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Dunkelwerk
Hollenbrut

Alfa Matrix

Posted: Tuesday, March 09, 2010
By: Trubie Turner

Four years after the release of its debut album, Troops, Dunkelwerk finally returns with its second album, Höllenbrut. Dunkelwerk's style is characterized by a sweeping, larger-than-life, electronic orchestration in a fashion that evokes an almost militant vibe, and is accompanied by a mix of German and English vocals presented in a flowing, slightly off monotone style much like the recitation of poetry. Heavy on gothic overtones with a splash of EBM energy, the style can most easily be compared to a cross between Laibach and the work of the Leæther Strip on Serenade for the Dead, or to the short lived Rhys Fulber and Chris Peterson side-project Will.

From start to finish, Höllenbrut revels in its sinister tone drawing its inspiration from a dark fairytale world, relaying the horrors of the evil that lurks in the murky woods and the hopelessness of finding the lost love taken by the shadowy beasts or nightmare. Though grim, there is still an excellent range of emotion conveyed as the tracks play out almost like a storybook. Tracks like "The Majesty of Vengeance," "Fairest of All," and "Der Kapitän" express bravery and hope in the face of the overwhelming, while "Harkers Verderben" and "Croatoan" give horror the form of song. Some of the most moving work comes with tracks like "Endzeit (Vanitas)" and "Your Love" that are just overwhelming in the sorrow and surrender they convey. Though the lyrics may not always be in English, the work is so wonderfully vivid that the intent and imagery easily transcends any language barrier.

Relying heavily on atmosphere and mood, Höllenbrut is the sort of album that may require a few plays through to really sink in and grab the listener, but it is this quality that makes the album resonate so much more strongly as the more subtle elements of the album slowly unfold and reveal something new and engaging with each subsequent play. Steering well clear of any cliché or trite formulas, Dunkelwerk presents a very distinct vision that, despite showing some apparent influence by other artists, still feels like a breath of fresh air in the sometimes stagnant electronic music scene. The lack of any formulaic dance floor focused "hit" on the album may cause some to steer clear, but any who do are doing themselves a huge disservice and are missing out on one hell of an album.