CD Review: KMFDM - WTF?!

Written by Petra Whiteley Thursday, 21 April 2011 08:16

PDF | Print |

Artist: KMFDM
Title: WTF?!
Genre: Industrial / Industrial Metal
Release Date: 29th April 2011 (European Release)
Label: KMFDM Records / Dependent

Album Review

KMFDM is hardly a band that needs an introduction, the legendary Industrial outfit has gained a cult status and has disseminated 17 albums -including this new one ‘WTF?!’ into the consciousness of the eager masses. Their new album starts with ‘Krank’ which has been released last month as a single, a very typical KMFDM song that brings a use of a Morse-code as its surprising element, unfortunately these days most might just about be familiar with its S.O.S. sound, but nothing else. Listeners may have already also heard ‘Rebels in Control’ as it was uploaded on the band’s website in December in support of beleaguered Wikileaks. Also a remix by ROTERSAND of ‘Come On - Go Off’ featured on Dependent Record’s compilation (Feb, 2011) gave a “taste” of this album already.

The album as many of their other albums could well be a soundtrack to a dystopic film based in some urban Hell or accompanying listening for such a novel. ‘WTF?!’ is very dark, heavy with foreboding build-ups that turn the darkness up or down so as to hammer their ferocious music into your head so it throbs like a microscopic Sun’s explosion but not so much as to burst your brain out as an abstract splash of sticky stuff and crimson print on the wall and making a metaphysical crime scene out of you. ‘Take It Like A Man’ is one of the (seemingly) lighter track definitely meant for the dance floor. It’s superbly dominated by Lucia Cifarelli’s vocals dishing the lashing irony that permeates the album out uncompromisingly. KMFDM has previously experimented with the way different languages sound with their music so don’t be surprised when you hear ‘Panzerfaust’ to flirt with Italian. It’s one of my favourite tracks here with its absolute menacing and thick atmosphere, it’s claustrophobic, but (maybe weirdly) in an enjoyable way.

The album has also seen collaboration with other artists, one of them that I’d want to mention in particular is ‘Spectre’. William Wilson from LEGION WITHIN is the artist that lent his vocals and lyrics that are giving the superb flavour to the song. It’s a sonically layered song, one of the very cinematic kinds in the way it stimulates one’s imagination. One of the songs I’ve enjoyed the most here. ‘Amnesia’ is rightly described as “anthemic”, visceral song with a relentless drive, beat and shredding. ‘Death & Burial Of C.R.’ closes the album, its lyrics are said to be based on a nursery rhyme to “Who Killed Cock Robin”, a parable involving a murder of a man and a fall of a government according to some theories or events of 18th Century of yet another theorising about the song (French Revolution, Napoleonic Wars, British expansion - to cut it short - a century with some of the most radical changes in history). I can only talk about the background as the last song was missing from the promo material to review, so it’s as much a mystery to me as it might be to you.

The mastermind of KMFDM Sasha Konietzko has pronounced their latest effort as “the most powerful and dominate sonic statement” to date. It is for sure a solid release bursting with power and determination and a strong commentary on the world we live in, maybe it is strongest in its damning of it, but musically they are not far of their centre and typical sound, which is not a bad thing. They’ve innovated enough, now it’s time to build up the fortress.’ WTF?!’ is a sure must-have not only because it’s from the mainstays of Industrial scene, but because it’s fucking great!


Tracklist

01. Krank – 5.08
02. Come On – Go Off – 4.16
03. Rebels In Control – 4.43
04. Lynchmob – 4.43
05. Take It Like A Man – 4.54
06. Vive La Mort! – 3.47
07. Dystopia – 4.05
08. Panzerfaust – 4.08
09. Spectre – 4.07
10. Amnesia – 5.02
11. Death & Burial of C.R.


Line-up

Sascha Konietzko - vocals/programming
Lucia Cifarelli - vocals, sound manipulation
Jules Hodgson - guitar
Andy Selway - drums
Steve White - guitars


Websites

http://kmfdm.net / http://www.myspace.com/officialkmfdm


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 9
Sound: 10
Total: 9.5 /10