Opium Death is a brutal concoction of extreme metal, sent forth from the suburbs of Chicago, USA to lay waste to metalheads around the world with their first full-length album “Genocidal Nemesis”, which is being unleashed on April 19th.
Grandeous flamboyantness combined with an unmistakable crushing industrial sound, NeueDeutscheHärte pioneers Rammstein have returned with their highly anticipated 8th studio album ‘Zeit.’ Having only announced their newest record not even 2 months ago, they fired out 3 new tracks in quick succession to support it’s release. Rammstein are not wasting any time which aptly reflects the title of the record.
Rammstein have mastered the art of consistency; they have honed an instantly recognisable sound but always guarantee a few surprises to prevent stagnation. You always know what you’re going to get with the band but at the same time, you don’t.
Straight in to a stomping, synth infused opener with ‘Armee der Tristen‘ (Army of the Dreary), this track evokes a feeling of dread and weariness but still maintains the kind of catchy hook that the band have repeatedly and expertly drawn upon throughout the years. ‘Zeit‘ (Time) is a sombre, melancholy, piano-based number analysing life and death which leads nicely in to another piano-led track in ‘Schwarz‘ (Black).
The pace picks up with ‘Giftig‘ (Poisonous) and ‘ZickZag;’ (Zig Zag) both of which are catchy, synth-heavy mid-tempo tracks reminiscent of ‘Benzin‘ and ‘Du Hast.’ ‘OK‘ continues on with the theme of catchy, synth-heavy goodness but throws in a groovy edge with heavier guitars. The heavier guitars remain for ‘MeineTränen‘ (My Tears) but the pace slows down again to a dramatically operatic soundscape before cranking it back up to a classically stomping industrial ‘Angst‘ (Fear).
‘DickeTitten‘ (Big Boobs – yep) is a sprawling dance in to absurdity that Rammstein fans from all over have grown to love and appreciate from the band. Reminiscent of ‘KeineLust,’ this track incorporates chugging guitars and heavy basslines accompanied by what sounds like a marching brass band.
Gliding in to the closing section of the record, ‘Lügen‘ (Lie) sets the tone with an emotionally provocative spoken word speech getting progressively more frantic as the track goes on. The closer ‘Adieu‘ (Goodbye) is a dark, dramatic conclusion to what can only be described as a work of art.
Incorporating a more electronic/synth infused sombre sound which compliments the instantly recognisable absurd chaos, Zeit is a record which gets better and better each time you listen to it. A thought-provoking, reflective addition to an already stellar discography; could this be the perfect ‘Adieu‘ for the band after almost 30 years in the spotlight? Only ‘Zeit‘ will tell.
Metalhead of 20+ years from Scotland, UK. History & Psychology nerd,
avid hiker & caffeine enthusiast. Host of The Heavy Metal Journal on YouTube. Follow me on Twitter! (www.twitter.com/Lindsay_C88)