
since their recent period of regrouping and writing.
The track was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered
by Victor Bullok at Germany’s renowned Woodshed Studios, known for its work
with extreme metal heavyweights. The accompanying video, directed by Jakob
Wallner, adds a stark visual edge to the band’s latest creative chapter.
Formed in 2009 in Waidhofen an der Ybbs, Richthammer
carved their path through intense live performances and early contest success,
leading to their debut demo Gematert Geschunden Verheert in 2012. Their 2018
concept album “Ascheland” became a milestone, earning them festival slots and
wider recognition.
Following lineup changes and a short hiatus, the band
is pushing forward once again — and “Durch Trieb zur Qual” signals a sharpened,
revitalized direction as they continue crafting new material.
Και
έτσι περάσαμε τα μισά της πρώτης δεκαετίας του τότε νέου αιώνα. Η τριάδα αυτή,
με σταθερή μουσική απόδοση και χωρίς τίποτα να έχει να χάσει, διανύει ήδη δέκα
και πλέον χρόνια ανανέωσης της δημιουργικότητάς της. Μετά από δύο επετειακά
ζωντανά άλμπουμ, προχωρούν στην τρίτη στούντιο δουλειά τους. Ένα βαρύτερο από
το προηγούμενο Hammered άλμπουμ, σε κάθε τομέα της παραγωγής και του γενικού
ήχου, που έφερε ξανά τα χαμόγελα — κυρίως στους πιο σκληροπυρηνικούς φίλους
τους.
Οι
εποχές των παχιών αγελάδων μπορεί να έχουν περάσει, αλλά, σε πείσμα όλων, ο
Lemmy και οι δύο συνεργοί του στο «έγκλημα», σε άπιαστη φόρμα, μας παραδίδουν
ένα από τα καλύτερα έργα τους ως σύνολο, τουλάχιστον μετά το 1996.
Αρχίζουμε
ανάποδα, από το bonus του CD: το Whiplash των φίλων τους Metallica, που δέχεται
μία «μέσα στη μάπα» διασκευή από τους τρεις gringos. Τι άλλο θέλουμε στα
υπόλοιπα δώδεκα κομμάτια του άλμπουμ που να μην μας το δίνουν; Sucker, One Night Stand, Trigger, God Was Never on
Your Side, Living in the Past, Christine, Sword of Glory, Kingdom of the Worm αρκούν — κιόμωςείναιμόνοταμισάσχεδόνκομμάτιατουδίσκου.
English:
No originality whatsoever — not even in the album
title.
And so we crossed the halfway mark of the first decade
of what was then the new century. This trio, delivering consistently solid
performances and with nothing left to lose, had already spent more than ten
years renewing their creative spark. After two anniversary live albums, they
moved on to their third studio effort. A record heavier than the previous
Hammered in every aspect of production and overall sound — one that brought the
smiles back, especially to their most hardcore followers.
The fat‑cow
years may be long gone, but despite everything, Lemmy and his two accomplices
in “crime,” in unstoppable form, deliver one of their best works as a whole, at
least since 1996.
We start backwards, from the CD bonus: Whiplash by
their friends Metallica, taking a straight‑to‑the‑face cover version from the three gringos. What more
could we possibly want from the remaining twelve tracks that they don’t already
give us? Sucker, One Night Stand, Trigger, God Was Never on Your Side, Living
in the Past, Christine, Sword of Glory, Kingdom of the Worm — more than enough,
and yet they’re barely half the album.
Upon first inspection of the
cover art for D’ Olde Roop, one might anticipate a standard entry into
the saturated folk metal genre. To an extent, that initial impression holds
ground; however, this debut full-length from the Dutch trio—who have spent the
last five years honing their sound through demos and an EP—reveals a more
nuanced identity upon closer listening.
The
Compositional Balance
While the "folk"
elements of the album adhere to familiar territory—utilizing established
structures, rhythmic riffs, and deep, reciting clean vocals—the band
distinguishes itself through its foundational aggression.
Where many contemporaries
relegate metal elements to a secondary role, MONDVOLLAND prioritizes a Black
Metal framework. This stylistic choice provides the following:
Atmosphere: A dark, "frozen" hue that permeates
the melodic passages.
Edge: A level of aggression and bite often missing
from more commercial folk releases.
