Title: Puppenspiel
Artist: Unheilig
Genre: Electro / Rock
Release Date: 22nd February 2008
Label: Four Rock
Introduction
In 1999, the first sign of life of UNHEILIG appeared in the form of the first single ‘Sage Ja!’ which became a smash hit in the clubs and stayed in the DAC charts for several weeks. The first album ‘Phosphor’ was released in 2001, followed by live appearances on various festivals and open-air events. The second album ‘Das zweite Gebot’ was released in 2003 and was presented to the fans on a tour together with L’ame Immortelle. ‘Zelluloid’, the third album, followed in 2004 together with a tour with Terminal Choice. In 2005, the time had come for the release of a Live CD and DVD. The next regular studio release was called ‘Moderne Zeiten’ and has been released in January 2006. UNHEILIG went on tour as a headliner for the first time to play the new songs live. In 2006, Der Graf (The Count) retreated to his studio to work on the new album ‘Puppenspiel’ and only appeared for a few concerts. The work is now finished and ‘Puppenspiel’ is close to release.
Members
Der Graf - Production, Arrangements, Vocals, Lyrics
and several live members
Website
http://www.unheilig.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/unheilig
Track Review
01. Vorhang auf
This one has the function of an introduction though it has a small text and starts out with only strings and a quiet percussion like beat to become faster with a more solid beat using a distortion effect and in addition female chorals also appear.
02. Puppenspieler
The Puppet Masters scour through the lands and come to every city and every town to tell the stories written by life in a different way, mostly with a happy end because that’s what we all want… a happy ending. ‘Puppenspieler’ picks up the elements of ‘Vorhang auf’ and is therefore a continuation of the sound, incorporating also harsh riffing and straight fast-paced electronic beats.
03. Spiegelbild
The song fades in with a mid-tempo rhythm together with rocking riffs and dark, dramatic strings before ‘Der Graf’ starts the chant with a deep and dark vocal style. But the mood changes at the chorus parts, when the strings become more mighty and melancholic, while the vocals are now changing to a cleaner style.
04. Dein Clown
When you’re sad then I should be the one to lift you up and put a smile on your face and you’re not interested what’s going on behind the make-up as long as I make you happy but I don’t want to be your clown anymore and I don’t want to smile, when I feel like crying. The track continues the tradition of combing a straight dance beat with harsh riffs and some low atmospheric layers in the back accompanied by bells. Always with the distinctive voice of ‘Der Graf’.
05. Sei mein Licht
A light can be just something that lights up the dark, but in a symbolic way it can also stand for a very special person on your life that guides your way back into life, when everything around you falls apart. A very slow beat is the base for longing and spherical synth lines and layers and make this tune a very dreamy ballad where also small piano lines fill the atmosphere with their sounds.
06. Fang mich auf
Further on with one of those songs of the kind that invites you to dance along to it, carried by a straight beat combined with some guitar riffs, having a similarity to one of those dance songs before using the same kind of basic elements. On top of that you’ll get male choirs and mighty strings in the chorus.
07. Feuerengel
Many of us had one, when we were children. One of those imaginary beings, only we could see and, who protected us. In this case, such a being comes in the form of a fire angle. The sound of ‘Feuerengel’ has something epic to it because of the extensive use of strings of any shade. One time darker or changing to a more layered type underlined with gentle piano chords and mid-tempo beats.
08. Kleine Puppe
‘Kleine Puppe’ has a similarity to ‘Fang mich auf’ in my opinion. It uses the same basic beat patterns, but with a slightly different tempo and fills them with some of those driving synth lines, some guitar riffs and a catchy hook accentuated by choirs.
09. An deiner Seite
You fought bravely but unfortunately it was in vain. You were a good and loyal friend for a big part of my life and you always stood by my side. But now the moment I hoped would never come has arrived and when you will close your eyes forever I will be by your side, so that the last person you’ll see will be me. I will never forget you...sleep well my friend. A rather sad text and so is the musical accentuation. Mostly very fragile, only with the fragile chant and spherical piano lines, but later on also strings and acoustic guitars appear before a slower beat and guitar riffs set in, though I think the riffs don’t fit to the mood of the song.
10. Die Bestie
The beast… or better the dark side that lurks inside all of us. Sounds already very dark and menacing and the song has indeed a threatening undertone. You’re actually waiting for a breakout but it doesn’t come, but the menacing feeling remains. The rhythmic patterns, though they’re pretty straight seem to have some more layers compared to the other songs and the orchestral elements add to increase the overall dark mood.
11. Lampenfieber
I can imagine this song will be loved, when it’s played live. The pumping beat will boost the adrenaline of the attending fans to the maximum and the will not be able to resist the call to move their feet right away and dance as if there would be no tomorrow. I can’t come to like that song but in the end that’s only a matter of taste.
12. Wie viele Jahre
He promised you a new life and hope. He said exactly, what you wanted to hear, but he’s just manipulating you, so you will follow his path, believe in everything he says and do what he wants you to do. How many years does it take until you comprehend? Gentle acoustic guitars and male choirs are the only companions of the vocals before a slow electronic beat appears and after a while gets more solid.
13. Der Vorhang fällt
‘Der Vorhang fällt’ welcomes you with a mixture of melancholic female choirs, acoustic guitar parts and gentle beats with some guitar riffs with the clean and restrained vocals of ‘Der Graf’ on top not forgetting the piano chords. The laid-back beats become more present in the chorus and some more orchestral string arrangements appear as well.
14. Memoria (Instrumental)
The album concludes with a instrumental picking up some of the elements already heard on the first track of the album ‘Vorhang auf’ like the lightly distorted beat pattern or some of the synth lines but expands it with mighty orchestral string arrangements, choirs, guitar chords and piano sounds.
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 5
Sound: 5
Extras: -
Total: 5
Conclusion
It’s not an album that knocked my socks off except for ‘An deiner Seite’ which reminds me of something, that happened not so long ago. To came back to the other songs: There is a clear progression in the production, that is fresher and more up-to-date but apart from that not much has changed in my humble opinion. The songs are switching between danceable and melancholic, while the more danceable sounds sound rather similar. If you didn’t like UNHEILIG before, this surely won’t change your mind. For the fans it’s a must have anyway.
Sebastian Huhn
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