Reviews:

From Evening Of Light: (by CME)

  I didn't care much about this so called "neofolk" music that flushed like a wave over Europe some years ago. I had my favorite albums with Death in June, Sol Invictus and Current 93. The new bands that started to pop up were nothing but pale copies for me. I was totally convinced that the experimental folk era had reached its top long ago. And then I heard Werkraum. I can't really recall how I first was introduced to them or what it was that made me buy their debut album Unsere Feuer Brennen!. It could have been the album's cover art that first took my attention. I still consider this to be one of the most beautiful album covers out there; pretty simple without any text - it truly puts the lion killing horsemen in the centre. But this album is so much more then just a nice cover. It contains 11 of the most true and strong songs that had been released for a very long time.

  Werkraum's main brain is in the head of the Berliner Axel Frank. Obviously a very competent musician. He is also backed up by some friends from various bands. Jason Thompkins from Harvest Rain and Nick Nedzinsky of Lady Morphia fame. There is also a woman in the collective named Antje Hoppenrath. I'll return to these musicians later on.

  "Nocturne" is the first song out, a very moody neoclassical song with a deep male speech underneath. It's the only track with English lyrics and the lyrics are actually adapted from a poem by John Dowland, but who reads them here is not told.

  It's a very nice way to open this album. Bombastic and pompous intros can often be rather boring. If they aren't badly composed they are usually far too long to be enjoyable, but "Nocturne" does not suffer from those symptoms at all.

  After the intro fades out, "Die letzte Jagd" starts, a track written after all unwritten rules of neofolk songwriting together with Lady Morphia. Simple guitar playing, snare and tom drums are joined by a trumpet in between the verses. But what makes "Die letzte Jagd" such a remarkable song is both the fact that it has a very catchy melody and Axel Frank who shows that he's not only a great musician but also a splendid singer.

  Next up is "Chanson de la plus haute tour". It's a much calmer song, somewhere between psychedelic and medieval acoustic folk. Antje sings a poem by Arthur Rimbaud translated into German and this woman has to be properly schooled in singing... What a voice! And WHAT a song! I can’t get enough of this. I can play it on repeat for hours and every time the chorus comes, where Antje and Axel sing in duet, I get pleasant shivers down my spine.

  For the sake of balance, track four ("Einsamer nie") is quite unremarkable. Swirling organs and twisted voices in a futuristic neoclassical way. The fifth track ("Legion") on the other side is another masterpiece of neofolk, a bit slower than "Die letzte Jagd" but just as good if not even better. The disturbed electric guitar in the background fascinates me. And so does, once again, Alex’s singing.

  Now, after five more or less perfect songs, you might believe that the album loses strength. If you do, you are so wrong. "Steh Auf Nordwind" is an instant hit. From the bells in the beginning to the fade out in the end. A perfect neofolk song! If the other songs were catchy I don't know how to explain this one. It relies more on the electric guitar than the acoustic, which was a completely new, but not in any way unpleasant way of playing neofolk for me. You might need some time to melt what you just heard and to do that during "Dignitas Dei" – another of those experimental 'in between' songs without any proper structure and lots of futuristic sounds, is a good idea. Even though this one is better than "Einsamer nie" it still is better seen as a filling between the songs than an actual song of it own. When the previous song is melted you can start preparing yourself for the next attack. "Ewigland" is a collaboration song with Harvest Rain and if you have heard Harvest Rain before you know what to expect. Very desolate. Makes you feel strange in some way. Jason Thompkins' characteristic guitar playing is backed up by Alex's voice and snare drumming and all this creates another song to remember.

  Yet another neofolk song follows, "Heilige Krieg", "Hohezeit" – moving more towards the medieval sound with Antje behind the microphone again, and finally the outro "Civitas Dei" with a proud martial feeling to begin with and a spacey drone at the end.

  So why does Unsere Feuer Brennen! deserve an Eclipse rating? Simple. It's a masterpiece album. It stays very personal even though the guest artists have left their own traces.

  A formidable debut release from a band that can take what turn they want and still have my full support and respect. This is the album that made me realize that neofolk is more than the World Serpent oldies and with that opened my eyes to a completely new world of the new wave of dark folk music.

  50 minutes and three different styles of the best neofolk sounds in one album makes this a must have for everyone. Thank you.

