On disc: Crematory

 
 Illusions
 
- Volker Raabe -
 
 


 
 Awake
 
- Volker Raabe -
 
 


 
 Infinity
 
- Carsten Bahr -
 
 


 
 Infinity
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Black Pearls
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 

Black Pearls

(Massacre Records - 2010)



 
 

 

German outfit Crematory is celebrating their 20th anniversary with a best-of album. Black Pearls is a suitable album title for this kind of release and on the double CD you'll find 32 tracks which cover their whole career. Additionally they have a DVD with video clips, two live concerts and bonus material - at least that's the info I got, coz I only have the audio for reviewing.

In 20 years a band changes musically and so the tracks on the best-of document this, even if they didn't offer them in a chronological way. So they open up with the title track of their latest studio album, and even present tracks from their debut and 2 cover versions - Temple Of Love (Sisters Of Mercy) and Black Celebration (Depeche Mode). Songs from their albums with German lyrics among their English songs, tracks with electronic sound are next to songs which can be labeled melodic death metal. They really show the whole sound spectrum of Crematory and with the DVD it's really a treat for Crematory fans. Metal fans who have difficulties with the Crematory sound won't be persuaded and aren't the target group. Black Pearls is a kind of retrospective and with 11 studio albums they had a lot songs to choose from, but you'll find some songs on this best-of which were already on Remind, their 2001 released best-of which is still available. And there are 11 tracks which were already featured at Remind - and that's a little disappointing, coz they have so many other songs to choose from. Personally I prefer best-of albums which have some alternate versions, something special, coz fans can do their own best-of off album versions. The DVD is a different story, so it's up to you, if you buy Black Peals or not. For someone how only owes a few of their albums, it's definitely a good way to learn more about Crematory!





Track list:



Infinity

Fly

Tears Of Time

Höllenbrand

Eyes Of Suffering

Left The Ground

Sense Of Time

Greed

Shadows Of Mine

Pray

Ist Es Wahr

Temple Of Love

Tick Tack

The Fallen

Kein Liebeslied

Perils Of Wind

When Darkness Falls

Deformity

Kaltes Feuer

For Love

I Never Die

In My Hands

Open Your Eyes

Caroline

Ewigkeit

Black Celebration

The Holy One

Endless

Revolution

My Way

Hoffnungen

Away






 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 













Infinity

(Massacre Records - 2010)



 
 

 

When Crematory started back in the early 90's they combined gothic and death metal, later they musically changed. Right from the start Crematory was a band which divided the metal fans - some love 'em, some hate 'em.

Now Crematory have a new album out - Infinity. They kick off with the title track which shows Crematory with a modern touch, clean vocals by guitarist Matthias Hechler and growls as always by Felix Stass. Due to the modern riffing and the clean vocals Crematory do have a NDH-kinda sound here. At Sense Of Time they are quite melodic, especially the clean vocals are catchy. Heavy riffs and keyboard melodies build the playground for the vocals, a modern gothic metal tune. Crematory added electro sounds through the years and at the Depeche Mode cover Black Celebration they can show more electronic sounds as usual, but their version has heavy riffs and the growls make it even heavier. Quite cool!

At Never Look Back they turn even more to NDH sounds, again it's the contrast between Felix' growls and Matthias' clean vocals. A symphonic mid-paced tune is Broken Halo which features Matthias' vocals and shows Crematory melodic and melancholy. The following Where Are You Now? is the fasted track I ever heard of Crematory and is closer to In Flames and the Gothenburg school then to the electro gothic sounds they show these days more often. At No One Knows the clean vocals remind me a bit of Nick Holmes... But at this one the growls are more prominent. Musically a modern thrasher with a dash of death metal. The closer is called Auf der Flucht. It's not the first time Crematory use German lyrics, but somehow I never liked them when they use German lyrics... But with this song they musically close the chapter and they come full circle.

To be honest I never been a big fan of Crematory, but with the addition of the clean vocals and the redefined sound I can enjoy them more. Everybody who dislike their later works won't be convinced by Infinity, but everybody else should check out Infinity. Be prepared for a sonic roller coaster ride!
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
up 













Infinity

(Massacre Records - 2010)



 
 

 

For about 19 years German gothic metal band Crematory is around - and they are quite successful. Even if the media pretty often smile at Crematory because of their keyboard-laden sound and some of their German lyrics, they have a strong following. After a short hiatus they soon got back on track - with a few modern elements. On their new album Infinity they stay on the chosen path. Beside Katrin's keyboard sound the deep growls and the clean vocals of Felix and guitarist Matthias Hechler are their trademarks. As usual their songs are catchy, but also have a lot bombast, pathos, a dash melancholy and refrains to sing along - exactely what their fans expect from Crematory. The opener Infinity is quite heavy, guitar-driven, but also offers playful keyboard melodies and a catchy refrain. With Out Of Mind they have a danceable tune which could become a hit in the gothic discotheques... Never Lock Back switches between German and English and with the emotional, melodic refrain it might be a hit live... The melancholy and cheesy ballad Broken Halo will please their die-hard fans, I think... Personally it's too bombastic and sticky sweet for my taste. Back to roots with Where Are You Now which is quite heavy. Auf der Fluch sticks out due to the German lyrics which are economical and socio-critical. Their cover version of Depeche Mode's Black Celebration is well done and so the album should satisfy the Crematory fans. Their fans will love the new album while critics and grumblers like me will have something to slag off. But even critics have to confess that Crematory are doing very good in their own field. And their success shows it perfectly and I'll give them a high rating - for a knocker.
 
 










Carsten Bahr

(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)


  
up 













Awake

(Nuclear Blast - 1997)



 
 

 

Musically noting changed, a typical Crematory album, the main difference is that this time the Germans concentrate on English lyrics again. The cover version of Temple Of Love is absolute ridiculous and has no class! And then the cover artwork! Just ridiculous! Love it or hate it!
 
 










Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)

  
up 










Illusions

(Massacre Records - 1995)



 
 

 

Everybody is talking about the new Crematory album Illusions. The songs are atmospheric with a certain melancholy and this effects, moves the listener, especially late night... Impressing performance and fantastic arrangements, but Crematory had to realize that they couldn't link up with bands like Paradise Lost and Tiamat. Partly songs - like Tears Of Time and Another....? - fit to much into the scheme of Shadows Of Mine (without German lyrics), but Crematory will still be the leader of the German gothic metal scene.
 
 










Volker Raabe
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)

  
up 






 
 • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com