Year : 2020 (Digibook Edition)
Style : Folk Medieval Metal
Country : Germany
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 156 mb
Bio:
In Extremo (Latin: At the Edge) is a German medieval metal band originating from Berlin. The band's musical style combines metal with medieval traditional songs, blending the sound of the standard rock/metal instruments with historical instruments (such as bagpipes, harp, hurdy-gurdy and shawm). Versions of well-known traditional/medieval ballads make up the main part of their repertoire, but the band has written an increasing share of original material in recent years. Their own material is written in German, whilst the traditional songs are in a variety of languages, including Gaelic, Spanish, English, Norwegian, Swedish, Icelandic, French, Estonian, Galician, Hebrew, Latin, Occitan and Old High German.In Extremo (abbreviated InEx, or just IE) began as two projects: a nameless, purely medieval band, and a rock band. They became known at that time through frequent appearances at medieval market meetings, at which they performed their acoustic pieces and sold CDs of their renditions of traditional songs. During the recording for the 1995 season, Michael Rhein (alias Das letzte Einhorn, engl. "The Last Unicorn") found the project name "In Extremo," Latin for "At The Edge."Most of the band members perform under stage names. The initial members of the medieval band were Das letzte Einhorn (engl. "The Last Unicorn," vocals), Flex der Biegsame (engl. "Flex the Flexible," bagpipes), Dr. Pymonte (bagpipes), Conny Fuchs (who left the band before the official release date, due to her pregnancy by Dr. Pymonte) and Sen Pusterbalg (replaced shortly after the official release by Yellow Pfeiffer, engl. "Yellow Piper," bagpipes). The rock band originally consisted of Thomas der Münzer (engl. "Thomas the Coiner," guitar), Der Morgenstern (engl. "The Morning Star," drums), and Die Lutter (engl. "The Lutter," bass guitar). Der Münzer subsequently left the band and, as of 2007, the band's guitarist is Van Lange (engl. "The Long One"). As noted below, almost all of the band members play multiple instruments.The increasing number of visitors, success of their CDs, and the popular interest, as well as cross-pollination from groups such as Corvus Corax and Bathory, encouraged In Extremo in 1995 to attempt to start a band combining bagpipes and other traditional instruments with rock guitars. The result was the current incarnation of In Extremo, a rock group that integrates modern instruments like the drum set, electric bass and guitar with the acoustic elements previously used for the medieval songs, and which plays both types of music as well as a hybrid of the two.In August 1996, they began work on the first In Extremo album, which already contained two tracks of the new rock project. Because the album had no official name, it became known as In Extremo Gold because of the golden covers. In February 1997, like the single Der Galgen (engl. "The Gallows"), it quickly sold out in Medieval markets.In Extremo played separately as a medieval and a rock band, until on March 29, 1997, when they played their first live rock concert. Since that time, they have given this date as their date of establishment. The two projects were officially merged on January 11, 1998. April 1998 saw the first "high occupancy" In Extremo concert in the Rabenstein castle in Brandenburg.Over the years, their music became more heavy metal based, while at the same time becoming increasingly commercially successful. The classical instruments, however – bagpipes, shawms, and lutes – still play a large role. The band is likewise noted for their conspicuous stage costumes and known for using pyrotechnics in their concerts, including Der Morgenstern playing cymbals which have been set on fire.On 26 February 2010 In Extremo announced that Der Morgenstern left the band because of musical differences via their homepage. On June 11, Florian "Specki T.D." Speckardt was announced as his replacement on drums.