From Lunar Hypnosis: (by JJM)

  My introduction to Werkraum wsa through the 'Flammenzauber III' compilation where they participated with the excellent lively folk song 'Steh Auf Nordwind'. After hearing this Forseti-ish sounding folk song I really had no other choice than to pick up Werkraum's debut album 'Unsere Feuer brennen!', but to my surprise Werkraum was more than just another German dark folk band. Werkraum is more or less the solo band of Axel Frank and on this debut album he's joined by members of the excellent Lady Morphia and Harvest Rain. As I previously began to mention Werkraum is a dark folk band from Germany, but they give us much more than just folk music on this album.

  The album opens with 'Nocturne', which is more of a neo classical piece with spoken vocals in the best Blood Axis tradition. Next comes 'Die Letzte Jagd', an upbeat folk song reminding me of Death In June, and following this song is 'Chason De La Plus Haute Tour', a much more melancholic folk song with female vocals bringing to mind Sol Invictus. 'Einsamernie' is a more classical ritualistic piece that reminds me of some of the songs done by Von Thronstahl, where as 'Legion' & 'Steh Auf Nordwind' are upbeat lively folk songs very similar to Forseti. After those songs we come to 'Dignitas Dei' and again it's a ritualistic ambient sort of piece. Two more active folk songs follow then another sorrowful folk song similar to track three and finally another lengthy neo classical piece with electronics, choirs, and militant percussion called 'Civitas Dei' closes out the album nicely.

  So as you can see Werkraum deliver a very rich album that often changes, but stays strong in the song writing department the whole way through. The album comes in a thin digipak with gold writing, limited to 1000 copies, and as far as I know it's already sold out!

From Dark Life: (by Gianfranco Sciacca)

  Werkraum, the solo project of Axel Frank, marks the debut with an album that is as good as high the expectations were. Unsere Feuer brennen! is both well conceived and varied, expanding with dynamism over the pure neofolk concept and mixing in at different times electronics, orchestral touches, martial drums and apocalyptic ambient elements, as well as introducing female vocals courtesy of Antje Hoppenrath, for some of the finest European folk around in the beautiful Chanson de La plus Haute Tour and in Hohezeit. The most accessible moments are the acoustic guitar ballads, like in Die Letze Jagd - catchy neofolk by the numbers - ; the most intense are the transcendent and evocative ones, like in Dignitas Dei or Einsamernie, these being the high moments of the album in my opinion, together with the powerful Legion. There's a lot in between, including obligatory winks to Death In June and a couple lesser outcome moments, such as Einsamernie or Heilige Krieg. A suitably precious packaging with ponderous artwork printed gold on white on a gatefold sleeve complete a release that, despite a couple of weaker moments is very appetising. Credit due also to Lady Morphia and Harvest Rain who have co-operated with Axel on this album.

From Zero Tolerance: (by Glenn Burston)

  Axel Frank may not be a household name but if you are prone to nosing through internet discussion boards and your taste encompasses the territory of folk noir, then Frank's project Werkraum is a name that will undoubtedly have a familiar ring. Having inked a deal with Cold Spring, their debut album is now with us and the reasons for their turning heads are out on display. The easy and obvious comparisons are Death In June and Der Blutharsch, yet Werkraum kind of fall somewhere between the two. Although at times pretty derivitive ('Die Letze Jagd' sounds highly influenced by DIJ's 'Luther's Army' for example), Werkraum do occupy a satisfactory middle ground. Their acoustic side evokes a similar emotion to, if not having the depth of the works of Doug P, while the militaristic approach ('Nocturne') serves as an effective rallying call without being swathed in total darkness as, for example, the likes of Arditi. Willing to embrace cut-up sound ('Legion', 'Dignitas Dei'), Werkraum are a name to check out if a variance of black styles is appealing.

From Phosphor: (by Paul Bijlsma)

  The debut-album by Werkraum features a mixture of neo-folk, martial industrial and neo-classical. Those styles interchange abrubtly and regularly with each song during the CD 'Unsere Feuer brennen!' Songs with dark bombastic layers of electronics larded with apocalyptic vocals are followed by songs with choir-like strings, combined with light folk melodies and percussion. Death in June meets Folkstorm and Elijah's Mantle meets Von Thronstahl. Everything between neo-folk and medieval seems to be presented during the eleven tracks on this CD, created by means of instruments such as acoustic guitar, tambourine, bass drum plus Axel Frank's German vocals and Antje Hoppenrath's sweet vocals. This album can be considered a good overview what the band is capable of. Let's wait in which direction this will be heading.

