Reviews:

From Heathen Harvest: (by S:M:J63)

  I have to admit here that my experience with the martial/neo-folk end of the spectrum has been quite limited, in fact this particular disc of fourteen mostly acoustic tracks was my first real encounter with this genre. As such it’s not a bad introduction; it’s certainly not as strident and bombastic as I expected (although it still retains some of the neo-classical and militaristic percussive elements along the line) and the songwriting has a melodic spareness and simplicity, mostly composed as it is of strummed acoustic guitar, that belies the strength of the message being delivered, plus there’s more than a nod to experimentalism with the use of samples and reinterpretations of classic songs.

  The album is drenched with an air of forlorn lament; lyrically Von Thronstahl’s music is haunted by dreams of the glorious and golden past, sung in a mixture of English and German, of a mostly idealised Europa of shining white buildings and long straight streets, of muscular heroes marching boldly into the future at the head of huge armies, where leaders and workers stand shoulder to shoulder – all this while sitting amongst the ruins of a shattered empire. It’s as if the dark clouds are still casting their black pall over the boulder-strewn roads, the eyeless and toothless homes and factories, the sunken-eyed populace skittering amongst the rubble, and where all promises and hopes lie broken. The very lyrical and melodic simplicity works in the songs’ favour, fortifying them with a patina and a frayed grandeur entirely in keeping with the sentiments projected by the music.

  Amongst the tracks to look out for are both included versions of ‘Gloomy White Sunday’ (written by Damiano Mercuri of Rose Rovine E Amanti), ‘Occidental Identity’ (based on the immediately indentifiable riff from The Who’s ‘Pinball Wizard’), ‘Dressed in Black Uniforms’ (a cover of Joy Division’s ‘Walked in Line’), ‘Mother of Mercy’ (a fairly upbeat song which perhaps betrays a longing for a return to simpler less complicated values and times), ‘Berg-Einsamkeit’ with its beautiful plucked acoustic guitar figure and gently sung refrains, and what for me is the best track on the album, ‘Four Horsemen of the Apokalypse’, a rewording and reinterpretation of the song of the same name originally to be found on the psychedelic 1972 album by Aphrodite’s Child ‘666’, which featured the unlikely pairing of Vangelis and Demis Roussos - whatever their subsequent musical output this particular track is an absolute classic, invested with an occult power and mystery that had me hooked the very first time I heard it many years go. I am glad to say that even with Josef K’s lyrical additions that power and mystery is still there, albeit deflected into a different purpose.

  This isn’t the kind of musical fare I would normally choose to listen to for myself and it’s still a genre full of mystery to me – but having said that this is an eminently listenable and accessible album which could easily fulfil the role of being an introduction to the genre to anyone who’s curious to know what it’s all about.

From Ritual: (by Roberto Michieletto)

  'Sacrificare' (al di là errori ortografici e grammaticali...) è un buon disco, però è impressionante come sia spesso derivativo, sino a sfiorare il plagio, nei confronti dei Death In June. Che la scena neo folk, apocalittaca e post industriale, acustica ed elettronica, sia carente di innovatori nessuno lo mette in dubbio, però ci sono alcuni brani che lasciano esterrefatti, sebbene li si ascolti con piacere. Inoltre tale scelta contrasta con quanto dimostrato in passato dalla band, che, mutando connotati sonori (pur se non ambito di appartenenza), aveva certaco di far emergere una propria personalità. Il lavoro è sorretto da una buona scrittura e può contare su canzoni, ma rimane il problema dell'identità musicale di alcune tracce, anche se il romantiscismo marziale, le atosfere grandiose e imperiali, i crescendo intensi e neoclassici, gli arrangiamenti orchestrali e corali, gli echi wave e le dinamiche acustiche valorizzano sicuramente l'opera.

From Aquarius:

  Newest record from this long running post industrial neo-folk outfit, whose sound fits perfectly amongst AQ faves like Der Blutharsch, Folkstorm, Toroidh and the like. Combining militaristic rhythms, acoustic guitars, field recordings, snippets of newsreels, military speeches, their sound transporting the listener to otherworlds, other times. The last disc to war torn Europe specifically, the music evoking the smells and sights and sounds, crumbling buildings, smoldering fires, smoke and the smell of burning flesh, the marching of soldiers, announcements over loudspeakers, all wound up into a haunting dark ambient sonic journey.

