If Spritualized ever had an evil twin lurking around the music world, it might be Thorshammer. Although the two bands seem to be miles apart, the use of moody horn parts, sparse instrumentation, and stoner-friendly tempos are things that both bands have made an important part of their sound. But where Spiritualized takes it into a hopeless, drug-infested British place, Thorshammer brings it to the angry, sexually frustrated German place. So Thorshammer has many of the things commonly associated with German heavy metal, including the requisite Cookie Monster vocals, chugging riffs, and a general concept that links the album. But thanks to their bizarre approach to the material, there seems to be much more thought put behind a project like this than something like Fleshcrawl. Occasionally things get too cheesy, especially when the a cappella male choir makes their occasional guest appearance ("Auferstehen" is a good example of this). But then there are incredibly bizarre and unique touches, like "Verloren," which reveals a strong sense of discordant playing that sounds much more like Fugazi than any death metal band. Or the incredible two-part "Fegefeuer," which chugs along like
Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" if Zeppelin had really been in cahoots with the devil. And whether the band intended it or not, the groove-based rhythms and gorgeous horn solos give them a swagger and an edge that few metal bands of the era can really match. The songs may not always be the strongest, but the playing is top-notch and the mood set by the musicians is truly impressive. Fans of experimental metal, symphonic death metal, even brave Spiritualized fans should give this a listen; it really brings out some ideas that have been relatively untouched in the genre. This music is not for everyone, but it may be more appealing than the disgusting cover art would lead you to believe. ~ Bradley Torreano