Der Blutharsch - "The Track Of The Hunted" CD

Albin Julius's 5th album as Der Blutharsch (originally released in 2000) is a solemn, militaristic, and dark album of looped classical samples and martial song structures. With inspirations from old European musics, and not without a modicum of controversy (some have labeled Julius's projects fascist due to his flirtation with Nazi and other suspect ideological imagery), Der Blutharsch's bold music shows a close kinship to bands like early Laibach or Death In June. 

What these 10 untitled tracks lack in subtlety or complexity, they make up for in single-mindedness. Each track is nearly mantric, with repetitive structures and a limited sound scope. "Track 7" lightens up a bit with some brass samples, as does the whimsical "Track 9", which is a scratchy recording taken from an early 20th century folk recording. It closes out with "Track 10" -- a bombastic (live?) cut with big drums and declarative chants. A solid work, not outstanding or unique, but certainly a treat for fans of the aforementioned DIJ or Laibach's early militant industrial sounds.

(WKN via Tesco)

Der Blutharsch site

Jastreb - "Jastreb" CD

Yikes! This new project debuts with a searing 38-minute, single-track attack. Billed on their website as "New Kraut Occult", the sound here is more of a heavy-handed psychedelic doom rock vibe, with repetitive Krautrock elements. The track, titled "Yggdrasil" (after the Norse tree that joins Earth, Heaven, and Hell), is a scalding guitar-and-drums based mantra that will simultaneously appeal to fans of drone-rock like Spacemen 3 or doom-metallers alike. 

There's not a lot more to say about this, but the track opens up a bit halfway in, allowing some breathing room before it launches into a seething, fiery finale of raved-up astral entropy. Brilliant, transformational, and physically potent work here.

(Hau Ruck!)

Jastreb site

Der Blutharsch - "The Pleasures Received In Pain" CD

The third album (originally released in 1999) from this Austrian artist explores more folk-oriented melodies and electronics, rather than their usual heavy-handed post-industrial military marching sounds. Tracks like "V" begin as elegant melodies before erupting into martial drumming and chanted vocals. Akin to In Slaughter Natives, but with more finesse, Der Blutharsch adds a distinctly European classical/historical element to their often bombastic and always percussive sounds.

"VI" is a mysteriously elegant and contemplative piece, and "VII" is a driving 3 minutes of electronic drums, choral samples, pulsing sequences, and obscure vocals. "The Pleasures Received In Pain" flows as a sort of singular piece, effortlessly conjuring visuals of dramatic wartime tensions and dark, maybe occult inspirations. Fans of Death In June will be more than satiated by this moody set of tunes packed with strident, militaristic declarations and ancient Germanic inspirations. (Tesco Distribution)

Der Blutharsch site

Der Blutharsch - "Der Blutharsch (aka "First")" CD

A reissue of the 1996 debut album from Austrian composer Albin Julius, this one opens with bold and strident military marching music, but quickly moves more towards an ambient post-industrial sound by the untitled 5th track.

A frequent collaborator with Death In June, and other occult/Germanic-leaning groups, Julius seasons his gray-tinged soundscapes with World War II imagery and martial industrial moods. Samples of military music pepper the 6th track, which appears as a ghost among the tense and thick textured drones. Track 10 is an ominous and percussive cut reminiscent of early Laibach or Test Dept, whereas Track 13 is more Neubauten-like, with crashing percussion and simplistic melody.

Overall, an impressive release, and perfect for fans of heavy-handed percussive music with proto-military motifs. (Tesco Germany)


Der Blutharschspace