Track listing
Show track credits
- 1 Power 5:26
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bass, drums
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vocals
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- 2 Apathy 3:10
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bass, drums
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guitar
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- 3 Rules 4:08
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bass, drums, samples
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slide guitar
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vocals
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vocals
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Bruce Breckenfeldhammond
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- 4 Craze 3:34
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bass, samples
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vocals
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vocals
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- 5 Dogma 4:06
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bass, samples
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vocals
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drums
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- 6 Inane 5:30
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bass, samples
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slide guitar
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guitar
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vocals
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drums
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- 7 Blame 4:06
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samples
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bass
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vocals
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drums
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vocals
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Jack Kramertrumpet
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trumpet
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Bob Samborskitrombone
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- 8 Son of a Gun 4:23
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bass, samples
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vocals
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drums
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- 9 Ikons 4:12
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bass, samples
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vocals
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vocals
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drums
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- 10 Wrath
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bass, samples
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piano
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drums
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- - Wrath 5:29
- - [silence] 0:14
- - Fairy [unlisted] 4:27
- Total length: 48:45
Rate/Catalog
Catalog
Set listening
Review
To rate, slide your finger across the stars from left to right.
11 Reviews
This is my first taste of KMFDM. There are a few high points: Apathy, Rules, Dogma and Son of a Gun. Power sounds cool, but it reminds me of a very cheesy junior high pep rally. After Dogma, I felt it went downhill. The aforementioned are very good songs, everything else was static.
Published
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1
Power
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2
Apathy
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3
Rules
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4
Craze
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5
Dogma
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6
Inane
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7
Blame
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8
Son of a Gun
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9
Ikons
-
10
Wrath
The songs are all individually unique such as the dark and sample heavy “Craze”, to the chugging spoken-word of “Dogma”. This album showcases their metal intensity and instrumentation with different elements that haven’t been as prominent in past releases such as the aforementioned sampling used in many of the song on this record. The vocals have the classic industrial metal vocal sound while having varied and creative delivery throughout.
My main critique of the album though is that KMFDM has always been an anthemic band and there is a fine line between being anthemic and being corny. I can barely stand the chorus of “Power” as it feels as some else put it “like high school cheerleaders”.
Overall I think the instrumentation and experimentation on this album was fantastic, however I would have to say that the lyrics can get a bit corny and laughable at times.
Published
This one is a straight up rock/metal album, the most agressive i heard from them until now. My third KMFDM album and i won't stop there because, yes, i really enjoy that stuff. Another solid effort from the 90's.
Published
Another good album from the band. Really doesn't have any bad tracks. A personal favorite is "Dogma", a rant about youth and society set to a beat. Kinda fun.
Published
"Son of a Gun" is one of the songs that got me into KMFDM, and the rant in "Dogma" is adorably '90s.
A solid album with a few snoozers.
A solid album with a few snoozers.
Published
Ah, KMFDM. That great industrial cheeseburger. XTORT (KMFDM is an 'ALL-CAPS' sort of band on their best days) comes from the period where they counted among their ranks industrial music's indestructible handmaidens, Bill Rieflin and Chris Connelly (you may know them as those guys standing in Alien Jourgensen's shadow). I've always considered this the ultimate KMFDM album, it really says everything they would ever say, and it has such a perfect iconic cover image for the band, that being some sort of comic-book conflation of the Ubermensch (the Nazi concept of the Superman) with, well, Superman. They always do flirt with controversy, although controversy can never be bothered to bite (except that one time the ravenous bloodhounds of copyright law hit them for sampling, dangerous beasts those).
Of course, there is the requisite song where KMFDM sloganize around their name, on this album it's "Inane" ('like everything else, it's completely inane', rather clever compared with 'KMFDM SUCKS!' or 'KMFDM LITE!' or whatever the hell that one was), and there is the big rallying raveup, this time "Power" ('We've got the power of excessive force, industrial soundtrack to the holy wars!'), their best of the kind.
