One of Germany's most enduring metal bands, Atrocity deserves a
nomination for Most Unconventional Recording Career for a metal
band.
Having released Hallucinations in 1990, the band was hailed
as a death metal innovator, with a rather twisted, dark, technical
style molded around a solid death metal base.
A solid followup in Todessehnsucht (re-titled, against the
band's wishes, as Longing For Death) further solidified their
popularity.
But it was 1994's B.L.U.T. that started the trend toward
unconventionalism -- loosely based on a vampire theme and sounding
little like their past work, the album seemed to confuse, and
in some cases alienate, fans and critics alike, though in fact the
album is quite worthwhile.
The succeeding years found Atrocity experimenting in all sorts of
areas, with one album featuring the vocalist's sister as guest
vocalist (Calling The Rain), another album a collaboration with
the German new wave duo Das Ich (on Die Liebe), and perhaps
most dramatic, an album consisting entirely of covers of 80's pop
tunes (Werk 80), which simply has to be heard to be believed.
Clearly not the career of a band afraid to take chances.
Finally, in 2000 the band released Gemini.
It might be simplistic to say that any band that sings in German
with a techno beat sounds like
Rammstein,
but in fact there is quite a similarity to that group on more than
one occasion (also featured here is an interesting cover of
Simon and Garfunkel's
"The Sound Of Silence", a duet with Liv Kristine of
Theatre Of Tragedy,
who also guested on Werk 80).
And, except for those who only wish a return to their early days,
this new direction is not a bad thing, as Gemini is a great album.
2004 sees the release of the followup to Gemini, that being
Atlantis (not yet reviewed here).