From Synthesis: (by Troy Southgate)

  WERKRAUM'S 'Unsere Feuer brennen', which translates from the German as 'Our Fires Burning', is one of the most interesting releases that has come my way in a long time. Strikingly packaged in gold upon white and aided by both Jason Thompkins (Harvest Rain) and Nick Nedzynski (Lady Morphia), the eleven tracks on this CD run to just over 50 minutes in length.

  The first of them, 'Nocturne', opens with the words 'Welcome, sweet death', taken from J. Dowland's 'A Pilgrime's Solace' from 1612 and possibly even inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach's 'Komm Susser Tod'. Regardless, it's most certainly infused with the same Classical spirit and even a wry sense of optimism. To a slight extent these poetic utterances remind me of Elijah's Mantle, but there is a darker edge to them and the words frolic menacingly with the pounding drums in the background. The second track, 'Die letzte Jagd' (The Last Hunt), is a lively mixture of acoustic guitar, bass drum and Axel Frank's stunning German vocals. An infectious chorus helps to convey the thrill of the chase and the whole thing is performed with real confidence and far more enthusiastically than most of the neo-folk dirges I'm used to hearing these days.

  'Chanson de la plus haute tour' (Song of the Highest Tower) is based on Arthur Rimbaud's 1872 poem of the same name and, once again, deals with the demise of youth and even life itself. The beautiful vocals, sung here by Antje Hoppenrath, sweep from ear to ear in an arpeggio ballad that wouldn't be out of place on a Simon & Garfunkel album. Both melodic and atmospheric at the same time, this is European folk at it's very best. 'Einsamernie' (Never Lonely) interrupts this vision of late-60s harmony with muffled German vocals and explosions, a low organ swinging back and forth like a mesmeric pendulum across the tree-shattered landscape of No-Man's Land. It's rather like Ostara in one of their more Ambient moments, but perhaps tinged with the stark foreboding of Blood Axis on 'The Gospel of Inhumanity'. Meanwhile, 'Legion' vomits words out backwards like a sick dwarf being hassled by an unintelligible choir at a David Lynch garden party. It's true! Stuttering drums give way to acoustic jangling, measured vocals and crazy King Hammond-style synths that weave their way through the song like a thin brown line in an animated Bisto advert.

  A tolling bell marks the onset of 'Steh auf, Nordwind!' (Rise Up, North Wind!) and one of the album's catchier numbers. The impeccable vocals remind me of Belborn's Holger F, but in between the verses the rich musical undercurrent is similar to early-90s Death In June. 'Dignitas Dei' (God's Honour) sees the return of those whirling space-age synths, joined here by dislocated chanting and the distinct feeling that you're listening to Hawkwind perform a Black Mass in Canterbury Cathedral. As a closet [Not anymore. - ML.] fan of Psychedelia, I'm glad to say that this represents a fantastic break with the increasingly dull neo-folk tradition and so perhaps it's time to dust off those liquid wheels and grab yourself a bag of hallucinogenic fungi.

  Where was I? Oh yes, the review. 'Ewigland' (Eternal Country) heralds the participation of Jason Thompkins of Harvest Rain and a lilting guitar that makes this track sound like a lament to a distant homeland. All accompanied by sentimental lyrics, a rattling snare, the light blare of passing aircraft and other portentous contributions. With its uplifting chords, synthetic horns and bass guitar, 'Heilige Krieg' (Holy War) is slightly similar to 'Steh auf, Nordwind!', but the vocals are much more powerful and possess an unusual and rhythmic quality. The sampled American drawl [what "drawl", exactly?! - ML] , shimmering tambourine and clip-clop percussion makes this a cataclysmic statement on the perils of our age.

  The vocals on 'Hohezeit' (High Time) are performed by Antje Hoppenrath in a late-medieval style, her voice rising and falling amid hushed echoes and layers of stridulating Morricone-style effects. Quite enchanting. The final track, 'Civitas Dei' (City of God), is a slow march across an Augustinian plain of urgent voices, hypnotic cantata and the irresistible cry of a whooping electronic maelstrom. Like a heretical theocracy presiding over an inquisition of clinical radiologists, each determined to get their knobs out and have their own say.

