Turbund
Sturmwerk
(c)1998 Cold Spring Records
Review by Neil St.Laurent
Thanks to Cold Spring for the CD
Originally recorded and released on vinyl in 1995, "Sturmwerk" is an
album that portrays a very depressing state of human affairs --
details are somewhat presented in the liner notes of the CD.
As with most others in the pure dark genres, Turbund employs
primarily a synthesizer to provide a continuous and flowing
atmosphere. This ambient sound sets the basic backdrop to a more
disturbing, yet intriguing, array of foreground sounds, which include
some industrial sounds, some cymbal like sounds, odd vocal samples,
and others. At times the general result is more towards classic
industrial (such as early Die Krupps) than towards the dark end of
the spectrum -- a combination which yields at times very
disturbing, if not frightening, results.
For those not familiar with these genres, it is reiterated that the
primary intent is an expression of atmosphere, or mood if you will.
"Sturmwerk" certainly presents a variety of different moods, some
with an ominous religious feel, others with feelings of overwhelming
domination and suppression. It is very easy with Turbund to follow
the emotional qualities of the continuing story, which makes this
recording very interesting to listen to, and very easy to lose
yourself to.
The only drawback is the lacklustre performance on the synth to
produce instruments such as the trumpets. Maybe it is a problem with
the quality of recreation of the sounds, or maybe it is just that the
segments performed just weren't well though out, but in either case
there is a certain detracting factor to the music when the "trumpets"
sound out.
"Sturmwerk" is a very emotional album that is certainly worth
investing in, there is plenty of continual listening value beyond the
initial playing. The inclusion of classic industrial components is
an interesting component that, while lending to a more diverse
sound, is recognizable, which eases an otherwise potentially
overpowering enigmatic feel.
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