Die Warzau Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
Nearly a decade (which is about half a dozen lifespans in the electronic music scene) after their last album, 1995's Engine, Die Warzau return with the unsettled and finally rather disappointing Convenience. Much less confrontational than the duo's earlier music, Convenience sounds in large part like a tentative attempt to introduce Die Warzau's sample-happy dance-industrial aesthetic into a world where industrial is entirely yesterday's news, but it's not yet quite so old that it's got kitschy nostalgia value quite yet. That's precisely the netherworld that this album inhabits as well, unfortunately. While there are some enjoyable moments -- particularly "King of Rock and Roll" (the track that makes plain the largely unexplored connection between glitch and heavy industrial) and the downtempo opener "Crusaders," which answers the question "What would happen if Skinny Puppy remixed an Air single?" -- too much of the album is devoted to mush like "Kleen," a misguided attempt at a straight synth-pop ballad of a type not seen since Ministry's awful debut With Sympathy. Jim Marcus and Van Christie haven't lost any of their production chops, as the sound is richly three-dimensional and sparkling in a way that few of the other industrial acts could ever manage, but especially after such a long furlough, it's a shame that they didn't have better material to work with. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
By the time its third album was released, the Chicago-based electronic duo Die Warzau (Jim Marcus and Van Christie) had already released two albums (1989's Disco Rigido and 1991's Big Electric Metal Bass Face) on two record labels. After several years of inactivity (though the band did production work for Sister Machine Gun and KMFDM), Die Warzau finally resurfaced in 1995 with Engine; the album was released on the Chicago-based industrial-music label Wax Trax, and this new home fit Die Warzau like a silk glove. Engine is a major leap forward for Die Warzau, as it contains some of its most hard-hitting (and surprisingly pop-friendly) material. The album is diverse in sounds and styles, and the mixture of moods and musical approach shows astonishing artistic depth. Engine utilizes many of the ingredients of Die Warzau's first two albums, but the band has evolved considerably since its debut, utilizing a more apparent dance approach with each successive release. Atmospheric, electronic sound collages, squealing guitars, and minimalist lyrics are at the forefront on tracks like "Grounded" and "Muck." "Grounded" is particularly strong, combining Nine Inch Nails-style chanting in its chorus with rap-flavored verses. But the song is unusually catchy, showing off Die Warzau's expertise in crafting pop hooks without sacrificing the heavy approach. "Heroin A.D." is also a keeper, with its inventive mixture of sax, piano, and throbbing bass. Engine's best track is the haunting "All Good Girls." The tune's chilling lyric contrasts beautifully with its quiet, repetitive groove, making "All Good Girls" sound like some sort of demented lullaby. Die Warzau's mixture of musical styles on Engine can take a listener by surprise -- track by track, it's difficult to predict what direction the band will take next. The song's subject matter is surprising in itself, revealing another side of a band that isn't shy about expressing its political views, but the straightforward, almost pop-friendly approach on "All Good Girls" makes much of Engine's genre-hopping seem excessive by comparison. Fortunately, Die Warzau possesses the sophistication and craftsmanship to make Engine a remarkably intelligent release in a genre not really known for its depth. Simply put, Engine is one of the greatest industrial albums of all time. ~ William Cooper, All Music Guide
'Big Electric Metal Bass Face'
Release Date 1/1/1991
Tracks 14
Label Atlantic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
On this dance-ified release (the liner notes include the BPMs -- beats per minute -- of each track), Die Warzau offers 14 tracks of industrial groove. Big Electric Metal Bass Face is not as heavy as other industrial recordings; in fact, considering the name of the band and album title, some are wimpier than they should be. The album is not bad, but, then again, it's not good either. ~ Tim Griggs, All Music Guide