Balance: An equal distribution between folk melodies and
black metal intensity.
Key Characteristics
The Folk Elements: Consistent with genre standards, featuring
traditional melodic "non-metal" touches and clean vocal
delivery.
The Black Metal Influence: Dominant and well-integrated, elevating the
compositions from "typical" to "extreme."
Production: The synthesis of both styles results in a record
that feels cohesive rather than fragmented.
Final Verdict: If your interest lies in the intersection of folk and black metal, but you
find the current scene lacking in grit, MONDVOLLAND provides a compelling
alternative. D' Olde Roop doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it certainly
sharpens the spikes.
DEATHFIST come from Germany, and they wear their
musical heritage with absolute pride. This is a thrash metal act that genuinely
caught me off guard the first time I spun their album. The passion is
unmistakable, the ideas are sharp, and—most importantly—the band knows how to
craft songs that push your head into overdrive with relentless, ultra‑speed riffing.
Their influences, as expected, draw heavily from the
German thrash tradition. You can clearly sense their admiration for titans like
KREATOR and DESTRUCTION, both in the riff architecture and in the overall
attack. Yet the album isn’t limited to that lineage. There are moments where
DEATHFIST channel early METALLICA—the title track “Too Hot to Burn” is a prime
example—and flashes of SLAYER surface in tracks like “Killing Time” and “Slay Her.”
The atmosphere throughout the record is rooted firmly
in the 80s, but the band avoids sounding dated. Instead, they manage to inject
a contemporary edge that makes the album appealing to both old‑school devotees and modern thrash listeners. One element
that truly stands out is the vocal performance. Corinna Becker handles the
microphone with a ferocity that easily earns her the title of a female
counterpart to Mille Petrozza. Her delivery adds character and intensity
without ever feeling derivative.
What ultimately elevates Too Hot to Burn is that it
rekindles that rare feeling of listening as a fan first and a reviewer second.
It’s an album that invites excitement rather than analysis, and that alone says
a lot. DEATHFIST deserve attention, and alongside THE PROPHECY 23, they stand
among the most compelling thrash metal acts I’ve encountered recently.
Το
άλμπουμ αυτό σηματοδοτεί την τελευταία, τρίτη και ίσως ισάξια με την αρχική
περίοδο για τους Lemmy, Phil Campbell και Mikkey Dee. Έτσι, μετά το καλό αλλά
ελαφρύ ολίσθημα που λέγεται Snake Bite Love, επιστρέφουν δυνατοί και κλασικοί
όσο δεν πάει.
Η
απαραίτητη —και καλύτερη του πρωτότυπου— διασκευή στο God Save the Queen των
(ξεπουλημένων, όπως φάνηκε) πανκ πρωτοπόρων Sex Pistols αποτελεί και το πρώτο
βίντεο κλιπ του άλμπουμ.
Το
speed metal κομμάτι See Me Burning ανοίγει το CD, ενώ ακολουθούν τα Stay Out of
Jail, Out to Lunch, Wake the Dead, η «μπλουζιά» του One More Fucking Time, τα
Stagefright – Crush and Burn, (Wearing Your Heart) On Your Sleeve, και για
επίλογο το ομώνυμο We Are Motörhead, που σφάζει άγρια. Αυτά είναι και τα
καλύτερα κομμάτια του δίσκου.
Εννιά
στα δέκα, δηλαδή, από μια μπάντα που έχει μόνο καλά, καλύτερα κι άριστα άλμπουμ
— και τίποτα πλέον να αποδείξει.
English:
Their second self‑titled album of the new era
This album marks the final, third phase for Lemmy,
Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee—one that may well stand shoulder to shoulder with
their original golden period. So, after the good but slightly wayward Snake
Bite Love, they come back sounding as strong and as classic as they possibly
can.
The essential —and better than the original— cover of
God Save the Queen by the (as it turned out) sold‑out punk pioneers Sex Pistols also serves as the
album’s first music video.
The speed‑metal blast See Me Burning opens the CD, followed by
Stay Out of Jail, Out to Lunch, Wake the Dead, the blues‑soaked One More Fucking Time, Stagefright – Crush and
Burn, (Wearing Your Heart) On Your Sleeve, and finally the title track We Are
Motörhead, which cuts viciously and closes the record in style. These are the album’s
standout tracks.
