Review Summary: Racism never sounded so sweet.
I've never been one to promote any kind of racist ideologies. In fact, just because of where I'm from, I've always been someone who has been against that kind of stuff. However, just because of my beliefs, I've never let it come in the way of listening to certain bands who have racist/neo-nazi views. My thing is that if you make good music, then I don't give a *** what you're saying. Der Sturmer is one of the very bands that I'm talking about when I say that. You know right off the bat that they're a bunch of black hating, Jew despising bastards who worship Hitler. Just look at the swastika on the album cover. That should give it away automatically. Even if these guys are racist, they know how to make some damn good music.
Der Sturmer is a band who plays on the heavier side of the black metal spectrum. They aren't trying to create a grim atmosphere or transcend you into a realm of winterdemons or any kind of kvlt stuff like that, they're trying to beat your ***ing skull in with a baseball bat. And by baseball bat I mean riffs upon riffs upon riffs. They may not be the most memorable riffs in the world, but I guarantee they'll leave you feeling like you just got hit by a big rig.
A Banner Greater Than Death is an album that just never gives you room to breath, except for during the samples that come before most of the songs. That's another thing to mention, the samples. Before pretty much each track, there are lines taken from different films, speeches, and things like that, that pretty much get you geared up and ready for war. I say "get you ready for war" because these samples all seem to be a pep talk you would receive right before you were gonna go unleash hell upon your worst enemy. In Der Sturmer's case, the enemy would be any one that isn't of the same race as them and I can imagine that is where the inspiration for these samples comes from. Also, if you're someone who doesn't like lo-fi production then you're in luck. The production here is very clean
People who are looking for the type of black metal to get lost in, this isn't going to be the album for you. Now, if you're a fan of bands like Grand Belial's Key and Marduk or any kind of bands similar to them, you will absolutely love this album/band. This would also be a great album for fans of death metal because it brings the brutality that you would find in the death metal genre.