  To conclude, then, Werkraum's first album is truly remarkable and has exceeded all expectations as far as I'm concerned. It's good to see Justin Mitchell's label continuously branching out into unexplored territory, too. The lad certainly has an eye for innovative and exciting material. For more information about Werkraum go to: http://www.werkraum-heimat.net

From Compulsion: (by Tony Dickie)

  Werkraum are a fine example of the new German folk, as exemplified on their debut CD, Unsere Feuer Brennen! This mysterious outfit led by Axel Frank have brought fresh ideas to what's fast becoming a clichéd genre. Werkraum display a strong romantic soul, drawing on the works of Rimbaud and Baudelaire. The nucleus of the sound - naturally - revolves around acoustic guitar, here ably supported by orchestral flourishes, strong trumpet scores and strident percussion. From the opening recital from Downland's 'A Pilgrim's Solace', sounding not unlike Elijah's Mantle, Werkraum slip into Germanic acoustic folk intertwined with a number of abstract electronic pieces. These range from cold electronics to looping church organs. The muffled voices and distant explosions sound as though they are being piped in from the world wars. Their plaintive folk music is beautifully polished with Axel Frank's voice largely strong, emotive and melodic. On a number of tracks the music takes a more classical direction, especially on 'Hohezeit' where the uncredited female vocalist lends the music ethereal warmth. Unsere Feuer Brennen! isn't flawless though. At several points the percussion clashes with the music (especially on 'Ewigland' where martial percussion is set against shimmering guitar). Nick Nedzinsky of Lady Morphia and Jason Thompkins of Harvest Rain guest but its Axel Frank who deserves the real accolades. This an intriguing release, housed in a beautifully rendered gold and white digipack offering little information, but tackling a vast array of musical styles. On the basis of Unsere Feuer Brennen!, it isn't any wonder Werkraum are garnering such interest in an over-crowded and stale musical genre. For more information go to www.coldspring.co.uk

From Blow Up: (by Paulo Bertoni - Printed edition in Italian)

  "Unsere Feuer brennen! " it is the official debut of Werkraum, already on the shields with CDR and apparitions on valuable sampler with a great deal, particularly in "Notre domicile est l'Europe". I had been questioning me for years on reasons why Axel Frank, with appreciable past in Matanza/T.I.T. (theirs "5 Ringes" was in far '96), he didn't succeed in publishing an album that was able to make better known a project among the most capable within the new generations of the folk noir, with the English Cold Spring, usually directed on more experimental proposals, the spell is finally broken. Decadent tones majestically but not conceited open the disk, with Nocturne, text from A Pilgrimes Solace seventeenth-century composition of John Dowland, then with the good Die letzte Jagd, in collaboration with the british Lady Morphia, begins the series of ballads that prefer a pugnacious "crepuscolarismo" that also has elevated moments in Steh auf, Nordwind!, to tune up in march, Ewigland, with the contribution of the americans Harvest Rain, and especially in the triumphal Heilige Krieg, and that becomes extremely sweet, superbly, traditionally, folk, when in Chanson de la plus haute tour, from Rimbaud, and Hohezeit the voice of Antje Hoppenrath advances to the proscenium, while to counterweight elsewhere Axel makes more gloomy and less emotionally immediate "Unsere Feuer brennen!", diverting in Einsamernie, Dignitas Dei and Civitas Dei on more twisted soundscapes founded upon vocal samplings and keyboards.

From Heathen Harvest: (by Malahki Thorn)

  Though werkraum are not entirely new comers to the neofolk / neoclassical / martial music scene “ Unsere Feuer Brennen!” will be a pleasant surprise to many music listeners who have only been able to catch glimpses of werkraum on any number of compilations recently. The wait has ended for those of us who have sought out a full length album after listening to a single song from some such obscure compilation. In cooperation with Cold Spring Records of London, Werkraum have now published their first official release.

   So has the wait and anticipation been worth it? I have to say yes without hesitation. As the neofolk / neoclassical / martial music scene has taken hold and expanded over the past decade the inevitable occurrence of repetition and overlap has occurred within the genre. werkraum has arrived to propel the genre forward by taking martial music beyond its current boundaries. “ Unsere Feuer Brennen!” or in English “Our Fire Burns” has hit the music scene and is igniting the fires of passion and imagination across the world.   Werkraum is musician Axel Frank. On this album he is aided in his efforts by musicians from established bands Lady Morphia and Harvest Rain. Apart from the introductory song most of the album is sung in German. A number of songs are based on popular classical literature such as “A Pilgrimes Solace” by J. Dowland, and songs inspired by the works of J. A. Rimbaud and Ch. Baudelaire.