  This latest disc though is a lot more song oriented, less dark and droney and more lilting and lovely. A dark apocalyptic folk reminiscent of later Swans, The Angels Of Light, Kiss The Anus Of A Black Cat, even New Model Army and especially Current 93.

  The opening track is all acoustic guitars and soaring strings, haunting harmony vocals and simple subtle percussion. The second track begins with a simple eighties style drum beat, until the minor key guitar strum joins in as well as a totally gorgeous falsetto vocal hook, some strange chanted vocals, and weirdly some awesome "Stand And Deliver" style Adam Ant horns. "Gloomy White Sunday" is pure folk, like some lost seventies UK single, or Current 93 channeling their sonic forefathers. Gorgeously dark and languorous. And then there's the perplexing but brilliant "Occidental Identity", which steals wholesale the main riff from the Who's "Pinball Wizard", and transforms it into a haunting chunk of dark folk, intertwining vocals wrapped around that instantly recognizable riff, eventually the acoustic guitar drops out, leaving just the dynamic crashes, while strung in between are strange drones and processed vocals. A totally brilliant appropriation.

  The rest of the record dabbles in both: moody, melancholy folky strum, and the occasional purloined musical phrase or melody, as well as bits of cinematic ambience, dramatic strings, thick washed out drones, and various other mysterious sounds, with the focal point remaining the songs, the strum and the voice. All the disparate elements gorgeously woven into one of the coolest weirdest collections of dark apocalyptic folk we've heard in ages.

From Blow Up: (by Paolo Bertoni)

  Un nuovo atto in cui la passione spesso ostentata da Von Thronstahl per la muzak talvolta al limite del kitsch - ma ce n’è in The Four Horsemen Of The Apokalypse in cui ci si appropria del refrain della The Four Horsemen dal leggendario “666” di Aphrodite’s Child - e la volontà di costruire volute solennemente magniloquenti, confinate nella trionfale title-track e in Palastina, si attenuano, con un orientamento quasi esclusivo su una solida sequenza di ballate. Restano invece per la formazione tedesca molto chiari idee e concetti sin dal primo pezzo, invero di buon coinvolgimento, The Age Of Decay And Democrazy, seguito da una più schierata, malgrado l’italiano a dir poco approssimativo, Molti piu onore - che nel libretto diventa Molti piu nemeci, multi piu onore - che, tra sventagliate di mitra, rimembra le sintatticamente tremolanti declamazioni nella nostra lingua dei primi Laibach, od Occidental Identity, peraltro creata da una costola di Pinball Wizard degli Who. Ballad come Gloomy White Sunday, collaborazione con Rose Rovine e Amanti e con un vibrafono che rinfocola le affinità con Death In June, molto marcate anche in Mother Of Mercy, in combutta con Lady Morphia così come la rigogliosa Ganz in weiss und ganz in eisen, o la quieta Berg-einsamkeit si caratterizzano ugualmente per una nettezza melodica di indubitabile presa. Meno felice la cover acustica di They Walked In Line, con cui peraltro si erano già misurati in “Bellum, Sacrum Bellum!?”, qui ribattezzata Dressed In Black Uniforms.

From Black Magazin: (by M.F.)

  Das vor einiger Zeit auf Fascination erschienene Album "Sacrificare" im Luxus-Design und in einer 500 Stück-Auflage erfährt nun via Cold Spring Records eine weltweite Verbreitung. Wie schon in meinem Review dazu im letzten BLACK zu lesen, machen VON THRONSTAHL auf diesem Album in Sachen Neo Folk und liefern dabei ihr wohl eingängigstes wie klarstes Werk ab. Das bedeutet eindeutige Aussagen und Botschaften in Text, richtiger Gesang und schöne Melodien bzw. einfach gute Songs. Das vieles hier eher an FORTHCOMING FIRE als an die Neo Klassik und martialischen Stahlgewitter der Vorguanger-Alben erinnert, ist sicher kein Nachteil und trägt zum variablen Gesamtbild des Projektes bei. Wer also damals bei der BOX leer ausgegangen ist bzw. dem diese zu teuer war, kann jetzt bedenkenlos zur günstigen "Volksauflage" greifen und mit Songs wie "Gloomy White Sunday", "Dressed In Black Uniforms" order "Ganz in Weiß und Ganz in Eisen" dem Untergang des Abendlandes trotzen. Die Erstauflage der CD im Digipak ist limitiert auf 3000 Stück, wovon den ersten 1000 noch zusätzlich eine Bonus-CD namens "Cioran Pessoa" beiliegt. Auf dieser sind 5 Tracks der gleichnamigen und inzwischen vergriffenen Split-CD von THE DAYS OF THE TRUMPET CALL mit VON THRONSTAHL, weiche für diese Veröffentlichung geremixt bzw. zum Teil mit Sprech-Gesang versehen wurden. Da diese Stücke wirklich sehr schön geworden sind, ist das ein Grund mehr, dass auch die Luxus-BOX-Besitzer zu dieser Ausgabe greifen müssen.

