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May 17, 2012 |
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01. Silence Of Sorrow
02. Rock 'n' Roll
03. Hey-Ho
04. Wahnsinn
05. Eruption
06. Der Teufel
07. Reitermaniacs
08. Barmherzigkeit
09. Per Aspera Ad Astra
10. Lazy Day
11. Die Sonne Scheint
12. Roll My Heart
13. Northern Lights
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Let me start off by saying that I've always been a huge fan of German metal. There is just something about its distinct sound and style that has always appealed to me and influenced my metal heart to listen to it every single chance I get. It's no secret that some of the finest metal bands have come from that country, and if you're any kind of metal enthusiast at all, you'll know that Germany IS the engine for metal in Europe - and that's a fact! With a strong roster of bands that have contributed their talents to the industry over the years (including the likes of ACCEPT, SCORPIONS, HELLOWEEN, KREATOR, SODOM, GRAVE DIGGER and EDGUY, just to name a few), it's really a no-brainer to see why Germany remains one of the strongest forces in metal music today. Another name deserving of being inked onto the updated version of Germany's roster list is DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER (THE APOCALYPTIC RIDERS in English translation).
If you haven't heard of them before, allow me to be the first to tell you about this high-calibre, heavy-hitting metal/rock machine. The band is comprised of founding member Fuchs (vocals/guitars), Dr. Pest (keyboards), Volk-man (bass/screams), Pitrone (guitars), and Sir G. (drums). Together, they form a brigade of five raging-bull Deutsche Krieger (German warriors) who let nothing or no one stand in their way of creating eccentric, bold, and innovative music.
In this case, the subject at hand is the band's latest fierce blast of musical ingenuity, "Samurai". Upon initial sampling of this fine piece of work, the first thing that grabbed me right away was the depth of versatility and bravery within the music itself. Now, when I say "bravery", I am referring to the band's courage to venture into new horizons without conforming to any set standards within the metal genre. I like it when a group of musicians can come together and defy the "norm" by just going with what they feel and take their creativity to the next level. Don't worry though - you WILL hear some killer metal here.... and then some. However, DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER take it a step further by applying different musical styles to their brand of metal. I guess you could say that there is good mix in the bag here - everything from melodic death metal, black metal, and straight-forward death metal to hardcore, punk, folk, and even some reggae if you can believe it!
"Samurai" contains 13 tracks in total, with the track listing on this North American version ordered differently from the European one, but all 13 songs appear on both versions. One thing I really like about this album is the fact that 6 of the 13 tracks are sung entirely in German. Remember earlier when I mentioned that distinct German metal sound? Yeah. Well, this just makes it even better if you ask me. Some prime examples are "Wahnsinn" ("Insanity"), with its highly-concentrated mixture of Euro-style melodic metal and straight-forward thrash/hardcore (including clean vs. hard vocals), "Der Teufel" ("The Devil") with its strong black metal backbone and some unearthly screams/growls courtesy of bassist/screamer Volk-man, and the very infectious "Barmherzigkeit" ("Mercy"). I do hope I have provided the correct translations of these song titles.
On the English front, opener "Silence Of Sorrow" is a stunning surge of energetic mayhem, going back and forth through an array of time changes between pummeling rhythm and melodic anthemic passages. "Rock 'n' Roll" is a fast-paced rocker with some great vocal trade-offs between Fuchs and Volk-man; then there's the definitive APOKALYPTISCHEN theme song, "Reitermaniacs", a hook-filled slammer with some hefty guitar work. The band do a 360 turnaround in musical style with the reggae-inspired "Lazy Day" and closing keyboard/drum machine-dominated track, "Northern Lights". This is exactly what I was talking about before. Sure, they may not be "metal" tracks per se, but I admire the band's willingness to experiment a little and give the listener some variety. Lastly, two more songs that deserve honorable mention are "Eruption" and "Die Sonne Scheint" ("The Sun Shines"), in which both hold striking resemblance to material from fellow countrymen DIE TOTEN HOSEN. Great stuff!
What can I say? This is just a real pleasant surprise to my metal ears! Even after repeated listens, I really like what I'm hearing here. In an increasingly overcrowded metal scene, these guys have put themselves in a good position, enabling them to pretty much go wherever they want to with their music. Their biggest asset is that they have created their own niche by not limiting their boundaries, allowing their own musical creativity to lead the way at full throttle. DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER have proved that they are well-equipped to have a long and successful career in metal, providing that they keep doing what they are doing now. "Samurai" is a fine piece of work indeed. Take it for a spin and check out the goods for yourself.
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