CVLT Nation’s Top 6 German Releases of 2012

Another year’s nearly gone by, and I have the honour of compiling CVLT Nation’s top 6 of German releases. I’ve tried to include releases from at least somewhat differing genres, as well as different formats (not just full length records) and also from new, exciting bands as well as established acts. Of course, a top six can never be complete, considering the huge amount of records released in one year, and naturally these choices are completely and utterly subjective. There are a bunch of other records I could have put easily on this list as well: O, Red Apollo or White Fields for example all released amazing records this year, but somehow I had to make decisions. Let us know in the comments section which records would have been on your top 6 German releases list and if we might agree on one or another! Oh and I cheated here and there a tiny bit, but I guess it should be fine with the golden rules of best-of-listing. Let’s go:

JUNGBLUTH and SCHRAPNELL demos (both self released)
Yeah I know I’m already cheating by putting two releases on one spot. But since both are “only” demos, both bands are from the same city (Münster) and both are somehow connected to the amazing, but regrettably shelved Alpinist, it seems to be alright for me. And for damn sure it’s alright when you listen to the tunes these new bands put out on tape and the internet.

SCHRAPNELL play this kind of fast and mean Hardcore-Punk that makes the kids go wild and your mom beg to stop that noise. The drums keep pressing the songs forward, while the guitars are shredding riffs that could be of some lost early 80ies Discharge demos, with hints of nightmare’ish melodies creeping underneath. The back and forth between really deep, almost guttural roaring and high pitched female vocals remind me of bands like Despise You and give these eight songs a nice twist. The lyrics are in English and German, occasionally at the same time, and deal mostly with the general deceit of society and the world’s demise. It’s a Punk thing, you’ll never understand but thankfully circle-pit to, that’s a promise.

Listen to Die Welt brennt by Schrapnell:
die welt brennt by SCHRAPNELL – TONSPUR

JUNGBLUTH is tending towards a vaguely similar direction, but whereas Schrapnell have this really raw, crusty feeling, JUNGBLUTH take a more modern approach in the vein of From Ashes Rise and German bands like Trainwreck or, er…, Alpinist. Very speedy, melodic Hardcore with brutal vocals and a darkened sound of bloody knuckles, headaches and angst, delivering a very desperate, angry feeling that grabs you by the throat while hitting you relentlessly in the guts. The guys in JUNGBLUTH know exactly how to build up tension in a song and how to put so much emotion into every single riff and word that you can’t do nothing else but listen in awe. The musicianship is really excellent, as are the lyrics – in German and English as well. This demo is so flawless I really don’t know much more to write (better check out Bruce Wolfbiter’s review here). Probably the next big thing.

Listen to Ueberstellung by Jungbluth:
Ueberstellung by Jungbluth

 
DEATHRITE’s songs on their split 7” with Goldust (Per Koro/Cobra)
I’m biased with this one so I’ll only refer to the DEATHRITE side of the split, and that because these two songs are not only the heaviest bastards my East German friends ever recorded, but also the most brutal, throat-punching stuff to come out of Germany for years. This ain’t no whiny modern Hardcore, no gooey Post Metal, no pathetic back-to-the-80ies art school Post Punk. These two songs hit you unexpected like a cargo train at a summer picnic, with no-frills brutality and a maximum load of rage smashing you in your ugly face. Death Metal riffs, Hardcore immediacy and Punk attitude go hand in hand to create something huge. And vile. And hard. DEATHRITE’s appearance on this year’s Fluff Fest almost laid the festival ground to waste. Don’t miss this one out.

Listen to Plagues by Deathrite:
plagues by DEATHRITE

 
KREATOR – Phantom Antichrist LP (Nuclear Blast)
There’s no chance in denial – I LOVE the (German) kings of Thrash, KREATOR. I guess I have to tell no one with at least a basic education in Metal how important KREATOR were for the development of extreme Metal. And even though they also released a bunch of rather strange records during their career, they are back with a bang, at least since 2009’s Hordes Of Chaos, and for damn sure with this Thrash Metal masterpiece entitled Phantom Antichrist. KREATOR deliver the best (!) riffs, the most remarkable songs and Mille’s vocals just seem to get better with age. I mean seriously, this is better than everything Slayer, Metallica, Exodus and Anthrax have recorded all together within the last 20 years (which would be since 1992, and now you know I’m right). This record lacks neither power, nor melody, nor severity. Damn I love everything about it, from the über-ripping drumming to the perfect solos and fist-pumping hooks, brought forth with this lovely German accent that goes hand in hand so well with my Germanised English writing. If you bought only one Thrash Metal record this year, I really hope you chose Phantom Antichrist.

