Marduk - Panzer Division Marduk review
| Band: | Marduk |
| Album: | Panzer Division Marduk |
| Style: | Black metal |
| Release date: | June 1999 |
| Guest review by: | Baliuz |
01. Panzer Division Marduk
02. Baptism By Fire
03. Christraping Black Metal
04. Scorched Earth
05. Beast Of Prey
06. Blooddawn
07. 502
08. Fistfucking God's Planet
"This album is a masterpiece, it's so brutal," bla bla bla? I beg to differ. It is brutal but a masterpiece it is not.
First of all I'd like to congratulate Marduk on the militant concept: panzers, riffle rounds, battle sound samples etc. It might be cheesy but at least it gives the album an identity it deserves. Fuck off to recent faceless albums! I'm using this Nargaroth paraphrase jokingly, yet another phrase comes to mind: Black Metal ist Krieg! So is this album. The entire concept fits the album pretty well.
The production is fairly clear; the main focus is on guitars and drum blasting, the vocals also have a fair place in the mix, only the bass is somewhat buried. However the listener might be really confused during the chaotic parts, if you're not used to this kind of music, that is. The guitars are decent and always leading the parade, a couple of memorable Marduk trademark riffs (track 3!) and tremolos, some real gems, are scattered around. Mr. Morgan is competent is this department as usual. Moreover B.War can be relied upon as always but once again his bass is not prominent in the sound. The drummer is no child from kindergarten either, he knows how to play, how to play very fast even, but unfortunately isn't inventive at all. Finally the guy who spits venomous sounds, Legion, is an avatar of monotony! Someone should kick him in the nuts, maybe that way he could develop a better vocal range. However his voice is fairly strong and even though some people blame him for being a sloppy live performer you couldn't tell that from the record.
The main problem of this record is the tempo, or rather the lack of variety in it. It seems to vary mostly from fast to very fast. Put non-creative drum patterns on top of unrelenting guitars plus Legion who just doesn't shut up and you've got a headache. The monotony really spoils the party. Black metal is known for repetition but this is not black metal in its pure sense. Repetition here does not evoke trance. I mean it is ok if you want to play fast and brutal but it would be great to include more tempo changes and create an antithesis in that manner. This would boost the effect of the material, but this is not the case here, Watson. The brutality is a bit over the top and thus turns listening into a tedious experience after some time. You simply know what to expect from the following track: "Blasts and hyper fast riffs with Legion trying to lose his voice for satan? Oh crickey, that was unexpected!"
Even though I might seem a bit harsh on this album it is not all that bad. It is possible to enjoy it despite the drawbacks. One of the biggest flaws - the unrelenting harshness and repetition - might have different angles as well: the record definitely suffers from it but a certain strong attitude is felt throughout the album. Musicianship and production are satisfactory, especially for black metal (even though others will go around saying this is not black metal). Even if the lyrics do not shine the album has a concept and a strong stance. And track no. 3 alone is worth a lot. You might love it, you might hate it. Try it for yourself!
Written by Baliuz | 29.07.2005
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Comments
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Comments: 33
Visited by: 181 users
| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718  |
Correct me if Im wrong, but I believe Fredrik Andersson from Amon Amarth is doing the drumwork for this album, and a fine job he does. but the rating is appropriate, I used to think this album was a masterpiece but it got pretty old for me after a while.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Sunioj Posts: 3894  |
I think that this rate is pretty fare too. Theres alot of energy to this album, but it does drag after a certain point. baptism by fire is classic though.
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| Fane Posts: 292  |
Yup. First it was a masterpiece, then after a while it was just decent album. Still, I would give a 8. And that's because of Christraping Black Metal =P
---- Coffee for power Music for creativity Sarcasm for fun
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| Marcus Doit Like Bernie Posts: 642  |
I don't know if I'm just crazy or something, but Behemoth seem to have a very similar sound to this album.
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by Marcus on 22.04.2008 at 23:07 Yeah I really dont see much similarities. I find its a lot closer sounding to 1349s "Hellfire"
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Marcus Doit Like Bernie Posts: 642 |
Written by Doc G. on 24.04.2008 at 02:38 Then I must just be crazy, oh well. Never listened to 1349 though.
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466  |
Written by Marcus on 24.04.2008 at 02:41 Hey,does anyone know somthing about 1349?I've wanted to buy an album,but they don't seem....convincing enough.