  Werkraum begins the album with a very somber song titled “Nocturne.” “Nocturne” features Nick of Lady Morphia reciting a spoken word piece to very funereal neoclassical music. The words echo mans eternal discourse with death and the song imbues a sense of remorse and reflection. “Nocturne” could be the soundtrack for a fallen hero or saint. “Nocturne” sets a solemn stage at the very beginning of the musical experience.

  “Die Letze Jagd” or “The Letze Hunt” is the second track on the album. Nick from Lady Morphia co-wrote this song. A drastic change is established on “Die Letze Jagd” which bares no resemblance to the introductory song. The funereal sound of neoclassical mourning are gone and replaced by a rather upbeat composition based on voice, acoustic guitar, and drums. A classic return to Neofolk roots “The Letze Hunt” is at once simple yet effective. Comparisons to early Death In June could easily be made between “The Letze Hunt” and D. Pierce's earlier works that are defined by guitar, voice, drums, and horns. “Chanson de la plus haute tour” or “Song of the Highest Tower ” is the third song on the album. By “Chanson de la plus haute tour” you quickly begin to realize how much musical territory Axel intends to cover in one album. The folk leanings of “The Letze Hunt” transforms into a much “prettier” composition in “Chanson de la plus haute tour.” “Chanson de la plus haute tour” recalls the beauty and delicacy invoked by artists such as Hekate and The Soil bleeds Black or any number of artists from the Prikosnovenie Label from France. The female singer's voice is steady and strong, beautiful yet not weak. She is joined in several song passages by a complimentary male vocalist. Their voices intertwine with grace and effortless grandeur. The composition is flawlessly performed with sparkling guitars and stringed instruments that create a magical almost elfish inspiration.

  “Einsamerine” is the fourth song that graces the werkraum album. “Einsamerine” takes the listener down yet another avenue of post industrial music. “Einsamerine” once again abandons its predecessors and dives into the darkened recesses of dark ambient martial music in the vein of Tordoih, A Challenge of Honor, and Sophia. werkraum draws upon the sounds of a haunting organ, a distorted male choir, and the expected sounds of war and spoken work German speeches. “Legion” is the fifth song in the werkraum cycle. “Legion” highlights werkraum 's strength as the band produces a much more original and individual sound. Using drums, acoustic guitar, and minimal ambient electronic sounds werkraum crafts a song filled with strumming guitars, thundering drums, sensual vocals and some awesome minimalist ambience. Legion instills feelings of inspiration, resignation, and hope all at once. I really wished a translation of the lyrics where available for this particular song.
  “Steh auf, Nordwind!” or “Rise North wind” is the sixth song on the album and marks the half way point of the “Unsere Feuer Brennen!” album. “Steh auf, Nordwind!” continues the exploration of werkraum more cultivated and personal brand of neofolk / neoclassical music. I was very impressed with this song and how the band so seamlessly and almost unnoticeably slips electronic music into the crevices of their songs. The slight electronic elements are superiorly administered and lift the whole neofolk music experience a notch higher. “Steh auf, Nordwind!” also continues to highlights the bands prowess at song craft. “Steh auf, Nordwind!” once again instills feelings of pride, strength, and passion along side a sense of honor and fragility. With such prowess at crafting songs it will not be long before werkraum are firmly recognized as authentic and valuable contributors to the post-industrial / neofolk music community. “Dignitas Dei” is the seventh song on the “Unsere Feuer Brennen!” album. “Dignitas Dei” begins with distorted choirs being played against psychedelic ambient sounds that twist and bend in space. The choir sounds like it is being heard through a shell found on the ocean and the daring electronics keep the listener suspended in some form of musically induced limbo. The distant bubbling of an electronic rhythmic loop gains prominence in the music and the ethereal limbo begins to transform into a dark ambient disco.

