Die Krupps - Metall Maschinen Musik : 91-81 Past Forward

A decent introduction to the group's earlier work albeit some choices demonstrate how dangerously close Die Krupps came to self-parody in using their Germanic image. The opening number 'Germaniac' is a stunning pulsative but all falls flat when Jurgen Engler starts to sing - forcing his voice in a suppressed 'american' accent, 'Germaniac, made in Germany - to rule the world' leaves a listener no other choice but to cope with funny impressions of caricature. The following 'Machineries of Joy' (actually a new version of the cult hit 'Wahre Arbeit Wahrer Lohn' respectively in collaboration with Nitzer Ebb), drops its fortunes in much-less the same way. 'Gladiators' shows significant improvement towards earlier stuff, which without doubts remains their finest work - 'Risk' and 'Your Voice' are poor attempts at the group's orchestral ambitions... Things, however, turn out much better at the second half of the compilation - a brilliant and breathtaking two-minuter 'Goldfinger' delivered as a new version plus '2 Herzen 1 Rhythmus' and 'Tod & Teufel' show how much stregth can be pulled out of minimal equipment. Same goes with the original 'Wahre Arbeit' clinging in your head and you just cannot get enough while the finest moment comes in a chaotic jazz-improvised noise-suite, actually one part of the original EP which is their earliest official release. Conceived around menacing bass, drums and guitar, 'Stahlwerksynfonie' only marks the absence of completion at the end, mercilessly cut off without particular reason. In total, if you need a proper introduction to Die Krupps, look no further - in any other case, early albums such as 'Volle Kraft Voraus' are far more intriguing than any of their current affairs...