Album:
IN EXTREMO and their cursed 13th album? 13 studio albums - such a high number is certainly not a matter of course in the music business. In EXTREMO, however, are now presenting their thirteenth work with “Kompass Zur Sonne”, without even showing the appearance of being tired. But how about a little superstition? Could album number 13 be cursed? The release date was postponed from March 27 to May 8, 2020. What the fans can expect on "Kompass Zur Sonne" is definitely cursed - cursed good!IN EXTREMO initially play it safe with the opener “Troja” and deliver a solid sing-along hit without being too surprising. However, it becomes much more exciting with the remaining tracks on the record. The best example is the cooperation with RUSSKAJA, which results in the incredibly energetic "Gogiya" and optimally stages the strengths of both bands. The bagpipe party number "Rei Sie dich ein Ihr Lumpen" is similarly entertaining, which may not be able to keep up with the hit "Sternhagelvoll" from the last album "Quid Pro Quo", but is similarly atmospheric and invites you to celebrate at the band's upcoming concerts. Anyone who expects something similarly smug about the song “Biersegen” is only partially right. Certainly, the consumption of the barley juice is discussed, but not quite so clearly, after all, there is a text presented in Latin that develops its own charm in the classic IN-EXTREMO manner, without the sung itself being in the foreground.IN EXTREMO chase you with the bagpipes! However, “Kompass Zur Sonne” unfolds its true strengths in serious moments. "Schenk Nochmal Ein" is a goose bumpy ballad about loss that uses the Uilleann Pipe as the perfect instrument for this mood. The album highlight "Saigon And Baghdad", an anti-war number with scratchy guitars, explosive text and a clear message, is much less gentle. IN EXTREMO create an oppressive yet powerful piece of music, which is even included in the bonus version of the album with an oddly fitting electro remix. “Lügenpack” is also exciting because of its textual orientation, because the addressee remains veiled. Whether politicians, fake news sites or private individuals are meant, will surely remain deliberately ambiguous, amusing lines of text such as "We are chasing you with the bagpipes" and the powerful sound image round off the song to a strong anthem in any case.Strangely, the only real weak point of the record is the principally interesting guest vocals Johan Heggs, singer of the Viking metallers AMON AMARTH. "Who can sail without wind" is based on the Swedish folk song "Vem kan segla", which nevertheless has a wonderfully melancholy atmosphere with its short text. The interpretation of IN EXTREMO, on the other hand, seems weak, which is not least due to the unfavorably used vocals - Johann Hegg presses his voice into a corset that definitely does not suit her and thus tears the song out of its yearning atmosphere and leaves a bland aftertaste. Too bad, this feature had more potential.Happy Birthday IN EXTREMO! However, the rest of the record is completely round and bristling with joy and variety. Intoxicating hymns like "Salva Nos" and soothing ballads like the "Winter's Tale" leave no fan wish unfulfilled, so that "Compass To Sun" IN EXTREMOs is the ideal gift for your own 25th anniversary. The thirteenth album shows a barely aged band in their best musical form! In this sense: Happy Birthday IN EXTREMO!
Line-Up:
Michael Robert Rhein (Das Letzte Einhorn/The Last Unicorn) – vocals, cittern, harp, darbuka, davul, binioù, guitar, piccolo, harmonica (1995–present)
Marco Ernst-Felix Zorzytzky (Flex Der Biegsame/Flex The Flexible) – German bagpipes, shawm, flute, uilleann pipes, hurdy-gurdy (1995–present)
Kay Lutter (Die Lutter) – bass, marine trumpet, timpani (1995–present)
André Strugala (Dr. Pymonte) – German bagpipes, shawm, flute, harp, marine trumpet, tsymbaly, sampler, FX (1996–present)
Boris Pfeiffer (Yellow Pfeiffer/Yellow Piper) – German bagpipes, shawm, flute, nyckelharpa (1997–present)
Sebastian Oliver Lange (Van Lange) – guitar, cittern (1999–present)
Florian Speckardt (Specki T.D.) – drums, percussion (2010–present)
Tracklist:
01. Troja (3:32)
02. Kompass zur Sonne (3:29)
03. Lügenpack (3:43)
04. Gogiya (feat. Russkaja) (4:08)
05. Salva Nos (4:05)
06. Schenk nochmal ein (4:55)
07. Saigon und Bagdad (3:55)
08. Narrenschiff (4:43)
09. Wer kann segeln ohne Wind (feat. Amon Amarth) (3:49)
10. Reiht euch ein ihr Lumpen (3:36)
11. Biersegen (4:10)
12. Wintermärchen (3:43)
13. 7 Brüder (Bonus Track) (3:57)
14. Saigon und Bagdad (Club Mix) (3:53) (Bonus Track)
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