Sorry, no embeddable stream available for this one.

 
THROWERS – Prosaic Materialists/Rudimentary Bodies 10“ EP (Vendetta)
This band from Leipzig is doubtlessly one of the most promising Hardcore bands at the moment – and this record is pointing out why. Prosaic Materialists/Rudimentary Bodies scores on basically every level: Disillusionment, anger and huge amount of not giving any fucks reign the mood on this EP, and as we all know those are just the right ingredients to create thrilling music. The backbone of THROWERS’ output is twisted and dark Hardcore Punk, not unlike Coliseum for example. THROWERS’ greatest strength are the guitars in my opinion: Although the riffs are impelling and seem to be quite straight forward at first sight, they are really outstanding and tricky, too. There’s always something twisting and turning about those riffs, just to be buried under tons of power-chords shortly after. This permanent up and down makes the four songs highly dynamic and lively, yet they always keep this certain feeling only few bands attain. The excellent production supports this aspect even more. THROWERS are standing in the “tradition” of exciting German Hardcore bands like Perth Express or Trainwreck and hopefully deliver us some more music of the same quality as Prosaic Materialists/Rudimentary Bodies.

Listen to Raven by Throwers:
Raven by THROWERS

 
HOLLOW BONE – Sacer LP (Edition Gris)
Okay, this band isn’t exactly from Germany but from Switzerland. But at least from the German speaking (well, sort of) part of it. And since there most probably won’t be a top 6 of Swiz releases posted here and Sacer is such an intense record, I decided to include it here in my list anyway. Sacer is a true celebration of darkness and melancholy. Synth-laden, incredible gloomy music with low-pitched vocals and pretty much unagitated beats that takes influences from the more electronic side Post Punk and Neo Folk as well as early industrial. I think there are some electric guitars to be heard as well, but the focus of this record lies surely not on riffs but on atmospheres. In my book Sacer is a perfect Goth record: It is very dark, haunting and sublime, but thankfully very far away from all the embarrassing, pathetic crap that goes under the same banner. I don’t know much about HOLLOW BONE, their influences, surrounding and so forth. But Sacer is a very moving record I listened to a lot this year – and that’s all I need to know about it.

Listen to Before Darkness by Hollow Bone:
Before Darkness by Hollow Bone

 
PLANKS – Funeral Mouth LP (Golden Antenna)
Putting this album on the list is a no-brainer, really. Receiving outstanding reviews from all sides – underground publications, big rock magazines, blogs and fans around the globe alike – one might be tempted to feature Funeral Mouth here no matter if it fits one’s personal taste or not. Usually I get warily if literally everybody around (and even not really around) me praises a record the way it happened (and still happens) with PLANKS’ newest album. But the trio just hit exactly the right spot to bring together Metal heads, Hardcore kids, Post Metal aficionados, Crust Punks, hell even Post Punk and Dark Wave connoisseurs to celebrate with them the fading of light and the omnipresence of death in ten heavy, nihilistic, sombre and incredible emotive tracks. It’s really astonishing how PLANKS manage to combine all the genres mentioned above and forge self-contained, accentuated songs out of all these different influences – without ever getting lost along the way or losing balance. Funeral Mouth shows a lot of what I’d call “pop-sensitivity” woven into all the blackened riffage going on: It’s the subtle melodies and the clever song-writing that set PLANKS off against other bands that somehow combine Black Metal and Post Punk. I know I said I won’t rank the records – but if I’d have to do, PLANKS’ Funeral Mouth would definitely make no. 1, no contest. This album is so much my cup of coffee I want to drown in it.

Listen to Funeral Mouth by Planks:
Funeral Mouth by Planks