It’s bands like Nachtblut that make me wish I’d have taken the plunge and learned German after discovering Rammstein in the mid-’90’s. That’s not to say listening to Apostasie, the fifth album from these Black/Industrial metalheads, is less fantastic. Quite the opposite, actually, as now listeners can just sit back and let the Nachtblut metal be a cathartic headbanging release.
But I digress.
Take the kickass electronics of KMFDM, the teutonic pummeling of Rammstein, and the overall shredding of Eisbrecher and you’ll have an inkling of what Nachtblut bring to the Industrial Metal big boys table. Like the press release boldly states, they’re “the bugaboo of your most unholy dreams!” and that’s actually an understatement.
“Multikulturell” starts ominously like the score from the most recent Mad Max flick before settling into a steady drone of riffs as Askeroth’s menacing baritone draws listeners in even more. “Lied für die Götter”, on the other hand, starts with a flute. A flute, people! Then it becomes this symphony of riffs mixed with strings and glorious beats by Skoll.
From the riffage to the piercing screams, “Amok” is just brutal and easily a stand out track on an album of stand out tracks. “Scheinfromm” carries the “standing out” torch further with its’ brand of electro intensity and a perpetual stomp as Askeroth growls out his vocals with even more intensity.
“Geboren um zu leben” embraces the synthetic side even more with this beats-heavy song with easily the most extreme vocal sides from a croon to a shriek, culminating with this huge wall of shred before the electronics take over once again. “Der Tod ist meine Nutte” hits like a sledgehammer with this anthemic guitar line before Askeroth comes in like a Black Metal luminary on a truly vicious delivery.
Nachtblut tries their hand at an old-school AC/DC-style rawk ‘n’ roller with “Frauenausbeiner” until the momentous title track rounds out the originals on the album and they close with the spectacular cover of Kollegah’s “Wat is’ denn los mit dir”. And to fully appreciate the gruff, metallic conclusion to Apostasie, you NEED to check out German hip hop artist Kollegah’s original version located by clicking here. You’re welcome in advance.
Apostasie is out now through Napalm Records. Get your copy by clicking here and here then head on over here for more on Nachtblut.