From Vital Weekly: (by NMP)

  Another album to explore if you're interested in the updated sound of traditional folk is the latest album by German project Von Thronstahl. Based on traditional instruments with strums of acoustic guitar playing an important role, the music floats into grandiose soundscapes alternating from cold electronic escapism to more orchestral and warm expressions. The vocals of brainman Josef K fits well into the neo-folk atmospheres, but in the moments where the vocals of Josef K are assisted by backing vocals the vocal parts pull the music to even higher grounds. Especially the "Death In June"-reminiscent track "Gloomy white sunday" is a nice example and one of my personal favourites on the album. With "Sacrificare" being one of the Von Thronstahl's more melodic albums to date this album will appeal to everyone interested in the singer-songwriter part of modern neofolk. Highly recommended!

From Obliveon: (by MK)

  Nichts ist so beständig wie der Wandel, und so überrascht Josef K. und Von Thronstahl seine ergebene Fan-Gemeinde mit einem Album, das überrascht und durchaus einige Hördurchgänge benötigt, bis es vollends zündet. Verhältnismässig wenig ist geblieben von den martialischen Einflüssen solcher Alben wie „Imperium Internum“, „E Pluribus Unum“ oder „Bellum Sacrum Bellum“, „Sacrificare“ ist vielmehr ein vom Neofolk beeinflusstes und über weite Strecken akustisches Album, das aufgrund des Gesanges von Josef dennoch klar als Von Thronstahl-Album erkennbar ist und in seiner musikalischen Klasse den vorgenannten Alben in nichts nachsteht. Ursprünglich bereits vor einem halben Jahr in einer streng limitierten und absolut edlen Box erschienen, die mittlerweile Höchstpreise auf Ebay erzielt, ist „Sacrificare“ und die darauf enthaltenen vierzehn Stücke ein faszinierendes Album, das die Stellung der Band in der deutschen Neofolk-Szene trotz aller Kontroversen um den streitbaren Josef K. untermauert und noch einmal herausstellt, dass die Nichterwähnung in der Neofolk-Bibel „Looking For Europe“ dann auch nur Gründe hat, die wohl ausschliesslich in dem Bemühen um eine vermeintliche „Political Correctness“ der Autoren zu suchen sind. Die Art und Weise, wie Von Thronstahl mit dieser Nichtbeachtung umgehen, indem sie den Autoren einfach ein Lied widmen (das bereits von Myspace bekannte „Gloomy White Sunday“) zeigt deutlich den Kampesfeswillen der Formation, aber auch die differenzierte und durchaus humorvolle Art der streitbaren Auseinandersetzung, die der Band und vor allem Josef K. immer wieder zu Unrecht entgegengebracht wird. Musikalisch finden sich auch auf „Sacrificare“ immer wieder Rückbesinnungen auf die musikalischen Wurzeln Josef K.’s, sei es in Form von Joy Divisions „We Walked In Line“, hier in Gestalt des Stückes „Dressed In Black Uniforms“, The Who’s „Pinball Wizard“ in „Occidental Identity“ oder Aphrodites Child’s „The Four Horsemen“ in „The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse“, die kaum jemand so geschickt für seine eigenen Zwecke zu adaptieren ist, wie eben Josef K. Die Zusammenarbeit mit Damiano Mercuri (Rose Rovine E Amanti) hinterlässt hier ebenso ihre Spuren, wie die Fortsetzung der langjährigen Kooperation mit Raymond P. und macht „Scrificare“ zum wichtigsten Neofolk-Album seit Jahren. Wenn dieses Album überhaupt eine politische Aussage besitzt, dann die, die Josef K. nun schon seit Jahren zu seinem Dogma erklärt hat: „Turn Your Revolt Into Style“. Stilvoller könnte die Revolution nicht eingeleitet werden. Bravo … („Sacrificare“ erscheint neben einer normalen Ausgabe auch in einer limitierten Auflage inkl. einer 3“ CD, die Auszüge aus dem längst vergriffenen Pessoa / Cioran-Album enthält). (10/10)

