Artist: Letzte Instanz
Album: 15 Jahre Brachialromantik
Genre: Folk Rock/ Crossover
Release Date: 23th August 2013
Label: Drakkar (Sony Music)
Album Review
It’s an abominable and hilarious phenomenon of the recent years that some bands or musicians, who exist only a couple of years, are releasing “Best of” albums when you think “What? They are still beginners. Or do they want to stop making music now?” But here we have a band who released their best of album in a perfect time. Looking back on a musical history of 15 years and 11 studio albums it is a good decision to do so. And personally I prefer to have an album in my hands and musing about the title like “15 years already? Well, it seemed to me like yesterday when I heard them first. How time flies…”. And of course the other advantage of a “best of” album is to receive a good overview of the creative development of an artist/ band throughout the years. During a decade and a half they had several changes of musicians which certainly had an influence on their music. So you find influences of Medieval Rock, Folk, Nu Metal and even some Electronic Rock in their songs.
The title of the album consists of a paradox: ‘15 years of brute romanticism’ but somehow it describes perfectly their music. Most songs are about love (what else?) but before the songs are drifting away to be too kitschy, especially as most of the time the violin and cello are dominant instruments of the sound of LETZTE INSTANZ, they are imbedded in crashing guitar sound. But nevertheless there are some songs where you come up with the idea that they probably tried to reach more acknowledgement to a greater audience or to say it differently: step out of the independent domain into the mainstream of German “Schlager” music. Especially the song ‘Wir sind allein’ (We are alone) - a cover version of the INCHTAPOKATABLES’s song ‘You chained me up’ - with the children’s choir is really very mainstream. So while I was listening to the album I was quite torn between “Oh yes, I like that!” and “Oh no, this is just too cheesy/ too mainstream!” but in the end I have to say that even the songs, that might be more pleasing for common radio charts listeners, are catchy songs and I found myself humming or singing along with them.
And for real I like music where instruments are combined that are coming actually from different musical genres and so I like their combination of electric guitars, violin and cello. Of course their song ‘Das Stimmlein’ with the guest singers Eric Fish (SUBWAY TO SALLY), Sven Friedrich (ZERAPHINE/ DREADFUL SHADOWS/ SOLAR FAKE) and Thomas Lindner (SCHANDMAUL) found its way on this album, too. They did not only put a lot of “old” songs on this compilation but present three songs (Mein Todestag, Kopfkino, In meiner Erinnerung) in a new interpreted way and ‘Geigenschüler’ as a remixed version. Thus it is a kind of bonus for the fans who already have all the albums and for those who just discover LETZTE INSTANZ with this best of album as it might make them curious how the original versions are like.
Tracklist
01. Flucht ins Glück
02. Der Garten
03. Von Anfang an
04. Neue Helden
05. Komm
06. Das Stimmlein
07. Sonne
08. Ohne Dich
09. Kalter Glanz (Acoustic version)
10. Mein Todestag (Version 2013)
11. Kopfkino (Version 2013)
12. In meiner Erinnerung (Version 2013)
13. Für immer und ewig (Version 2013)
14. Diamanten
15. Blind
16. Wir sind allein
17. Schau in mein Gesicht
18. Sing!
19. Geigenschüler (Educational Remix by R.U. Sirius)
Line-up
Holly (Rainer Stefan Loose) - Vocals
Holly D. (Holger Lieberenz) - Acoustic guitar, vocals
Oli (Oliver Schmidt) - Electro guitar
M. Stolz (Rico Schwibs) - Violin
Benni Cellini (Benni Gerlach) - Cello
Michael Ende - Bass
David Pätsch - Drums
Website
http://www.letzte-instanz.de / https://www.facebook.com/letzteinstanz
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 7.5
Sound: 9
Total: 8 / 10
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