Band:	Unheilig
Album:	Grosse Freiheit
Style:	Gothic rock
Release date:	2010
A review by:	KwonVerge

Disc I
01. Das Meer (The Sea)
02. Seenot (Distress)
03. Für immer (Forever)
04. Geboren Um Zu Leben (Born To Live)
05. Abwärts (Down)
06. Halt Mich (Hold Me)
07. Unter Feuer (Under Fire)
08. Große Freiheit (Great Freedom)
09. Ich Gehöre Mir (I Belong To Me)
10. Heimatstern (Home Star)
11. Sternbild (Constellation)
12. Unter Deiner Flagge (Under Your Flag)
13. Fernweh (Wanderlust)
14. Schenk Mir Ein Wunder (Give Me A Miracle) [bonus]
15. Auf Kurs (On Course) [bonus]
16. Neuland (Newland)

Disc II [Limited Edition]
01. Human Nations [First Musical Steps in 1992]
02. The Beast [First Musical Steps in 1992]
03. Lost Heaven [Unpublished song from the early Unheiligzeit]
04. Faded Times [Unpublished song from the early Unheiligzeit]
05. Seenot [Demo]
06. Für Immer [Demo]
07. Unter deiner Flagge [Demo]
08. Geboren um zu leben [Demo]
09. Geboren um zu leben [Demo 2]

"The cities have fallen and become one; Progress determines existence. Humans have become numbers and fear their drive. Free thought, desire and love are subject to censorship. Millions accept this from the beginning to their end. Will you also go the way presented, or do you belong to those who rise in these modern times?" (Der Graf)

The scarlet horizon, the black flag and a ship to sail across the dream that is no other than life itself, not the "life" they present/offer/inject you. In this journey you will meet other ships like your own, gathering dreams and when the day of final explosion arrives there will be either the ships or the port that imprisons them and lessens life with obligations and oppression. Destination Grosse Freiheit (Great Freedom).

Unheilig's journey throughout the years never stopped, how could this happen with a sincere and honorable captain such as Der Graf that pouring his soul into this musical project? In Moderne Zeiten (Modern Times) when "life" is a Puppenspiel (Doll Play) the need for Grosse Freiheit (Great Freedom) is greater than ever. Another very personal album by Der Graf profoundly that has become personal for many people, from the heart of the artist straight to the heart of the listener. The band strikes in full force as a unit since Der Graf, Henning Verlage and Christoph Tremühlen walk together since 1999 (vocals-programming/keyboards-programming/guitars from left to right), with Potti being the new member of Unheilig familly performing the drumming, something also new for the band since the drums were being programmed before.

Everything begins at the sea ("Das Meer"), the ship whistles, the journey begins under the stars. Throughout the album you will find yourself hunting high and low according to the dreams, the dangers, the struggle, the course, everything that comes forth until you reach the final frontier, the new land ("Neuland"). Henceforth the album has its heavier, epic and bombastic moments, emotional compositions full of longing or melancholy or more aggressive passages the escalate the overall atmosphere. Heavily distorted guitars or acoustic chords, dynamic electronics or just FX and frequences, floating epic or emotional keyboard passages, bombastic or accompanying drumming, everything's here with all the elements blending wonderfully together. Der Graf for one more time offers a mind-blowing interpretation whether he sings dynamically with his Deutsch accent or acts emotionally with his softer yet still deep voice, inspiring mind and soul.

"...I Belong To Me..."

I won't choose highlights and if I had to choose, I would act the same way. As I said above, the album is a journey and/or the journey is an album, a personal one. Look at the titles, they are the travelling signs in this industrial rock/metal opera. After you have cherished it as one, you will set sail on another expedition, because the album is addictive, after all, you have to know well the course and with every spin you discover more things along the way. The ship whistles again, you have reached the new land ("Neuland").