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KMFDM - Tohuvabohu review



Reviewer:
N/A

40 users:
7.9
Band: KMFDM
Album: Tohuvabohu
Style: EBM, Industrial metal
Release date: August 2007


01. Super Power
02. Looking For Strange
03. Tohuvabohu
04. I Am What I Am
05. Saft Und Kraft
06. Headcase
07. Los Niños Del Parque
08. Not In My Name
09. Spit Or Swallow
10. Fait Accompli
11. Bumaye

The last few KMFDM albums offered us music that was a bit problematic. Sure - they were produced and performed flawlessly and had plenty of that (now slightly outdated) humour; however, they offered little in the way of experimentation or innovation. WWIII and Hau Ruck were a little bit like the iPods of industrial metal - stylish and familiar, but without any risky cutting-edge features. Luckily, Sascha Konietzko and co. seem to have realized the error of their ways and the result, Tohuvabohu, is more like one of those Chinese personal media players that can be worn as watches and include a lighter and pocket knife. In other words, this album is more Symbols and Money than Nihil and XTORT.

"Looking For Strange" recalls the pop hits of the 80s if Kraftwerk had a sexy female vocalist, the title track tackles Teutonic techno, "Not In My Name" sounds like Ladytron with metal guitars and finally, "Bumaye", with its operatic mood and epic bombast, might be the best track KMFDM laid to tape to this date. Crush object Lucia Cifarelli (or is it Lucia Konietzko now?) offers even more vocals here than on previous albums and as usual, her performance marks a noticeable improvement over the previous record. Long gone are the days of her insecure singing from MDFMK - she now is fully capable of adapting a suitable voice to whatever genre is thrown at her, with plenty of class and style. Meanwhile, Kaptn. K. is still his old self, offering appropriately shouted and yelled punk vocals to tracks like "Saft Und Craft" and "Spit Or Swallow".

Like all more experimental records by notable bands, Tohuvabohu also has its share of small faults but frankly, they are so superfluous as to be easily ignored. This album should be considered one of the best in KMFDM's long discography, in the same way that Kolsch is royalty among ales. Recommended not only to fans - hell, not only to fans of industrial or metal either. Who would have guessed KMFDM would once again sound vital and relevant?





Written on 23.01.2008 by With Metal Storm since 2002, jupitreas has been subjecting the masses to his reviews for quite a while now. He lives in Warsaw, Poland, where he does his best to avoid prosecution for being so cool.


Comments

Comments: 3   Visited by: 108 users
23.01.2008 - 22:01
Rating: 8
Slyfang

''Who would have guessed KMFDM would once again sound vital and relevant?''

ME!
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24.01.2008 - 15:22
destroyah
supercharger
Heh, "Tohuvabohu" means "a mess" in Estonian...
----
About me:

"The best out of all the people ever" - Washington Post

"We abandoned Christ for Destroyah's love!" - The Watchtower

"Simply amazing!" - Rolling Stone
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28.01.2008 - 19:13
Kap'N Korrupt
Account deleted
Interesting opinion on the last few KMFDM albums jup...I think they were fuckin' awesome myself...'the iPods of industrial metal'? o...k...
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