SCHATTENMANN
Endgegner
Perception
Every once in a while, you need a bit of metal that encourages a good time cutting shapes, rather than bludgeoning brutality. Neue Deutsche Härte is just one subgenre that offers this almost by default, so what do modern masters, Schattenmann, have to offer on their latest collection, ‘Endgegner’? This is an album that exhibits the industrial metallers at their most focused. Every song is trimmed of fat for maximum impact, whilst the metallic riffs sit alongside the electronic surges as comfortable bedfellows. The title track encapsulates this from the outset, with synths providing video-game-like moments of levity amid the crunching guitar work, whilst the gang “whoa-oh-oh” and nursery-rhyme-like vocals on “Besser Als Der Rest” provide the album’s first true earworm. With that, The band’s core strength is revealed: variety. While all albums need a thread of consistency to maintain cohesion, variations in tone and atmosphere are a must – this is where Schattenmann excels on ‘Endgegner’. You have your heavier cuts in “Unmensch” sitting perfectly alongside the uplifting “Echo” and the late-night Ibiza-influenced “Alter Ego” – each is unmistakably Schattenmann, but stand out for their respective vibes beautifully. Special mention, however goes to the terrific party-stomp of “Schna-na-naps” – a riotous banger almost guaranteed to get the shots flowing, even over breakfast. As purveyors of Neue Deutsche Härte, Schattenmann have crafted a cracking block of danceable metal tunes that hit (the dance floor) hard. You’ll bang your head, you’ll sing along and you’ll groove like nobody’s watching. It’s a fun-fuelled romp well-worth your time.
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Review by Lee Carter