From Musik Terrorverlag: (By imBlutfeuer)

  VON THRONSTAHL. Schon alleine der Name genügt, manch einem Zeitgenossen einen Schauder über den Rücken zu jagen. Der Grund dafür ist aber nur selten die Musik dieser Formation, wenngleich ihre Tonkunst zweifellos imstande ist, im positiven Sinne großes Aufsehen zu erregen. Vielmehr stiftet die Kontroverse um Josef K., der als führender Kopf des Projektes gilt, jene Unruhe. Ihm werden allerlei Sünden zugeschrieben, denn laut seiner Gegner sei er eindeutig nationalsozialistisch angehaucht; der gefährliche Drahtzieher eines Versuches, die sogenannte schwarze Szene mit braunem Gedankengut und rechtsextremistischer Propaganda zu unterwandern. Derartige Vorwürfe riechen doch allzu oft nach der Verzweifelung derjenigen, die eine bankrotte Ideologie der Engstirnigkeit vertreten, und die daher keine Hinterhältigkeit mehr scheuen, sich an ihrer langsam zerbröckelnden Macht zu halten. Tatsache ist, daß Josef Klumb kein Eindringling ist, sondern ein Urgestein. Mit seinen früheren Unternehmen wie beispielsweise AUS 98 und CIRCLE OF SIG TIU trug er eine Menge dazu bei, die deutsche Alternativszene Anfang der achtziger Jahre mit zu gründen. Für ihren Teil wurde die Nachfolgeband FORTHCOMING FIRE zu Bahnbrechern des Gothic-Rocks, während WEISSGLUT mit ihrem Debütalbum die zweifellos stärkste Platte der Neuen Deutschen Härte aufnahmen, bevor der Dolchstoß verbissener Kleingeister (oder vielleicht waren es Paranoiker, die eine tiefe Abscheu gegen sich selbst empfanden?) die Profikarriere Klumbs zunichte machten.

  Auch in Bezug auf die Gesinnung Klumbs irren sich seine Feinde. Es wäre falsch, ihn als Rassist, Nazi oder Extremist zu bezeichnen. Im Gespräch kommt der mißverstandene Musiker äußerst aufgeschlossen und sympathisch rüber, wobei seine offensichtliche Liebe zu seinem Vaterland mit einer Art Internationalismus verbunden wird, die weitaus völkerverbindender, gesunder und tiefer empfunden als die oberflächliche, erlogene Pseudobrüderlichkeit der globalen Marktwirtschaft, nach deren Maßstäben lediglich der Zinssatz oder das BIP zählt, wirkt. Es mag wohl sein, daß Klumb ein „Patriot“ oder ein „Nationalist“ sei. Ein Chauvinist ist er jedoch mit Sicherheit nicht. Für Einige, die aus dem eigenen Vorteil den deutschen Selbsthaß und das begleitende Schuldgefühl anscheinend auf die noch ungeborenen Generationen dieses Landes übertragen wollen, gleicht selbst ein Bekenntnis zur deutschen Kultur einem Gedankenverbrechen. Wohlgemerkt: Das “Reich“, nach dem Josef K. zu streben scheint, und das in dem Schaffen VON THRONSTAHLs zumindest gelegentlich kundgetan wird, hat wenig mit dem nationalsozialistischen Staat, der sich dieses Etiketts bediente, zu tun. Manchmal kommt es einem so vor, als sei dieses Reich sogar nicht unmittelbar irdischer Natur. Dies Reich ist ein Reich des Geistes, der Erleuchtung und des höheren Menschentums, in dem die Seele eines Volkes in seinen größten Einzelnen, ja ausgerechnet in seinen Einzelgängern, zum Ausdruck kommt. Hier besteht unbestreitbar eine Ähnlichkeit zu dem “geheimen Deutschland“, von dem Stefan George dichtete und für das Claus von Stauffenberg und die Mitglieder der Weißen Rose ihre Leben hingaben. Im Gegensatz zu den Erwartungen seiner Verleumder knüpft Klumb an eben diesen Traditionen an und sieht nach eigener Aussage seine Kunst wie seine Weltanschauung vorwiegend in diesem Zusammenhang stehen.

