Live Review: Die Krupps - Hamburg 2019

Logo, Hamburg, Germany
4th December 2019
Die Krupps - “Vision 2020 Vision” Tour 2019 - Special guests: Manntra & Viral

DIE KRUPPS released their new album ‘Vision 2020 Vision’ on 15th November and started along with it the same-titled tour on 21st November in the legendary Kulttempel in Oberhausen. The last show of this tour will be Antwerp at the BIM Fest. In between on 4th December they visited Logo in Hamburg with their special guests MANNTRA from Croatia and VIRAL from Los Angeles.


Manntra

MANNTRA started their journey back in 2012 and their single ‘Kiša’, performed in Croatian, earned early popularity. In 2013, their debut album ‘Horzont’ was released; just a year later ‘Venera’ came out. In 2017 and 2018, after having conquered the Croatian Underground music scene, MANNTRA joined IN EXTREMO on tour. While the previous albums have been written in Croatian, the band decided to do something new and released ‘Oyka!’, their newest album, in English and are currently on tour with DIE KRUPPS in Europe. https://www.manntra.hr / https://www.facebook.com/ManntraOfficial



Music & Performance
The thing about not listening to the special guests before the gig, is - you can totally focus on the first impression and in most of the cases you will be probably surprised. And I was, because I didn’t expect Medieval stage outfits and bagpipes at DIE KRUPPS concert. What actually came out was some kind of a Metal Folk Industrial music. After the first, let’s call it, confusion, disappeared, song by song they totally played themselves into the hearts of the audience and the unexpected Industrial Folk mix convinced. MANNTRA played an extremely enthusiastic show, full of joy of making music, not afraid to mix styles and make something new and own out of it. The variation in sound, the instruments used, the male and female vocals changing up. It didn’t get boring at any time and they also made sure to connect with the audience asking the audience first so scream for DIE KRUPPS and then for themselves, commenting “Oh, that was even louder, but I won’t tell them!” Well played, well played.



Only the last song performed was in Croatian, I actually would have loved to hear more of them. Honestly, when you can imagine, or even more if not, to hear some bagpipe infused Industrial Metal, go ahead and give them a listen or even better go catch them live.

Setlist
01. Oyka
02. Dance
03. Yelena
04. Eat You
05. In The Shadows
06. Manntra 2
07. Kiša

Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 9
Light: 8
Sound: 8
Total: 8.5 / 10

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Viral

VIRAL from Los Angeles released their video to the song ‘Disorder’ in October. Their self-named “Punkdustrial” gave another exciting contrast to MANNTRA’s Industrial Folk Metal and continued with the surprises. Introducing VIRAL, the synergy of singer Frankie Cassara and multi-instrumentalist producer ‪Billy Graziadei, whose alloy of six-stringed fury, electronic chaos and lyrical invective aims to redefine everything from individual genres to how the word “intense” has been overused in the last 20 years. http://virallosangeles.com / https://www.facebook.com/virallosangeles



Music & Performance
VIRAL as being the second band that is supporting DIE KRUPPS on their “Vision 2020 Vision” tour kept the motto of the evening for me alive and surprised with another shade of Industrial infused music. No bagpipes, but Metalcore influences, straight growls, strong performance, Nu Rock & Metal vibes. Smashing their straight and loud songs right into the audience, the audience replied back with the same strong vibes and party. It was pretty fun to watch them on stage, and the contrasts between the special guests just made them stand out even more. The band obviously just started through, though their members have a long history of making music. VIRAL was born though the synergy of singer Frankie Cassara and producer Billie Graziadei.



The band just began their journey, filled with experiences and skills of many years. Strong, underground Industrial Metal, or “Punkdustrial” as they call it themselves, convincing and right in your face! Well played.

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 9 
Light: 8
Sound: 8
Total: 8.3 / 10

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Die Krupps

Introducing DIE KRUPPS is probably not necessary here, founded in 1980 (which feels like 20 years ago, but it will be actually 40 years ago next year), DIE KRUPPS created what we really can call Industrial music, inspired by workers, fabrics, industry, the entrepreneur family Krupp and steel. DIE KRUPPS showed how to make music out of steel and left their mark on generations of bands and music genres. With their new album ‘Vision 2020 Vision’ they prove that they are continuing creating, new, inspiring and strong music. https://www.diekrupps.com / https://www.facebook.com/diekruppsofficial



Music & Performance
The venue was heated up properly when DIE KRUPPS entered the stage and with the first song ‘Welcome To The Blackout’ the party came to the absolute high and should have stayed here for another two hours. The atmosphere of the underground club Logo was perfect to catch the vibes of the music and the band. Generations of fans partying together, dancing, head-banging and having fun. To be honest, I’ve known their songs for ages from the dance-floors of the underground clubs, but just earlier this year made it to see them live on stage. The contrast between the big stage of the Turbinenhalle in Oberhausen and that small, underground venue with low ceiling couldn’t be bigger, but both was extremely fun to watch and the performance was killer. Hard to believe this band’s story started almost 40 years ago (nine years before I was even born).



‘Nazis auf Speed’, ‘Schmutzfabrik, the mighty ‘Der Amboss’, the new, very catchy single ‘Vision 2020 Vision’ - what a ride through decades, stylistic influences and themes. Industrial, Metal, EBM - whatever makes you dance and sweat - from the factory right to the dancefloor. The band went wild, and so did the audience. Constantly entering the (very unusual at this venue) barrier, interacting very closely with the fans and melting into one big Industrial Metal party. The mighty steelophone was there too, of course, taking away a huge part of the tiny stage and being good to step up for the band members and being used as a watchtower viewpoint as well as the sound producing instrument that it is.



As the band came back on stage after a very short break to play the very last two songs of the evening - ‘Crossfire’ and the dancefloor smasher ‘To The Hilt’ - the sweat was not only on the skin, it dropped down as sweat condensation from the ceiling - back on the skin. Hot, sweaty, explosive Wednesday night with a lot of highlights for everyone and an extremely active band that makes forget that there is a concept of time.

Setlist
01. Welcome To The Blackout
02. Isolation
03. Nazis auf Speed
04. Essenbeck
05. Schmutzfabrik
06. Destination Doomsday
07. Trigger Warning
08. The Vampire Strikes Back
09. Der Amboss
10. Scent
11. Obacht
12. Alive
13. Robo Sapien
14. Vision 2020 Vision
15. Metal Machine Music
16. Fatherland
17. Crossfire
18. To The Hilt

Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 10
Light: 9
Sound: 9
Total: 9.3 / 10

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All Pictures by Nastja Iz