  The surprises continue with the eighth song on the album titled “Ewigland” or “Eternal Country” Once again voice joins harp, guitar, drums, and voice in an emotionally stirring track of pure classical Germanic neofolk. This song includes participation by artists from the U.S. neofolk band Harvest Rain. The track voyages between passionate vocals and guitar driven ambient that invokes reflection and remembrance. Sampled voices in the background harkens old wars and lost conquests. Once again werkraum shine as they achieve victory with beautiful song craft and an innate sensitivity. “Heilige Krieg” or “Holy War” is a phrase now scared for centuries into the histories and lives of peoples across this earth. “Heilige Krieg” carries on the inspiration and talent werkraum has demonstrated in earlier songs. Drums, guitar, and vocals combine in a refreshing and innovative song. Traditional neofolk elements combine with very minimal electronics forging a powerful song structure for Axel to sing over. “Heilige Krieg” recalled for me that period in the late 80's before neofolk music moved towards acoustic exclusivity and still had acts incorporating electronics elements into the music. The electronics might be expected to detract from a neofolk song's quality but trust me werkraum makes it work. When the song ends you are left wanting to hear more of this innovative music. “Hohezeit” or “High Time” is a return to the werkraum 's dedication to diversity. Things slow down and beautify as a female vocalist takes center stage for a delicate performance. The song is very similar to the grace and splendor of “Chanson de la plus haute tour.”

  “Civitias Dei” is the eleventh and final song on the “Unsere Feuer Brennen!” album. “Civitias Dei” begins with a rather somber voice pronouncing something in Latin and then slowly develops into a semi-martial march of sorts with trumpets, drums, and angelic choirs in the distance. werkraum 's last creation is as effective as the rest achieving diversity and quality at the same time.

  Werkraum 's much anticipated debut has proven very successful. werkraum has produced an intelligent and mature album that is brazen in its diversity yet withstands the test of quality. Every established fan of neofolk and neoclassical music that is reading this review will have to have a copy of werkraum - Unsere Feuer Brennen! In order to consider your music collection complete. werkraum have contributed a valuable new installment to the ever growing library of European neo-folk music. It may seem like it is hard to keep up with the bounty of new releases entering the neofolk genre right now. But take my word and make sure you budget in werkraum ! Radical faeries that are uninitiated in neofolk and neoclassical or martial music could find werkraum as a good starting point. Though most of the lyricism is in German the music itself communicates as much emotion and narrative as the words. Radical faeries with a vested interest in classical, historical or folk music traditions that are more mainstream should try werkraum out and offer yourself a glimpse into the shrouded realm of neofolk music.

  Werkraum has proven that they are a new voice in the scene worth our attention and support. I encourage everyone who enjoyed the review to sample these new artists and support new talent as it emerges in our music scene.

From Terrorverlag: (by Ifriess)

  Mit der lang ersehnten, im April letzten Jahres endlich auf dem englischen Label COLD SPRING erschienenen CD "Unsere Feuer brennen" präsentiert das Berliner Solo-Projekt WERKRAUM, das sich durch die Teilnahme an zahlreichen, teilweise legendär gewordenen Samplern einen Namen im Bereich Industrial und Neofolk geschaffen hat, sein erstes Album. Mir war die Gruppe vom vorletzten Flammenzauber-Festival und vom dazugehörigen Sampler bereits bekannt. Als ich die wahrhaftige CD bekam, hatte ich aus welchem Grund auch immer Neofolk deutscher und vor allem puristischer Art im Sinne, sprich ein rein akustisches, und um ganz ehrlich zu sein, etwas langweiliges und auf keinen Fall wegweisendes Album erwartet... Doch hatte diese erste offizielle Veröffentlichung ein paar Überraschungen für mich auf Lager...

  Die erste Verwunderung bereitet "Nocturne", ein neoklassischer Anschmecker in Reinform, eigentlich eine Kollaboration mit LADY MORPHIA's Nick Nedzynski, welcher einem dem Tod geweihten und jedoch froh gesinnten Gedicht in englischer Sprache seine Stimme verleiht. Die für das Genre typische helle akustische Gitarre lässt bis zum zweiten Stück auf sich warten, wobei mit "Die letzte Jagd" die Neofolk-Ballade "par excellence" abgeliefert wird: mitreißende Melodie, martialisches Trommeln, sanfter und leicht eintöniger deutscher Männergesang und naturgesinnte Themen, es ist alles dabei, was den Erfolg der neuen deutschen Folkmusik in den Fußtapfen FORSETIs, ORPLIDs oder SONNE HAGALs ausmacht... und sogar ein Trompeten-Zwischenspiel à la DEATH IN JUNE gibt Cäsar zurück, was Cäsar gehört... Und trotz allem bewerkstelligen es WERKRAUM, sich dem akustischen Dogmatismus, der viele Neofolk Bands zu einer gewissen Monotonie und einer sicheren Eingrenzung auf eine deutschsprachige Hörerschaft verdammt, zu entziehen, indem sie sich nicht scheuen, elektronische Klänge einzuführen. Hier eine analoge Schleife, da ein gekontertes Sprach-Sample, und, Speerspitze der Waghalsigkeit für eine so genannte Neofolkband, den sehr gelungenen Einsatz einer E-Gitarre auf "Steh auf Nordwind", welches zusammen mit "Heilige Krieg" den wahren „Brenner“ des Albums bildet, wobei die zwei Ohrwürmer an so manche Pop-Hymnen OSTARAs (vor der Ultima-Thule-Ära) erinnern.

