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Ketzer - Endzeit Metropolis review



Reviewer:
7.0

15 users:
8.07
Band: Ketzer
Album: Endzeit Metropolis
Release date: February 2012


01. Endzeit Metropolis
02. A Requiem For Beauty
03. The Fever's Tide
04. Aesthetics And Ecstasy
05. Farewell, Fade Away
06. Collector Of Worlds
07. Redeemed By Truth
08. He, Who Stands Behind The Rows

German blackened thrashers Ketzer exploded onto the scene with their full-length debut, Satan's Boundaries Unchained. While Endzeit Metropolis certainly has its fair share of amazing moments, unfortunately it would seem as though the devil managed to grow to its full height and now we're faced with something far more restrictive.

Restrictive, but still fun. I mean, it's not like they were experimenting before to the point of being tagged an avant-garde project, but this time around one gets the impression that ideas weren't exactly littering the drawing board. When you kickstart your career with an album rampant with old school-inspired aggression and catchy riffs, people expect at least some semblance of that on your follow-up release. This time around the bite isn't as potent, as the instrumentation seems much more "boxed in", or "caged".

These guys can still rip it up, and they haven't lost the ability to write music and play their instruments. Infernal Destroyer proves once again his work behind the mic is more than just adequate for a band of this style, even though he too seems to lack the same bite as before. They change the pace from "faster than fast" to "just fast" from time to time, and then for the hell of it they drop the rage altogether and play at a doom metal pace for a minute or two. This works for bands that mix different speeds properly, but Endzeit Metropolis doesn't seem to display that high a level of musicianship. Deströyer 666 anyone?

Essentially what you're in for is some basic blackened thrash with a few changes of pace - a not-too-aggressive aural assault, kind of like being chewed on by a puppy as opposed to having your face ripped off by Jon Snow's direwolf, Ghost. The black metal elements, although few, prevent this album from becoming completely stale, as the thrash metal foundation just isn't strong enough to keep the attention of the average extreme metal fan. Expect a decent piece of fierce and fiery metal, but not much ferocity beyond the idea of drunkenly smashing a few car windows at night before being locked away in the drunk tank to sleep away the memory of this, to wake up remembering a better-in-every-aspect debut.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 7
Songwriting: 6
Originality: 5
Production: 8





Written on 02.05.2012 by I'm total pro; that's what I'm here for.


Comments

Comments: 9   Visited by: 105 users
02.05.2012 - 23:11
Edmund Fogg

Hmm. sounds like it's good for a few YT clips but nothing more. A bit curious about them.
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You cannot sedate all the things you hate - MM
The Observer is the source of reality - Bloom
God damn it!! What did Diddy didn't do? - Satan
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02.05.2012 - 23:16
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Edmund Fogg on 02.05.2012 at 23:11
Hmm. sounds like it's good for a few YT clips but nothing more. A bit curious about them.

If you do bother with them, check the debut first.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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03.05.2012 - 00:02
Oaken
Hipster
The cover art is very interesting.
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In that case, man is only air as well.
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03.05.2012 - 01:49
Edmund Fogg

Written by Troy Killjoy on 02.05.2012 at 23:16
If you do bother with them, check the debut first.

Ay, still waiting on my freaking PC to get fixed. Then I'll have have a shitload of catching up to do... 1 freaking month of daily discoveries
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You cannot sedate all the things you hate - MM
The Observer is the source of reality - Bloom
God damn it!! What did Diddy didn't do? - Satan
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04.05.2012 - 00:05
Void Eater
Account deleted
You had me at "German blackened thrashers".
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04.05.2012 - 08:05
Rating: 8
R'Vannith
ghedengi
Probably standard fare by any means and the tracks aren't all that distinctive from each other but it's greatest asset is the solid delivery, as is generally the case in this sort of metal. I found much to like about the Thrash foundations, 'The Fever's Tide' is just brilliant in that respect, and I think Thrash fans would get a lot out of it based on those alone.
I'm not sure what you mean by "boxed in" though, sounds like they're putting all their gusto behind it to me, guess I'll have to listen to their debut to find out.
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06.05.2012 - 19:58
RavenKing

I know this band. Not bad but I don't like it enough to buy albums.
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They shake your hand and they smile and they buy you a drink
They say we'll be your friends we'll stick with you till the end
But everybody's only looking out for themselves
And you say who can you trust I'll tell you nobody
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07.05.2012 - 03:14
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by RavenKing on 06.05.2012 at 19:58
Not bad but I don't like it enough to buy albums.

That's pretty much the vibe they give off for me as well. Like... they're good. But just not great. And definitely not great enough for me to give them my money.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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13.07.2014 - 23:33
Malignar

Their debut is one of the top metal releases of that year. This is very solid but not anywhere near as outstanding. Debut was 9.5 area and this 8.0 for me.
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