Nine out of ten, then, from a band that has only ever
delivered good, better, and excellent albums — and has nothing left to prove.
Οι
Motörhead δεν έχουν κακό δίσκο. Έχουν από καλούς έως τέλειους, κι αυτό το
αξίωμα ισχύει στο διηνεκές. Αυτός εδώ είναι ο τρίτος από το τέλος του
αγαπημένου γίγαντα Lemmy Kilmister και των μουσικών συντρόφων του, Phil
Campbell και Μιχάλη Δελάογλου (μην ξεχνάμε, ο Mikkey Dee είναι συμπατριώτης μας
κατά το ήμισυ), και για άλλη μια φορά αποδίδουν.
Τώρα,
με αυτό εννοούμε περισσότερο απ’ το Motörizer πριν; Λιγότερο απ’ το Aftershock
που ακολουθεί; Έχει σημασία; Ο λόγος που η τριάδα των Motörhead πάντα γέμιζε το
κοινό με χαρά όταν έβγαζε νέα κυκλοφορία ήταν κάτι που εξηγούνταν μόνο στο
συλλογικό μας ασυνείδητο. Ένας αθόρυβος συναγερμός μέσα μας και πολύς θόρυβος
επί σκηνής από το συγκρότημα, ζωντανά στις τουρνέ τους ανά τον πλανήτη —
δυνατότερα από κάθε άλλον, όπως και οι ίδιοι διακήρυτταν.
Η
αφιέρωση στον αδερφό του Ronnie James Dio, που λίγο καιρό πριν είχε φύγει για
το απέραντο άγνωστο, κάνει τον δίσκο ακόμη πιο σκοτεινό. Ο Lemmy δεν ήξερε ότι
ο χρόνος μετρούσε ανάποδα και για εκείνον. Born To Lose, I Know How to Die, Get
Back in Line, Brotherhood of Man, Outlaw — εδώ μέσα ακουμπάνε το στάτους του
κλασικού, περισσότερο πάντως απ’ ό,τι στον προηγούμενο δίσκο τους, το
Motörizer.
English:
Always with Complete Ignorance of Danger
Motörhead don’t have a bad album. They range from good
to downright perfect, and that’s an axiom that holds for eternity. This one is
the third-to-last from the beloved giant Lemmy Kilmister and his musical
companions, Phil Campbell and Michalis Delagglou (let’s not forget, Mikkey Dee
is half‑Greek
by heritage), and once again they deliver.
Now, do we mean more than Motörizer before it? Less
than Aftershock that followed? Does it even matter? The reason the Motörhead
trio always filled their audience with joy every time they released something
new was something that could only be explained in our collective unconscious. A
silent alarm inside us — and a whole lot of noise on stage from the band, live
on their tours around the world, louder than anyone else, just as they
themselves proclaimed.
The dedication to Ronnie James Dio’s brother, who had
departed for the great unknown not long before, casts an even darker shadow
over the record. Lemmy didn’t know that time was counting backwards for him as
well. Born To Lose, I Know How to Die, Get Back in Line, Brotherhood of Man,
Outlaw — tracks that brush up against classic status, more so than on their
previous album, Motörizer.
I’ll keep this concise, because this is one of those
albums I’m ready to file away and not revisit. OBSZON GESCHOPF, a French band
active since 1996, return with their fifth studio album, offering their take on
industrial thrash metal.
Industrial metal has never been a genre I gravitate
toward, and I only tolerate it when the electronic elements are used sparingly
or blended with more traditional metal structures. Here, both the industrial
and electronic components are present in overwhelming quantities. More than
once I found myself irritated by the songwriting choices, and at times the
electronic flourishes felt so exaggerated and juvenile that they became
unintentionally comical. Yet the dominant sensation from start to finish was
simple, unshakeable boredom.
The songs follow nearly identical patterns, with a
rhythm section that never deviates from its formula. The down‑tuned guitars and deep, hoarse growls—vocals that
often sound as if the singer recorded them while fighting off a cold—do little
to elevate the material. Stripped of its industrial coating, what remains is straightforward,
extremely typical thrash metal. Unfortunately, “typical” is the operative word:
the album feels predictable, repetitive, and ultimately uninspired.
Symphony of Decay may appeal to listeners who enjoy
industrial metal in its most saturated form, but for me, it offered little
beyond monotony.