  Heutzutage werden Stauffenberg und die Geschwister Scholl zumeist als Vorkämpfer der Bundesrepublik gefeiert. Sie und ihre Widerstandstätigkeit in dieses Licht zu stellen, wäre aber falsch. Die vaterländische Sorge um die Zukunft Deutschlands und Europas, die elitäre Abneigung gegen die Masse, die für sie sich im Hitlerismus widerspiegelte, der christlich-religiöse Idealismus und eine Heldentumsvorstellung, die dem „deutschen Hellenismus“ Georges und dem Erlebnis der bündischen Jugend entstammte: Das alles war sowohl Stauffenberg wie den Scholls gemein. Gerade diese Aspekte ihres Denkens werden heute so heruntergespielt, und genau diese Werte sind es, die sich wie ein roter Faden durch „Sacrificare“ ziehen. So wird es dem geneigten Hörer nicht wundern, wenn ein Stück mit dem Titel „The Age of Decay and Democrazy“ den Auftakt zum Album bildet. Ob man nun Gesinnungsfreund Klumbs ist oder nicht, erscheint seine Kritik an der modernen Demokratie unheimlich treffend angesichts der Angriffskriege, die augenblicklich in ihrem Namen geführt werden, oder der quasi-totalitären Gesetze, die angeblich zu ihrem Schutz durchgepeitscht werden. Der Text verurteilt den demokratischen Kapitalismus als Scheinfreiheit, die bloß die Freiheit zum Konsum sei; eine Freiheit für die man seine Seele verkauft habe. In einem Zeitalter, in dem dieses politische System gleich mit Gott gesetzt wird und infolgedessen als unantastbares Gut angesehen wird, ist es dringend notwendig, Fragen dieser Art zu stellen.

  Aber warte mal! Eigentlich tut es einem bis zu einem gewissen Grade leid, so viele Zeilen über den Streit um VON THRONSTAHL bzw. deren ideologischen Unterbau schreiben zu müssen. Obwohl es geradezu erfrischend ist, wenn eine Gruppe sich mehr als dem Musizieren widmet, beschäftigt sich Terrorverlag schließlich (in erster Linie) nicht mit Politik oder Philosophie, sondern mit Musik, ohne allerdings mit Scheuklappen durch die Weltgeschichte zu wandeln. Selbstverständlich geht es in erster Linie auf „Sacrificare“ auch um diese Kunstform, und hier läßt die Scheibe nichts zu wünschen übrig. Die Formation selbst behauptet, mit dieser Veröffentlichung ein Neofolk-Album gemacht zu haben. Insofern, als die akustische Gitarre das Rückgrat viele Lieder bildet, trifft diese Beschreibung zu. Gleichwohl gibt es auf der CD etliche Kompositionen, die meilenweit entfernt von der Klischeevorstellung der sogenannten „neuen Folklore“ sind. Hier wären vor allem die erhabenen, klassisch geprägten Stücke, die aus der Feder von Raymond P. geflossen sind, und die folglich dem THRONSTAHL-Sound, den man aus Platten wie „Imperium Internum“ kennt, am nächsten entsprechen, zu nennen. Seitdem sind jedoch die Orchestrierungen authentischer geworden, und die Arrangements klingen satter und überzeugender. Aber auch die von der Klampfe getragenen Songs schließen eine Vielfalt an Ansätzen ein, was möglicherweise der Einzbeziehung verschiedener Gastmusiker zu verdanken sei. Damiano Mercuri von der italienischen Neofolk-Combo ROSE ROVINE E AMANTI ist an einigen Liedern beteiligt, während Klumbs alte Mitstreiter aus FORTHCOMING FIRE-Tagen, Lars Wehr und Thorn, auf der sehnsüchtigen „Berg-Einsamkeit“ wieder zusammen auftreten. Jeder bringt etwas Einmaliges ins Spiel, und schon die Beisteuer der diversen Gitarristen, die von glaspuren flotten Akkorden bis hin zu herzerreißenden, gezupften Arpeggios reichen, sorgen dafür, die Aufmerksamkeit des Hörers gefangen zu halten. Über allem thront die unverkennbare Stimme von Josef K., welche die Forderungen verschiedenerlei Stimmungen leicht erfüllt, ohne je ein Jota ihren Umfang oder ihren Adel einzubüßen. Demgemäss wechseln sich Egriffenheit und Zurückhaltung, einschmeichelnde Wärme und strenge Mahnung miteinander ab. Trotzdem: Ob energiegeladen oder lieblich; ob gitarrenlastig oder orchestral, klingt „Sacrificare“ wie aus einem Guß und stellt deshalb eine in-sich-geschlossene Einheit dar. Da die Qualität von Anfang bis Ende so hoch und beständig ist, fällt es de Rezensenten schwer, Favoriten auszuwählen. Jedes Stück ähnelt einem Juwel, das in tausend Facetten seine eigenen Stärke schimmernd wiedergibt. Außer der schon erwähnten Lieder verdienen immerhin der aufwühlende Ausklang „The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse“ sowie das epische „Ganz in Weiß und ganz in Eisen“, das einen fast zu Tränen rührt, besondere Belobigung. Wenn ich aber ein Lieblingsstück wählen müßte, wäre das höchstwahrscheinlich Occidental Identity, dessen Bearbeitung von PETE TOWNSHENDs „Tommy“-Riffs einfach genial ist.

