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Contradiction: The essence of anger
05/04/10 || HailandKill
Whenever HailandKill listens to Contradiction’s new album, it reminds him of this YouTube vid where Darkthrone’s Fenriz is showing the viewer around his closet sized ‘crib’ with his guitars and ironing board all within arm’s reach. It was a dismal (and entertaining) look into the life of a [legendary] Scandinavian musician. Having made acquaintances with the furniture, the viewer is then treated to Fenriz’ vinyl collection. Picking up a Detente record, he frankly admits he’s been listening to a lot of “boring thrash metal” lately. There.
HailandKill has never listened to Detente, and he isn’t comparing those guys to Contradiction, but holy fuck, this “Essence of Anger” really is boring thrash metal. Thanks, Fenriz.
Now before the album gets lambasted without remorse, allow HailandKill to state for the record that solid tunes abound here, namely the stomping opener “Perfect Combatant” and even redundant dumb songs like “Death Is Now”. Beyond its best cuts however, Contradiction serve up your usual Slayer-Kreator-Testament menace that’s been long diluted by constant imitation. The vocals are ugly barks, the drumming is tedious and two dimensional, rattling with the efficiency of an MG42 machinegun, and the production…decent. Beyond a few great songs that’ll likely inspire a bloody moshpit or two, the other highlights would be some fine guitar chops between frontman Oliver Lux and his partner in musical bromance Herr Oliver Kamper. To the band’s credit, unlike a lot of supposedly tr00 thrash metal bands out there, these Krauts know their soloing.
For a solid return on investment (lest you buy this album), stick to the guaranteed winners here such as “Start the Action,” “Reign of Fear”, and the ominous closer “12 Commandments”. The rest of the music on “the Essence of Anger” is by-the-numbers, business as usual, workmanlike thrash that’s all the familiar influences combined. Nothing that breaks new ground and rather boring to be honest. Yeap, Fenriz hit the nail right at the muthafucken head. Contradiction are boring Deutchland thrash metal.
The cover: A horseman trotting through a metropolis circa-World War 3. Certainly beats that other album named “Anger”, you know, the one that has a fist tied with string ? (wink, wink)
- Information
- Released: 2009
- Label: Limited Access Records
- Website: www.contradiction.de
- Band
- Oliver Lux: guitar, vocals
- Oliver Kamper: guitar
- Andreas Westphal: bass
- Christoph Zelf: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. Perfect Combatant
- 02. The Essence of Anger
- 03. Start the Action
- 04. The Spectator
- 05. Walk of Shame
- 06. For The Light
- 07. Death Is Now
- 08. Life’s End
- 09. Collateral Carnage
- 10. Reign of Fear
- 11. Domesticated
- 12. 12 Commandments
