Review Summary: Time to Tango is the kind of album that starts as metal, turns into a folk party halfway through, and ends with you dancing without understanding how you got there — and loving every second of it.
After their debut album, Kontrust made their major international statement in 2009 with their second album, Time to Tango — a turning point that would change the fate of the Austrian band forever.
Released on June 19, 2009, the record brought with it an unmistakable mix of metal, crossover, dance-pop, tribal rhythms, and folk elements, all wrapped in the humor and theatricality that were beginning to define the group’s identity.
Before Time to Tango, Kontrust had already been gaining attention on the local and European scene: they won the Austrian Newcomer Award in 2006 and accumulated shows across Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and beyond.
But it was with Time to Tango that they leapt beyond that circuit, thanks to a track that would become the band’s true calling card.
Bomba — the impact that changed the game
The song “Bomba”, the album’s second single, was responsible for putting Kontrust on the international map. Not only did it:
- Enter the Dutch charts, reaching the Top 50 and staying there for several weeks.
- Become the most downloaded rock song on Dutch iTunes at the time of its release — a rare feat for an Austrian crossover band.
- Receive massive radio exposure, especially after DJ Eric Corton began playing it repeatedly on the 3FM program, encouraging listeners to interact with the song on social media. This led to heavy rotation, sometimes earning more plays than pop artists.
- Open real doors: Kontrust began playing large venues in the Netherlands, selling out shows and becoming deeply involved in the local scene.
In practical terms, “Bomba” was the catalyst that expanded the band’s fanbase beyond Central Europe — something that would have been difficult to achieve with the first album alone.
The official video for “Bomba” is a masterpiece of intentional goofiness: no one seems to hide the fact that everything is deliberately exaggerated, strange, and theatrical — and that is precisely what makes it so effective. Dressed in folk outfits and lederhosen, in settings that blend Alpine tradition with absurd humor, the band plays with its own image while delivering an audiovisual spectacle that feels like parody elevated to cult status.
But Time to Tango is far more than just Bomba. It would be unfair to say otherwise, because the entire album is excellent and packed with very strong songs.
Musically, Time to Tango maintains the hybrid sound that would become the band’s signature: the fantastic vocal duets between Agata and Stefan, heavy grooves, danceable interludes, ethnic influences, and a sense of humor that many “serious” metal bands simply don’t dare to embrace. What else can I say? This albun rocks hard, people!
Tracks like “The Smash Song” and other compositions on the album helped solidify the band’s live repertoire, while “Bomba” became the bridge between niche and mainstream, festival stages and radio programs across Europe.
“Vodka, Tribe and Dynamite” features a heavy bass line and a danceable drive that is one of the most striking traits in Kontrust’s discography, along with a chorus clearly designed to be sung live at full volume by the crowd.
The album also earned Kontrust the Amadeus Austrian Music Award in the Hard & Heavy category in 2010 — Austria’s most important music award — an institutional recognition that crowned this leap in status. (Wikipedia)
The effect of Time to Tango — especially of “Bomba” — was visible for years:
- The band played at Przystanek Woodstock (the Polish Woodstock) in 2011 in front of more than 300,000 people, even repeating Bomba as an unscheduled encore.
- The single continued to boost recognition in live shows and European playlists even after the release of Second Hand Wonderland and later works.
Highlights
- Bomba
- The Smash Song
- Vodka, Tribe and Dynamite
- Zero
