KMFDM – Krieg

Releasedate: 19-02-2010; Label: Danse Macabre
By: Nina Mende

KMFDM is an industrial rock band led by founding member Sascha Konietzko. They have sold over 2 million records worldwide. KMFDM was founded in Germany on February 29, 1984 as a joint effort between Konietzko and German painter/multi-media performer Udo Sturm to perform for the opening of an exhibition of young European artists at the Grand Palais. Sturm had no lasting musical aspirations, and Konietzko was more interested in studio recordings than the occasional art performance, so he began collaborating with then-Hamburg-based studio owner Raymond Watts and drummer Nicklaus Schandelmaier, who adopted the stage name En Esch. After working the Hamburg underground music scene and releasing three albums on European labels, the band began its long-standing relationship with Wax Trax! Records when their 1988 album Don’t Blow Your Top was licensed to the label for US distribution. After touring with Ministry in 1989–1990, they signed directly to Wax Trax! and quickly became a part of the industrial music scene in Chicago that included Ministry, Front 242 and My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult.

Now they released another remix album called “Krieg”. On this album you can find remixes of the previous album “Blitz”.

Different musicians from the electro scene – but not only – did remixes for this album. People like Andy Selway (KMFDM), Andy LaPlegua (Combichrist), Mary Byker or Dave Ogilvie (Skinny Puppy) put a personal stamp on the songs. When listening to some songs, it is quite obvious who remixed it. But one thing is sure for all songs: They sound completely different now. Songs that used to be fast are now slower in the remix, or the other way around. Others simply have a completely different style. It is like changing clothes, the inner part stays the same. The versions of “Never Say Never” for example are very different from each other. On this album you can hear pretty well how much you can change the sound of a song by changing only a few elements in it or adding a little something. Even though the songs are basically not new, KMFDM’s new album “Krieg” is a nice addition to your CD collection, not only if you’re a DJ or a big fan.

Tracklist: 01. Bait & Switch (All 4 One Mix) 02. Strut (Disco Balls Mix) 03. Potz Blitz! (Harmonic Tremors Mix) 04. Bait & Switch (Sacred Cow Mix) 05. Never Say Never (Naughty Habit Mix) 06. People of the Lie (Requiem Mix) 07. Bitches (Pop Will Eat This Mix) 08. Never Say Never (Confessional Mix) 09. People of the Lie (Crooked Illusion Mix) 10. Davai (Cyrillic Mix) 11. Never Say Never” (Candy Apple Mix) 12. Davai (Bloody Fog Mix) 13. People of the Lie (Fire & Brimstone Mix)

Links:
KMFDM MySpace
KMFDM Official