  Mit diesem Tonträger hat Josef K. zum wiederholten Male bewiesen, daß er immer noch an der Spitze der Alternativmusik steht. Dieses Werk zeugt von mehr Kraft, Emotion und Talent als ein ganzer Haufen jüngst erschienener Neofolk-Veröffentlichungen zusammengenommen, und was VON THRONSTAHL hier geschaffen haben, besitzt zweifelsohne das Potential, die Zeit zu überdauern. Um das aber vom kommerziellen Erfolg her gesehen zu ermöglichen, müßten sie erst einmal aus dem „Ghetto“ der Neofolk- und Industrial-Musik herauskommen, und betrüblicherweise scheint dies unter den aktuellen Umständen unwahrscheinlich. Wie dem auch sei: „Sacrificare“ gilt als ein Meilenstein dieses Genres, wenn nicht der alternativen Musik überhaupt. Ehrlich, edel, tiefergreifend und strahlend schön.

Anm. der Redaktion:

  Hiermit stellen wir noch einmal fest, dass die Meinung eines Rezensenten nicht zwingend die Haltung des Terrorverlags in seiner Gesamtheit bzw. in Teilen widerspiegelt. Die Person Josef K. ist ohne Zweifel auf politischer Ebene hochgradig ambivalent, wozu er mit seinen Aussagen selbst beigetragen hat. Gleichwohl muss es möglich sein, sich mit der Qualität seiner musikalischen Veröffentlichungen auseinanderzusetzen, ohne allerdings den Gesamtkontext seiner künstlerischen Vision aus den Augen zu verlieren. Dies mag dann Grundlage für eine eigene persönliche Einschätzung sein.

From Dagheisha: (By Roberto Michieletto)

