Title: Silence, Beauty & Cruelty
Artist: Nordschlacht
Genre: Electronic
Release Date: 11th February 2008
Label: Klangdynamik Records
Introduction
The due NORDSCHLACHT is based in South Germany and each of the two members Arnte and Schmoun have also been involved in several other side projects before they joined forces in 2005. In 2007 they were signed by the young German label Klangdynamik Records and after the release had to be postponed several times the album was finally released in February 2008.
Members
Arnte - Programming, Vocals
Schmoun - Lyrics, Keys, Vocals
Website
http://www.nordschlacht.de/ / http://www.myspace.com/nordschlacht
Track Review
01. Fortune of Humanity - 5:13
This instrumental track serves as a kind of introduction and already shows you some of the things you can expect to appear on the album. Extended atmospheric layers spreading out accompanied by casually appearing strings and underlined with variable drum programming
02. Forrester - 4:08
“We try to describe our world in a System” …reducing unbelievable processes to equation so our mind is able to comprehend and now we think we can predict anything with those equations. But nature is as unpredictable as the human species is. Started by various drum patterns the track later evolves into a blend of both ambience and complex drumming
03. String Theory (Album Mix) - 5:29
The curiosity to find out what the world is made of and how it works is as old as mankind is. The String Theory is an approach to describe the fundamental building blocks our world consists of. In that yet incomplete theory they’re described as one dimensional vibrating objects (Strings)…The track gets a bit faster and more rhythmic in terms of the drum programming but still there are the hovering strings and chorals giving the track a dark atmosphere.
04. Don’t let it go - 4:33
…is a very dreamy balladry track in which you can loose yourself completely once it has started. This time the vocals are performed by Schmoun. She adds another facet to the sound with her clean chant contrary to Arnte’s distorted vocals. Very subtle drum programming on this one and an increased amount of atmosphere.
05. Strokes - 4:42
What will happen to mankind in the future? Well I really don’t know but if we go on like we are doing it right now, there will be no bigger future for us. We systematically destroy our planet and now nature strikes back and it will be even worse in the years to come. We’re too busy with ourselves to actually recognize the signs and to be honest: I sometimes think that it would be better for mankind to disappear from the face of the earth. WE go on with another slow-ish track with laid-back, almost gentle beats and mighty pad and strings spreading a cold atmosphere. A nice piano sequence was built in as well this time.
06. Collapsing Centuries - 4:27
“…when skies are falling down” then the sun of life has set a long time ago and now the life span of the sun is drawing to a close as well. After burning for billions of years this biggest of all stars will die in an explosion we call a supernova, wiping out the whole solar system and all that’s left is the blackness of Space. The atmosphere is dominating everything. It’s so overwhelming you’re almost forgetting everything else while listening to the song.
07. Existence - 4:10
Where do we come from? How was life created? Foe some the right question would actually be who. That’s a controversial discussed topic these days: Darwinism against creationism. People who do rather believe in a supernatural entity creating the world and all life on it in seven days against the evolutionary biology. What do you believe? A monotonous synth line followed by more punchy drums mark the beginning of ‘Existence’. Vocals are still distorted but much louder in the mix. The atmosphere seems to be impervious and sends cold shivers over your body
08. Conclusion - 4:34
The track directly starts with a beat sounding like those synths back in the 90s shortly followed by the full drum set, which already displays a wide range of sounds from the beginning. Slowly a low melody fades evolving into a much denser atmospheric layer, when the instrumental passage ends and Arnte starts to perform the vocal. Very melodic parts always alternate with atmospheric ones but I have to say the latter are way more numerous.
09. Adrenaline Overdose - 5:05
At first sight this song seems to be as atmospheric as the others and yes we have atmosphere here as well but the track turns out to be the ‘Hardest’ on the whole album, displaying a much more angry vocal style and less melodies. Monotonous synth lines and faster drum programming including break beats are another specialty of the track.
10. The Sear and Yellow Leaf - 6:56
The vacation to the harder territories finds its early end with “The Sear and Yellow Leaf”, the probably calmest track on the album. More halting and provided with a certain punch – if I may call that this way - leads you all the way through the song. This time they’re experimenting a bit with differently manipulated vocal parts. And on top of that, the already well-known and complex atmospheres embracing you completely.
11. Last Goodbye - 4:54
...Follows a similar road and is also very calm and slow but something has changed you just can’t get rid of the thought, that a painful event from the past was the foundation for the lyrics but there also seems to be a small glimpse of hope shimmering in the dark. The hope to see the light again one day and to leave all the pain behind. The drums have been programmed very gentle to give more room for the extended synth layers to unfold their full effect. The vocals are as usual distorted.
12. Determine - 4:54
It all begins with a fusion of chorals and some kind of pad sound if I’m not mistaken to be joined by more layers and sounds before a slower beat kicks in. Ante performs the vocals in the usual way and is surrounded by many sounds that it’s to keep your attention focussed on the vocals and not letting your senses drift away.
13. Causality Paradox - 6:26
The causality defines the relation between ‘Cause’ & ‘Effect’. Causality always has a fixed chronological direction, so an effect always has one or more causes preceding it. A Causality paradox would mean the effect would take place before the cause even occurs i.e. Someone would die of a shot in the head before the bullet even left the gun or something like that: For the last ‘Regular’ track on the album Arnte hands over the microphone to Schmoun and what can I say?? It has all the trademarks: Varied drum programming and lots of melodies.
14. Forrester (Faze RMX) - 5:15
The Faze Remix of ‘Forrester is a bit straighter and club oriented compared to the original and the melodies almost totally disappeared except for some passages and sounds.
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 9
Conclusion
The duo delivers an impressing debut with ‘Silence, Beauty & Cruelty’ that is far from being mediocre or boring in any way. This is definitely no release for the clubs as they are way too complex and intricate for that, so put the CD in your Player and enjoy it at home. Another specialty of the duo seems o be the creation of multilayered atmospheres of which they make extensive use. I hope we’ll soon hear more of this promising duo from South Germany.
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