Of one thing you can always be sure – if Master Alafern is involved in a project it guarantees a certain level of quality, a fact which holds true with the release of ‘Totentanz’, the second album of Thunderkraft, an industrial, folk, death metal project from the Ukraine. Initially formed way back in 2001 Thunderkraft may not be prolific, with only two albums produced in some eleven years, but, as the saying goes, it is quality rather than quantity that should interest us and in ‘Totentanz’, Thunderkraft have created an album that is gloriously individual and, arguably, a masterpiece of heavy, unorthodox music. Unquestionably metal, it is the myriad other influences that make this such a special release and yet despite numerous influences shot through the band’s sound, it never sounds disjointed or carelessly thrown together – the music here is meticulously planned and brilliantly played and the icing on the cake is the stunning artwork that adorns the package making this an exciting purchase indeed.
The first word that springs to mind when listening to ‘Tontentanz’ is ambitious. The album features a grand total of 9 tracks spread over fifty-odd minutes and over that time you will find yourself time and again questioning and re-assessing how much a band is capable of achieving within the short space of an hour. Opening track ‘a time will come’ is, without a doubt, the most straightforward track on the album. Sharing much in common with bands such as Eluveitie with its heavy, folk-infused riffs and melodies and death metal vocals it is a fine track with symphonic flourishes and the band’s overt technicality on full display. A lengthy track, it moves through multiple sections without overwhelming the listener and it prepares the ground perfectly for a folk-metal masterpiece… or at least it would if the band didn’t have other, grander ideas. ‘Mass defect’ resets the stage with a cluttering industrial beat opening the track and suddenly we’re in Dimmu Borgir-esque territory circa ‘puritania’. And yet, even with the industrial elements adding a mechanistic edge to proceedings, the folk elements still bleed through in a stunning fusion of the humane and the mechanical that successfully emphasises melody and the song over technicality and proficiency in a manner that marks the band out from any number of equally proficient but less organic acts. The synth elements add a lot to the song, but never overpower the guitars or power of the music – a fact emphasised on the insanely catchy title track with its sledge-hammer riffs and stuttering electronic elements combining to create a truly unique take on industrial metal. It’s propulsive and brutally heavy, the guitars still firmly rooted in more classical traditions with a blistering solo kicked out on the bridge, whilst the rhythmic barrage is closer to that of Ministry than your typical death metal act.
Up next is a moment of reflection with ‘death won’t separate us’, a track that sees the band introduce all manner of orchestral elements to create an emotive backdrop in the vein of Rammstein’s ‘Ohne Dich’ with similar effect. It’s a powerful song that benefits all the more from Munruthel’s live drums (he appears here and on ‘the creator of life’, on which more later) and its haunting melody will stay with you long after the song has faded. ‘The future world’ sees the band hit hard and fast with a brutal guitar riff offset by Ann’s whirling synth attack for a song that packs a massive mid-tempo punch that’s impossible to resist. However, for all that has come before, the album’s highlight arrives in the form of the quite insane ‘a crumpled story’ which sees all manner of ambient effects augmenting the band’s already adventurous sound for a song that is part Samael, part Satyricon and part Devin Townsend. It’s a song of astonishing depth and complexity that, despite its disparate roots, never seems forced or unnatural – a rare trick that few bands could pull off with such a level of success.
‘Where the dream flowers as moisture from eyelashes’ slows the pace with a crushing central riff and eerie ambience that once again recalls elements of Samael and Rammstein only to subvert expectations with a furious death metal riff that comes slewing out of left field to tear your face off in a flurry of icy riffs and screams. Equally unexpected is the sudden beauty of ‘towards a new dawn’ which contains shimmering synth-lines with stunning violin parts for an intro which resembles… and I hesitate as I write this… nothing so much as the intro to ‘Elation’ by The levellers. It’s a truly beautiful oasis of calm, shimmering at the heart of the album. As a somnambulant beat kicks in and an agitated voice starts cries out in the darkness, the track takes a darker turn, but it is impossible to erase the beauty of the melody that makes the song ache with a sense of loss. Final track ‘the creator of life’ sees the acoustic drums return alongside the overt folk-elements of the opening track, both flute and violin augmenting a towering riff that sees the album out on a blistering, emotional high.
Reviews can succeed, or fail, for many reasons. In the case of Thunderkraft I have tried to pinpoint some areas of reference that you may use in your decision to purchase the album, but ultimately the review fails because the music is so rich, so ambitious and so unique that any reference I can give necessarily only tells a minute part of the whole story. The music is deep, layered, complex and I am sitting here, having listened to the album over and over again, still only partially able to fully assimilate all of its many elements. That is not to say that the album is overly complex – indeed the band’s experimental nature is there to serve the song, not misguided ideas of technicality – and this album is hugely enjoyable no matter at what level you examine it, but if you wish to be truly rewarded you need to live with this album as the musicians did, absorbing every note and every nuance and taking time to appreciate the artwork, the sources of inspiration and the passion that flows through the piece. It works best, too, as a complete album, rather than with the songs divorced from one another and that is how best to approach this fine work; but however you choose to discover Thunderkraft, ‘Totentanz’ comes very highly recommended indeed.
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