Stahlmann - CO2 (CD Review)

01.Feindflug
02.Plasma
03.Deutschland tanzt
04.Die Klinge
05.Sadist
06.Friss mich
07.Spiegelbild
08.Wenn Engel tanzen
09.Der letzte Tag
10.Nimm meine Hand

Mart (Vocals/Programming)
Ablaz (Bass)
Frank (Guitar)
Max (Drums)

German band formed in 2008, they had an impressive start of their career: after the release of their debut EP "Herzschlag", the band around charismatic frontman Mart signed with AFM Records and worked on the release of their successful debut album "Stahlmann" which came out in autumn 2010.
Followed by numerous tours they soon convinced fans and critics.
With "Quecksilber" the success story began to fully unfold just over a year later.
Impressively managed to jump into the top 40 of the German Media Control Album Charts and it got topped again with their third album “Adamant” placed #34.

Beside their unique look (which quickly became a trademark) STAHLMANN also present their best songwriting and arrangements on “CO2” so far.
It is not too different from their previous works, but it shows a matured band that is able to put together an album full of hits.
In addition to the typical powerful musical style, catchy lyrics and Marts deep, distinctive voice, you can also find electrical and dubstep elements that will make the audience dance in the clubs again.

I suppose this is unfair of me, but all i hear here is Rammstein, first 3 songs are typical dance tinged/industrial rock tunes.
Track 4, 'Die Klinge' is more classical/symphonic, whilst the next one has a slightly funky bassline.

'Friss Mich' has that modern techno dance keyboard and drum machine sound and the rest are back to the standard industrial rock style.

So not much of a review, like i said its Rammstein and as they are not around at the moment they fill the gap.

Rating 8/10
For fans of: Rammstein, Nine Inch Nails, Deathstars, The Bunny The Bear

Child Of Caesar - Love In Black (CD Review)

01.Defector
02.Red Sun
03.Gates
04.Nero
05.Long Live The Night
06.Lost Sacrifice
07.You
08.At Heart
09.Love In Black
10.Worlds Without Skies


Daniel Mitchell (Vocals)
André Marcussen (Guitar)
Christopher F.Kassad (Bass/Guitar)
Dino Cadavian (Drums)

Love in Black is the debut album of German Goth Metal band Child of Caesar featuring Daniel Mitchell from U.S. Metal band "Autumns Eyes" on vocals.

It lyrically deals with morbid themes about life & death whereas the musical influences reach from The Sisters of Mercy to Tiamat and Paradise Lost.

Child of Caesar is making no secret about its love for 90’s heavy music. After recording and mixing at Tones & Tunes Studios in Oberhausen, Mika Jussila from Finnvox was hired for mastering to show gratitude to the evocative sound of that time…

So first question is who's on the keyboards??? I ask because the playing on this album is very good, yet no credit???

Right so we start with 'Defector' a stunning Goth/metal hybrid, simple chords power through the frantic drumming and synth patterns whilst the vocalist remains at a calm and harmonic level.

'Red Sun' is a slow, near anthemic song, more rock than metal with a dark overtone, in fact this is the way forward, forget the "Metal" tag this is pure Gothic Rock.

I tell you the haunting keyboard on 'Long Live The Night' is pure Static X, the mood of the song, just everything about it, just brilliant.

Whole albums fantastic, stop reading this and go buy a copy now :-)


Rating 10/10
For fans of: Static X, Tiamat, Placebo, Sisters Of Mercy, Deathstars, Marilyn Manson

King Dude - Fear (CD Review)

01.Open The Door
02.Fear Is All You Know
03.Maria
04.Devil Eyes
05.Cloven Hooves (Of Fear)
06.Demon Caller Number 9
07.Bloody Mirror
08.Lay Down In Bedlam
09.Bottomless Pit
10.Never Run
11.Miss September
12.Empty House
13.Watching Over You

TJ Cowgill (Vocals/Guitar/Field Recordings)
Joey D' Auria (Drums)

Contributing Musicians:
Bill Rieflin (Backing vocals/Piano/Organ/Bass)
Don Gunn (Backing vocals)
Brianna Atwell (Violin)
Emily Denton (Vocals on "Maria")
Vanessa Dandurand (Vocals on "Devil Eyes")

Pulling together the biblical sound and isolation of the bygone days of revelation with an atmosphere filled with hope and salvation, KING DUDE has woven his own unique brand of purely American music. He brandishes many varied influences in his songwriting... Everything from British Folk, Americana, Country and Blues can be heard in his songs. The resulting songs are much more of a modern day hymn then your average pop song.

