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"This is OOMPH!'s 15th studio album, but 'Richter Und Henker' is hardly exciting and lacks subtlety or even inspiration."
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2/5
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Four years after their previous album, 'Ritual', German indus combo OOMPH! from Brunswick return with 'Richter Und Henker', their fifteenth studio album, the second recorded on the explosive Napalm label. This longevity has not always been a guarantee of success, however, as the trio have too often been seen as clones of their big brother Rammstein, even though he formed after it. There is one element that could bring a little renewal, however: Dero, the band's historic singer, has thrown in the towel, replaced by a certain Daniel 'Der' Schulz.
As on previous albums, the listener is taken on a wild ride. Despite their heavy, indus sounds, the band's compositions are very clear, notably with the use of keyboards that don't make things too heavy, sometimes adding a danceable dimension ('Nur Ein Mensch'). A pop-rock aspect (particularly on the choruses) is also to the credit of the successes ('Wo Die Angst Gewinnt'). On the eponymous track, choppy riffs launch brighter choruses. The newcomer's vocals bear a striking resemblance to those of Kaiser Til, particularly in certain intonations, but his voice differs from Dero's, being deeper and less guttural.
It's a fairly fluid listen, but the compositions lack a bit of consistency. At times, OOMPH! seems to have switched to autopilot ('Soll Das Liebe Sein?' despite the punctuation of the keyboards). The presence of Joachim Witt on 'Wut', or Chris Arms (Lord of the Lost - Eurovision 2023) on 'Europa' is not really convincing. What's more, the album's length - 55 minutes - doesn't work in its favour. However, the band end their run with a track haunted by female vocals and doom sounds, 'Seine Seele', the most original composition on the opus, which unfortunately comes a little late.
The album is a pleasant enough listen, with a successful change of frontman, but the listener is left cruelly wanting more. On the one hand, OOMPH! are still having trouble distinguishing themselves from Rammstein, and on the other they're struggling to find a little more subtlety to transport us into their world of light and darkness. And it's all the more frustrating because the band has a lot of potential and a lot of likeability. Let's hope for a miracle on their 16th album.... - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Wem die Stunde Schlägt
02. Richter und Henker
03. Soll das Liebe Sein?
04. Nur Ein Mensch
05. Schrei nur Schrei
06. Nichts wird mehr Gut
07. Sag Jetzt Einfach Nichts
08. Es ist Nichts, Wie es Scheint
09. Wo. die Angst Gewinnt
10. All die Jahre
11. Wut
12. Ein klein bisschen Glück
LINEUP:
Andreas Crap: Guitares / Claviers
Der Schulz: Chant
Robert Flux: Guitares / Basse / Samplers
Joachim Witt: Chant / Invité
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READERS
-/5 (0 view(s))
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STAFF:
2.7/5 (3 view(s))
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