  Von diesen ungewöhnlichen Einsätzen abgesehen, befinden sich auf der CD auch Stücke, die mit Neofolk eigentlich wenig zu tun haben: die rhythmische Klangcollage und ruhig-düstere Atmosphäre auf "Einsamer nie" oder die analog gefilterten Klangwellen und Sequenzen à la KLAUS SCHULZE auf "Dignitas Dei" verraten eindeutig die zugegebene "Old-school-industrial" Vergangenheit des WERKRAUM-Frontmenschens Axel Frank und bilden meiner Meinung nach einen sehr willkommenen Kontrast zu den akustischeren Liedern. Wobei "Legion" und "Ewigland", die es mit beiden Seiten halten, einen sanften Übergang zwischen den unterschiedlichsten Genres schaffen und zu einem einheitlichen Gesamtbild beitragen. Und für diejenigen, die weder auf Experimente noch auf begeistertes Gitarrenzupfen stehen, hat der erste Opus WERKRAUMs noch eine schöne Überraschung anzubieten, in Form der bezaubernden Stimme Antje Hoppenraths, die den Balladen "Chanson de la plus haute tour" und "Hohezeit" eine mittelalterliche Note und einen troubadouresquen Charme verleiht.

  Insgesamt also eine interessante, stets unvorhersehbare Platte (wobei das sonderbarste wahrscheinlich das von mir noch nicht erwähnte, sehr eigenartige letzte Stück darstellt, eine komische Mischung aus Hofmusik, religiösen Chören und psychedelischer Tastenelektronik). Zwar sind Text und männlicher Gesang manchmal etwas zurückhaltend, und bei einem solchen Titel (der angesichts der Szene nicht wirklich vor Originalität strahlt) hätte man eine "feurigere" Darbietung erwartet: WERKRAUM fehlt noch die Intensität und Überzeugungskraft eines FORSETI, aber die Experimentierfreude dieses Projekts stimmt uns gespannt auf zukünftige Veröffentlichungen.

From Transmision: (by Sara)

  Cold Spring lanza el primer elbum de esta desconocida banda que únicamente había destacado por haber colaborado con el grupo Von Thronstahl en un recopilatorio. En esta ocasión el sello acierta de lleno, ya que Werkraum nos ofrece un Neo-Folk fresco y de calidad, con una preciosa voz femenina y otra voz masculina, aderezado todo ello con partes de orquestación neoclásica e inclusión de algún sampler. Cabe destacar que en el tema "Die letzte Jagd" colabora Lady Morphia, mientras que en "Ewigland" lo hace Harvest Rain. Personalmente me ha encantado el tema "Legion", el cual es quizás un poco diferente al conjunto del CD.

From DSide: (by PostModernXS)

