Welovemusic Records
2014
Graciously sent our way by band member Jake Curtis (drums), "Never Stop Firing" is the first EP from Germany's =fudge=. It was independently-released in May of 2014 on CD (limited to a mere 100 copies) and now, thanks to damn fine folks over at Welovemusic Records, it is available for purchase on digital platforms like iTunes, Amazon, and Spotify. Starting things off with the wicked cool "Liars and Believers", the four-song "Never Stop Firing" is the last few (nail-biting) pages of one adventurous journey that originally began back in 2012 when two industrial metal fans, Chris Techritz (vocals, synthesizers) and Paul Curtis (bass), decided to form a new band with two young guitarists that just so happened to be modern metal maniacs (Maximilian Amberger and Sebastian Michaelis). Having added in rock-steady drummer Jake Curtis, the Mainburg-based =fudge= headed into the studio with a lofty goal in mind. This five-piece band would craft a EP that perfectly reflected the various musical influences of it's band members while simultaneously creating a powerful new genre called "synthesizer metal". Based upon songs like "The Spell", "Snow", "Ascending in Bleakness", and the aforementioned "Liars and Believers" that attempt to stretch the boundaries of industrial metal and modern metal proved extremely successful! To that end, "Never Stop Firing" wasn't just a slick combination of industrial rock and modern metal. While it's true that a big part of it's strength comes from bands like Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, and KMFDM, =fudge= is much more than your typical industrial rock/metal band. There are electronic rock and synth rock elements on display here as well as some (early eighties) punk infused-new wave. And those modern metal parts? They often give way to things like U.S. power metal, melodic metal, technical metal, and (garage-worthy!) raw heavy metal. Mixing up all these things in a bubbling vat of toxic waste, =fudge= becomes a completely different creature than what one might have imagined! In many ways this clever five-piece band reminds me of the cult act, God Is LSD. Maybe not sound-wise, but just the way in which this German band effortlessly mixes harsh vocals & grinding guitars with synthesizers and a punk-like mentality. Ultimately, "Never Stop Firing" is a rather easy release to recommend and hopefully it is one that serves as enough of a springboard for =fudge= to use as they make the well-deserved jump from underground group to well-established outfit!
After reading this review I just listened to it on spotify.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I couldn't hear the influence of KMFDM or Ministry (which I was hoping for)
it's an easy to listen to EP and not very long, so if you got half an hour, do so too.
You won't regret it.
But I have one question after listening: Isn't that a drumcomputer?
It takes more than that for a comparison with Ministry. :-)
Yes, per the promo material that is a real drummer. And, as mentioned in the beginning part of the review, the album was sent by the group's own drummer so I have no reason to doubt him.
ReplyDeleteKMFDM and N.I.N. are listed by the founding members as influences. While I only have a couple of songs from the former I can say that I've seen them live and from what I heard from them on stage it links up. As for the Ministry I can hear it in their music. I'd say that it is closer to the album "The Land of Rape and Honey" than it is later day Ministry, but still, it is there. All the same I respect your opinion and I appreciate you posting it.