Reverent as it is prophetic and stark, King Dude's latest album, entitled Fear, was produced by the legendary Bill Rieflin (Ministry, Swans, Pigface etc).

With Fear, TJ set out to make "the most horrifying music I could", so this one sounds intresting.......

The first track is basically a Ministry sounding intro and then the album gets going with 'Fear Is All You Know', quite a goth sounding track to my old ears, kinda like Bauhaus playing with Nick Cave via Captain Beefheart, really good, atmospheric and moody.

The style changes for 'Maria' which is very reminiscent of a down beat country take on Unchained melody, some haunting backing vocals give this a melancholic feel.

Yet another change of sound for 'Devil Eyes' this is Tom Waits meets Johnny Cash for an upbeat and dark modern country rocker.

Touch of acoustic rock with 'Cloven Hooves', quite a seventies feel to this one, reminded me of early Bowie.

Very weird opening to 'Demon Caller' must be some of that 'Field Recordings' by TJ, song is kinda run of the mill country tinged rock, nothing that special to make it stand out.

Some pure acoustic country blues for 'Bloody Mirror', gets weird towards the end with strange sound effects.

More dark country sounds with 'Lay Down In Bedlam' is followed by 'Bottomless Pitt' has waht i call that sing a long americana sound, dont know what else to say except that maybe if Joan Jett covered it you would get what i mean.

After some country with 'Never Run' we come to 'Miss September' a Lou Reed meets Neil Young (Circa Eldorado album) electric guitar driven downbeat song.

'Empty House' is a bleak ballad that has some simple guitar lines running through and a very simple drum beat, i dunno funeral/folk hybrid?

Back to a happier sound with 'Watching Over You', great backing vocals and some nice violin, a perfect way to end a dark album.

Rating 9/10
For Fans Of: Johnny Cash, Tom Waits, Lou Reed, Neil Young, Nick cave, Mark Lanegan

DIVA SUICIDE - THIS NIGHT EP (Cd Review)

01.This Night

02.Last Wish

03.Blessed By The Sun

04.She Cries Lullabies

XS (Vocals)

Bazza(Guitar)

Lucien (Bass)

Belle (Drums)

Formed in 2007 with a blend of industrial and darkwave influences.Two years later the band have undergone a number of changes and now with a new line up are about to re launch themselves with a more gothic sound.

'This Night' is a really catchy song full of melody, it has a HIM feel to it.

You know the weird thing about the way 'Last Wish' starts is that it reminds me of a
Madonna song, well madge if she were gothed up, but it has all the qualities of a good
electronic dance song, some amazing synth sounds in there sound really good on the
headphones when cranked up to 10!!!!

After listening to 'Blessed By The Sun' i think i know what the Deathstars would sound
like with female vocals, and it is good.

The final song 'She Cries Lullabies' is my personal favourite, superb production lifts
this into a quite stunning industrial/pop/goth hybrid, this should be the lead track
its going to slay the dancefloor but also one for the metal clubs as well.

Overall a very impressive EP, its good to hear this style of music so well put together
and not just throw together with samplers but real instruments as well.A strong vocal performance from XS helps lift this beyond the average and im sure the
band can go far in 2010 with this.

Were i to pick any fault it would be that i just get into the songs and they seem to finish, because of the nature of the music it requires 5 minutes minimum coz you just gotta dance and at under 4 minutes per song you barely break a sweat!!!!

Rating 9/10

For Fans Of : Queen Adreena, Die So Fluid, Him, Deathstars, 69 Eyes

STU