  Di Werkraum gli addetti ai lavori e gli appassionati di neofolk e dintorni avevano già sentito parlare più volte nel circuito underground, in particolare con la recente compilation "Wir rufen deine Wölfe", con Allerseelen, Blood Axis, Belborn e O Paradis tra gli altri, e in un interessante collaborazione con Von Thronstahl risalente ad un paio d'anni fa. "Unsere Feuer Brennen!" (trad.: "I nostri fuochi bruciano!") è il primo full-length album di Axel Frank, mente ed ideatore del progetto Werkraum che in questa occasione si è lasciato accompagnare dalla preziosissima presenza di Nick/Lady Morphia ed il progetto americano Harvest Rain, e che segue due CD-R risalenti rispettivamente al 1999 e 2000 ed una serie di altre collaborazioni tutto sommato di scarso rilievo. Si tratta di un lavoro validissimo, decisamente superiore alla media qualitativa dei prodotti rilasciati da label simbolo come Hau!Ruck negli ultimi mesi, e se non fosse per l'ovvia derivazione di un pur così affascinante lavoro, potremmo tranquillamente affermare di scoprire con Werkraum, uno dei nomi di punta della nuova ondata di neofolk europeo. A tradire Werkraum è forse l'eccessivo dazio pagato a Sol Invictus (soprattutto il periodo centrale nella discografia di Wakeford e soci) e Death in June pre-ri(n)voluzione Julius/Rice, fascinazione evidente da più di un passaggio presente nelle undici tracce di "Unsere Feuer Brennen", e alcuni retaggi di sperimentazione elettronica che non può non riportare alla mente i primi magnifici lavori di Current93 e Nurse With Wound. Un taglio più neoclassico, soprattutto negli interventi vocali femminli e nell'approccio pur sempre delicato di un idioma tedesco una volta tanto addolcito da un'interpretazione lontana dai toni marziali di un Albin Julius o di un Gerhard/Allerseelen. Eterogeneità di espressione che riporta sempre al medesimo comune denominatore, tra dark-folk, martial industrial, neoclassico ed elettronica minimalista. L'insieme appare comunque molto convincente: certo, vi sono tutti ingredienti già noti a condire un lavoro che nulla intende cambiare o rileggere della Tradizione, eppure lo sforzo creativo di Axel Frank è ben evidente, supportato degnamente da arrangiamenti accurati ed una ricerca melodica sopra le righe, e ben distante dalle sconfortanti esalazioni mortifere di personaggi ambigui come Forseti, :Of the Wand and the Moon: e Orplid.

From Ritual Magazine: (by Gianfranco Santoro)

  Tutt'altro ch un fuoco fatuo! La curiosità ci ha fatto scopire il già chiacchierato progetto Werkraum, vuoi per la label editrice (l'ottima Cold Spring) vuoi perché ci sono giunti apprezzamenti e lodi su questo 'UFB' da parte di alcuni "operatori del settore". Alex Frank è l'unico firmatario di Werkraum, ma, come spesso accade in situazioni del genere, viene ben sostenuto da musicisti ospiti e collaboratori. Un CD che forse non cambierà la storia del suo filone di riferimento: sonorità acustiche neo folk alla tedesca e cupe sonorizzazioni per paesaggi in battaglia. Ma 'UFB' è un buon album nel quale le molte influenze e contributi esterni arricchiscono l'ossatura di Werkraum, se lasciato in solitudine forse troppo essenziale e fragile. 'Ein-samernie' e il lungo finale 'Civitas Dei' si riaffacciano a orizzonti crepuscolari degni di Der Blutharsch e Nocturne, 'Heilige Krieg' pare una versione 'made in Germany' dei Death in June più practici. Ma la dimensione folkeggiante sembra la più adatta, via quindi all'inserimento di collaborazioni con i Lady Morphia e Harvest Rain e all'aiuto di una bella voce femminile, mentre la scelta di campioni e tracce in puro stile industrial militaresco pare più un tentativo di inserire pause e commenti all'interno dello svolgimento di un lavoro che ci pare il minimo definire perlomeno onesto e promettente.

From Flash: (by FG)

  Dopo l'apparizione su "Wir Rufen Deine Wölfe", compilation voluta e assemblata de Gerhard degli Allerseelen, i Werkraum giungono al debutto su Cold Spring con questo "Unsere Feuer brennen!". La mente di questo progetto è Axel Frank che per la realizzazione dell'album si è avvalso della collaborazione di alcuni vocalist e di un chitarrisata, ispirandosi per la liriche al decadentismo di Rimbaud e Baudelaire. La proposta dei Werkraum può essere descritta come una indovinata commistione fra l'approccio marziale dei Blood Axis e Von Thronstahl con l'efficace neo-folk dei Foresti, il tutto elaboratoro sotto l'influsso dei classico stile dei Death In June e dei Sol Invictus. "Chanson de la Haute Tour" e "Civitas Dei" mostrano come lo stile di questa formazione sia già maturo, avendo assimilato con intelligenza le caratteristiche più incisive delle band sopraccitate, e dimonstrando di saperie maneggiare con grande disinvoltura. La sensazione di già sentito si manifesta per l'intera durata del lavvoro, ma gli orecchiabili cori di "Die Letzte Jags", "Ewigland" e "Steh Auf, Nordwind" non potranno non conquistare gli amanti del tipico neo-folk di matrice teutonica. "Unsere Feuer brennen!" è un debutto realmente valido che colloca i Werkraum fra le realtà più interesanti del contemporaneo panoroma neo-classico, grazie alla loro capcità di rileggere alcune tradizionali influenze alla luce dei progressi compiuti dal genere negli ultimi anni.