Review Summary: In the 80s Industrial Metal Legends were Dance Punks
1984,KMFDM supposedly had their first life performance,it was recorded but the tapes were suposedly destroyed.It isnt really easy to decide if it really happened,considering that 83 – 86
sounds entirely different from the show,but that could also mean that the Opium show happened but that the 83 – 86 fake was just the band messing with fans.
Later KMFDM released their first official album,with proof of esxistance in 1986.
While they got famous for their later Metal/Industrial sound none of this can be found on their first two albums,since these were more experimental Dance/Industrial.
The album already starts with a hard drum beat and heavy guitar riffs reminiscent of Blixa Bargeld of Einstuerzende Neubauten on "Zip".This style of Guitar is used troughout the whole album.Same can be said about the Snyth Bass used in this song.
„Sieg Sieg“ would be the most experimental track on the whole album,with it solely consisting of the band messing around with samples and a drumming machine and a bassline.There is a reversed german cut up in the background.
The heaviest track on the whole album would be "Conillion".
This track has the heaviest guitars,on the whole album and it has a wooden sounding drumming machine beat.The combination reminds me of some music in Mortal Kombat II,especially the snythesised guitar and wooden drum beat.
Conillion later was rerecorded as "Loving Can Be An Art",with more reggie influenced vocals instead of Watt's personal style.
Due to it being a album by KMFDM,there obviously is some political content with samples of politican's speech in „Deutsche Schuld“ and „What Do You Know“.
The most dancable Tracks would be "Me I Funk" and "Deutsche Schuld":
A notable thing is that all of the lyrics in Me I Funk are from Dinosaur Jr's "Ballroom To Mars".
It seems odd that the only time they ever got sued because of copyright was when they used 3 seconds of "O Fortuna"
The Album was released with tracks from the Kickin Ass single and some bonus tracks,the only difference on the old tracks is that "Sieg Sieg"is shorter due to it not fitting on the record and now has a Sample as Intro.
Most of the bonus tracks arent that good though,"Lufthans" annoys with Blackmail's ear grating vocals,"Itchy Bitchy (Dance Mix)" is not that different from the original and "The Urestrained Use Of Excesssive Force" annoys with samples and constant shouting of the line "The Unrestrained Use Of Ecessive Force".
While these are pretty horrible,"Kickin' Ass" itself is one of the earliest "classic" KMFDM songs and "Itchy Bitchy" might be dumb but it still has a enjoyable riff,which is part of the riff of "Positiv" with some form of electronic distortion.Most of my problems with the Album really come from the tracks that werent on the original release.
Its hard to describe the sound of the Album,I would say its like what Einstuerzende Neubauten first album would have sounded like if they had a drumming machine instead of scrap metal and had some snythesisers lying around.Its good,but in a different way than albums like Nihil and Symbols.While its a good experimental album,they didnt have their trademark sound until UAIOE.
The above rating will be for the original release.
Counting the later bonus tracks as part of the album,it would be a 3.5.
Best Tracks:Deutsche Schuld,Sieg Sieg,Conillion,Me I Funk,Kickin' Ass
Worst Tracks:Lufthans,The Unrestrained Use Of Excesssive Force