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by Slayer666 on 25.12.2008 at 09:43 They've got some very nice drumming (at least in the album I have) but overall they're nothing amazing. IMO.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427  |
Written by Slayer666 on 25.12.2008 at 09:43 IMO 1349 isn't really anything special. If you like well-executed fast-paced Black metal you'll like 1349.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?  "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466 |
Yeah,I pretty much heard the same.OK,just one more thing,can you compare them to Dark Funeral?I mean 1349>Dark Funeral or the other way around?
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| Uirapuru Liver Failure Posts: 2955  |
Quote: Well written.. that pretty much summs up everything. But I have to agree that Christrapping Black Metal is amazing! 
----  ---- member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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| AiwiAstwihad AiryanaKhvarenah Posts: 1421  |
This fantastic album can be described in only 3 words: Attack, Attack, Attack! 
---- You who will come to the surface
From the flood that's overwhelmed us and drowned us all Must think, when you speak of our weakness in times of darkness That you've not had to face
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| Smurfophagist Posts: 1069  |
Good review, decent rating.
---- Having a signature is an absolute must.
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| Michaelgpc Posts: 19 |
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by Michaelgpc on 01.08.2009 at 02:00 You don't listen to much black metal do you?
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Michaelgpc Posts: 19 |
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by Michaelgpc on 09.08.2009 at 00:43 Well...I'm probably the wrong person to say, I do listen to a fair amount of black metal, I'm just not very knowledgeable in it. But from what I understand a lot of the times its more about getting hit with a wall of sound or taking a step back and listening to it as one big sound-scape as opposed to just individual riffs. I could be entirely wrong, and of course there are exceptions, but this is the way I've been looking at it...
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7262  |
Eh, black metal is mostly about the ideology and riffs. Well, that's at least what Euronymous and one of the Darkthrone dudes said in some really old interviews I watched/read Anyways, I just really dislike this album. Every song almost sounds the same - it's just nonstop blasting, lacking in any sort of creativity. Rom 5:12 and Opus Nocturne are really the only Marduk albums I enjoy.
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466 |
Written by Michaelgpc on 01.08.2009 at 02:00 It's not metal? Hmm...  What an odd thing to say. The thing is, BM is very different from the majority of other metal genres, just so you know that. Anyway, this is one motherfucking killer release! Chaotic Black Metal at it's best! Marduk's best for me.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374  |
I never got into this album. It was just... The same stuff done in eight songs. It's not their worst but it was the start of a line of mediocre albums that fortunately stopped thanks to Mortuus and Rom 5:12
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466 |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 11.11.2009 at 18:35 I see nothing wrong in that. Leave creativity and variation to other albums/bands, this one is about pure, raging chaos. There should always be at least a few albums like this.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374 |
Written by Slayer666 on 11.11.2009 at 18:52 Mmmm, you got a point there, that's true. The album stand on it's own and is still better than the others until Plague Angel. The thing is that it doesn't happen a lot when I'm in the mood to this kind of stuff, so I apreciatte it only a couple of times.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Michaelgpc Posts: 19 |
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374 |
Written by Michaelgpc on 15.11.2009 at 01:21 Well, this kind of stuff shouldn't represent Black Metal imo... So I agree with you.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 15.11.2009 at 01:53 I'll agree to some extent. I like the sound - in small doses. I think if maybe they cut this down to an EP or something it would have come across a lot better. I really enjoy listening to 3 or 4 songs maximum, but sitting through the full half hour is impossible for me at this point. I can't quite remember why I used to find it so thoroughly entertaining...
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374 |
Written by Doc G. on 15.11.2009 at 11:00 Iagree with the EP idea... Thew album is tight... But waaaay to tight to be a full lenght. An EP with the 3-4 best songs could have been the best choice.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| BitterCOld The Ancient One Admin Posts: 15287  |
Written by Doc G. on 15.11.2009 at 11:00 the unrelenting speed and aggression combined with WW2 audio samples thrown in. it has a lot of energy. it's just such a wall of noise, though, that after a couple tracks it becomes just a blur and a bit boring. for added entertainment the next time you listen to this disk, just imagine the lead singer with an elmer fudd accent... KWIST! WAPING! BWACK! METAW! makes it a bit more fun to sing along with.
---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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| danielllewis Posts: 119  |
The lyrics and imagery of this are crazy as fuck, but it just sounds the same the whole way through. It's a good thing the album's only 30 minutes because if it were any longer I wouldn't like it at all. Overall it's a good review and I agree with the rating.
---- 
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| In_tallica Posts: 151  |
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| JohnWayneGacy666 Posts: 86  |
This album is a fukin masterpiece at least 9 out of 10 Sheer brutality and unrelenting malevolence real BLACK METAL marduk rules
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