Das Ich – Lava (2004)
Finally, we have been waiting for the new album of the German electro-industrial band Das Ich for so long. After a two-year break, we are pleased again with their new release titled Lava. I’m warning you, if you are not familiar with the work of this band, I strongly advise you not to start with this album. For fifteen long years of its existence, the band has been followed their unique style called electro-industrial. But the last album has changed a lot. It is very danceable, almost all the tracks from the album can be performed at a gothic party. New Das Ich will please fans of such styles like EBM, synth-goth and synth-pop. The album begins with catchy composition “Schwarzer Stern”. The next compositions are “Meine Wiege”, “Fieber” and “Sehnsucht”, which are less danceable, but quite interesting, and even remind me old songs of the band. I want to draw particular attention to the composition “Tot im Kopf”, which is a revolutionary for the band. The next two songs are “Vulkan” and “Uterus”, they are a mixture of hard EBM and synth-rock, there are also perfect for any gothic party. The sixth track about volcanic love is recommended to all who learn German: the words sound so clear. The song “Uterus” with a constant mention of God and the devil sounds very dark and evil. In general, judging by the frequency of using the conceptual word “ich” in key places and choruses, the band seems to have decided to create something like the metaphysics of “I”. On the ninth track we can hear again: “I am the beginning, I am the end, I am the world, I am the eternity …”. Finally, the last composition puts a brilliant point. The last two songs “Seele Tanzt” and “Lava” haven’t impressed me. I would even say that they are a bit boring. To summarize, the band did a great work, but I prefer early Das Ich.
Some words about the DVD. It is good because it features six of the most famous Das Ich fighters from all the times of their nearly fifteen-year history: “Die Propheten”, “Kain und Abel”, “Der Schrei”, “Kindgott”, “Garten Eden” and “Destillat”. Thus, loyal fans of the band can enjoy their live recordings, on the whole quite rare (only Video-CD “Momentum” was released in 2002), and new fans can get acquainted with the peaks of the creative work of this band, and at the same time enjoy the dark charisma of Stefan. About the disadvantaged of the disc I would like to note stereo sound and design. Well, this is only their first DVD, which, no doubt, will be followed by better releases.