The songs where Connelly sings have a certain grit to them that brings them a bit closer to the respectability of Skinny Puppy, especially on "Rules", which they do in both English and German. "Dogma" is an odd one, with spoken-word artist Nicole Blackman speechifying about pop culture hate and apathetic youth (most hilarious line - 'ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country did to you!'), sort of a pep-rally for vague dissatisfaction over a soundtrack of 'whipping, banging and breaking stuff' (as the liner notes define the instrumentation). The rest of the album is KMFDM being as KMFDM as KMFDM can be. Some of their catchiest tunes reside here, including "Craze", "Blame" and the aforementioned "Power" and "Inane".
'German engineering, astounding ingenuity, over a decade of conceptual continuity!' an announcer says in "Inane" before they say 'KMFDM! You need an infusion!' Talk about the band that knows itself.
Of course, there is the requisite song where KMFDM sloganize around their name, on this album it's "Inane" ('like everything else, it's completely inane', rather clever compared with 'KMFDM SUCKS!' or 'KMFDM LITE!' or whatever the hell that one was), and there is the big rallying raveup, this time "Power" ('We've got the power of excessive force, industrial soundtrack to the holy wars!'), their best of the kind.
The songs where Connelly sings have a certain grit to them that brings them a bit closer to the respectability of Skinny Puppy, especially on "Rules", which they do in both English and German. "Dogma" is an odd one, with spoken-word artist Nicole Blackman speechifying about pop culture hate and apathetic youth (most hilarious line - 'ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country did to you!'), sort of a pep-rally for vague dissatisfaction over a soundtrack of 'whipping, banging and breaking stuff' (as the liner notes define the instrumentation). The rest of the album is KMFDM being as KMFDM as KMFDM can be. Some of their catchiest tunes reside here, including "Craze", "Blame" and the aforementioned "Power" and "Inane".
'German engineering, astounding ingenuity, over a decade of conceptual continuity!' an announcer says in "Inane" before they say 'KMFDM! You need an infusion!' Talk about the band that knows itself.
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After the masterpiece of Nihil, any attempt at a follow-up would've seemed weaker, but Xtort more or less delivers. The lack of Raymond Watts and En Esch on this album is felt, but they could have done much worse. This is essentially more of the industrial metal that they had been doing on their previous two releases, but the difference is an insane cast of guests, most notably Chris Connelly, previously of Ministry and Revolting Cocks. He sings four of these songs, the best being Rules, a laid back electronic groove, and Blame, which is heavy metal with horns. The true highlight, though is Power. Some might lambast it as cheesy, which is easy to understand, but it's the fist in the air anthem that KMFDM fans have come to expect, and it's ridiculously catchy. Dogma, featuring spoken word by Nicole Blackman, and the self-referential Inane are also highlights in my books. The last three songs are unfortunately a tad weak compared to the strongest moments, which is surprising considering Son of a Gun was even a single, but I wouldn't really call them bad tracks. The secret track, Fairy is funny, but forgettable. There are more essential KMFDM releases, but it's still a strong effort that fans of industrial metal shouldn't hesitate to hear.
Published
Nothing expresses raw and unspent aggression (with a sense of humor) like this album.
Published
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Catalog
18 Apr 2024
-
1
Power
-
2
Apathy
-
3
Rules
-
4
Craze
-
5
Dogma
-
6
Inane
-
7
Blame
-
8
Son of a Gun
-
9
Ikons
-
10
Wrath
16 Apr 2024
14 Apr 2024
-
1
Power
-
2
Apathy
-
3
Rules
-
4
Craze
-
5
Dogma
-
6
Inane
-
7
Blame
-
8
Son of a Gun
-
9
Ikons
-
10
Wrath
-
11
Fairy
13 Apr 2024
13 Apr 2024
9 Apr 2024
7 Apr 2024
5 Apr 2024
4 Apr 2024
4 Apr 2024
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1
Power
-
2
Apathy
-
3
Rules
-
4
Craze
-
5
Dogma
-
6
Inane
-
7
Blame
-
8
Son of a Gun
-
9
Ikons
-
10
Wrath
31 Mar 2024
30 Mar 2024
29 Mar 2024
25 Mar 2024
25 Mar 2024
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