It’s funny and wonderful when a band come up on your recommendations; you end up liking them that much, you end up down a rabbit hole. The latest band to mark that within me SCHATTENMANN, it was the song Dia De Muertos that drew me in and reminded me they have a new album coming out soon. This is the one I am going to tell you more about in one of my rare track by track reviews.
As I mentioned earlier, the title track is what drew me to the band in the first instance and I will tell you why. Their loud, bombastic industrial beats with a trumpet melody that brings Mexico to mind caught and kept my attention. FEUERSCHWANZ after dark came to mind as well.
Given what I had experienced in the first track, I thought Jeder Is Schlect was going to sound similar. I could not have been more wrong and I am glad of that. From this point, I realised this was going to be one of those records where anything can come around the corner. This energy booster will get you moving, even in this heatwave we are experiencing in the UK at the time this is being written. I challenge you to sit still during this track. I have tried, it’s impossible.
From the moment Haende Hoch started, I knew this track was going to be a hit at live shows. The melody is incredibly catchy and will get everyone dancing. This track brings bands such as FALL OUT BOY and PANIC AT THE DISCO to mind if they had RAMMSTEIN’s beats.
Menschenhasser brings a whole lot of nostalgia to me as it reminds of the bands I listened to a lot as my music taste was developing and growing. In particular, AFI song Miss Murder; there are similar vibes from this track as in it helped me find that release and let me escape reality for a little while.
The vast sounding Damonen brings Stranger Things to mind, especially being in the Vecna’s mind. There are also hints of the band SEETHER in this track; this is down to the similar style vocals and melody that this track displays. The faster part of this track could indicate the protagonist is running out of time if this was in a film or TV show.
If LORD OF THE LOST, RAMMSTEIN and FEUERSCHWANZ had all somehow conceived demonic offspring, Meer aus Licht will give you a strong idea on what that would sound like. The reason this statement has been made is down to the pumping rhythms, similar style vocals and the catchy melody that will be swimming around in your head for days. Like with Jeder Is Schlect, I challenge you to sit still during this track.
The demonic offspring of the bands I mentioned previously can be heard in Haters Gonna Hate too. It even has the lyric “du hast”. The lower vocals along to the pumping rhythms kept and caught my attention.
When first hearing Dickpic, I was confused yet in awe. Imagine if a cutesy Japanese TV show meshed with a huge dose of Industrial Metal, this is what this track displays. It also kept me on my toes, and it shows you can’t always know what to expect on this record.
In deinem Schatten helps you to reflect on what’s happened. The melody starts off as if you are about to head into an epic battle, the intro wouldn’t be out of place in a retro video game. The rest of the melody is fantastic and brings emotions to the surface.
Right up until the very last track Ewigkeit, the band keep us guessing. Imagine if EVANESCENCE track Bring Me To Life and Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells mixed together and then a huge does of industrial metal was added. This should give you an idea on what that sounds like.
Dia De Muertos is a fantastic record and will most certainly be checking out the rest of SCHATTENMANN’s discography. This is the third record this year that’s taught me to try things outside of my comfort zone and embrace the unknown. I encourage you to do the same.
Rating: 9/10
Words: Lotty Whittingham
Dia De Muertos will be released 30th June 2023 via AFM Records.
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