  Una prima doverosa annotazione, almeno per chi è di lingua italica; nel momento in cui Von Thronstahl hanno scelto di intitolare il secondo pezzo ‘Molti Piu Onore’, forse avrebbero fatto bene a chiedere chiarimenti a qualche loro “compagno” residente sul suolo nostrano (per noi che qui ci abitiamo), perché fa onestamente ridere sentire ripetere, tra l’altro un quantitativo di volte spropositato, “Molti piu nemici molti piu onore”. E, sempre all’interno della stessa canzone, hanno pure sbagliato nella ortografia, ma non nella pronuncia (bravi…), la frase “Boja chi molla!”, con la j al posto della i; magari sarà solo un errore di stampa, ma per loro si tratta di un errore grave, vista la dedizione che mostrano per la storia, almeno per un certo tipo di storia. Ma questa era solo l’introduzione, perché poi il sottoscritto, per quanto critico e antagonista, non si fa minimamente corrompere quando deve valutare l’operato del gruppo sottoposto a critica. O forse ho frainteso o non ho colto l’ironia e la feroce opposizione alla società odierna per mezzo di metafore del tempo andato. Non so, però ‘Sacrificare’ (corretto…) è un buon disco e riesce ad essere tale per i 71’ abbondanti di durata, il che è degno di menzione, però è altrettanto impressionante come sia spesso derivativo, sino a sfiorare il plagio, nei confronti dei Death In June. Che la scena neo folk, apocalittica e post industriale, tanto acustica quanto elettronica, sia scarsamente ricca di innovatori e idee originali nessuno lo mette in dubbio, però ci sono alcuni brani che lasciano esterrefatti, sebbene li si ascolti con piacere. Inoltre tale scelta contrasta con quanto dimostrato in passato dalla band, che mutando connotati sonori (pur se non ambito generico di competenza/appartenenza) aveva cercato di far emergere una propria personalità. Comunque il lavoro è sorretto da una buona scrittura e può contare su canzoni solide, ma rimane il problema dell’identità musicale di alcune tracce (e per una formazione che fa dell’orgogliosa rivendicazione della propria entità un vanto….), anche se il romanticismo marziale, le atmosfere grandiose e imperiali, i crescendo intensi e neoclassici, gli arrangiamenti orchestrali e corali, gli echi wave, le dinamiche acustiche, l’adattamento di ‘Walked In Line’ dei Joy Division (‘Dressed In Black Uniforms’) e ‘The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse’ basata su una composizione degli Aphrodite’s Child di Demis Roussos e Vangelis Papathanassiou (do you remember?) valorizzano sicuramente l’opera.

From Judas Kiss: (By Lee Powell)

  Has it really been four years already since the last Von Thronstahl album, the brilliant ‘Bellum, Sacrum Bellum?!’ back in 2003? Released on the band’s own Fasci-Nation label, it was viewed by many, much like their ‘Re-Turn Your Revolt into Style’ CD, to be a stopgap release of odds and sods, serving as a filler between ‘proper’ albums. However, both of these releases proved themselves not only to be essential Von Thronstahl releases but also gems in the martial/neo-classical genres.

Now returning to the fray with their second album for the highly revered, respected and influential UK post-industrial label Cold Spring records (the fourth if you count the compilation album ‘E Pluribus Unum’ and their live contribution to the ‘Steel Night’ 4CD boxset),, Von Thronstahl unveil their new masterpiece ‘Sacrificare’.

  Musically, ‘Sacrificare’ produces a couple of surprises, and sees a slight shift in direction for Von Thronstahl. Instead of just churning out the same martial orchestrations and samples formula which the band do so incredibly well, Josef K. and co. have progressed to a more song-structured sound, which was occasionally touched upon in their previous releases, and which has much in common with neo-folk. Of course, there is still a strong martial presence on the album, with the trilogy of ‘Dumnezeu Exista/God Exists’, ‘Sacrificare’ and ‘Palastina (Hep version)’ pulling in the commanding power that Von Thronstahl produce through their amalgamation of bombastic classical instrumentations, political samples and authoritarian vocals, to create a highly charged energy that is hugely engulfing and stirringly uplifting whilst brimming with decadent splendour.

  However, the majority of ‘Sacrificare’ is decidedly less immediately in your face and confrontational. Yet there is a deeply discreet, subversive presence that is still evident, even if you have to scratch the surface is to discover it. This subtlety makes the exploration of the album’s general atmosphere and presence a lot less threatening and accessible as a whole.

  This migration of sound has been executed, as you’d expect from a band with the pedigree of Von Thronstahl, with the greatest of skill and thought and is delivered perfectly.

  The majority of tracks consist of the acoustic guitar and vocal combination that is so prominent within the neo-folk scene, yet Von Thronstahl still manage to produce a sound that doesn’t sit comfortably within the constraints of just one pigeonholed genre. And this is just one of the many strengths which Von Thronstahl demonstrate here.

  Amongst the standout tracks, of which this album has many, particular attention needs to be drawn to two cover versions, ‘Dressed in Black Uniforms’ and ‘The Four Horsemen of the Apokalypse’ (sic), the first being an unusual take on the classic Joy Division song ‘Walked in Line’, which was covered somewhat more conventionally on Von Thronstahl’s ‘Bellum, Sacrum Bellum?!’. However, on this occasion the track has been considerably slowed down, and is presented in a calmer and less immediately authoritative form, which only seems to draw the listener deeper into the song whilst making its lyrics more prominent. ‘The Four Horsemen of the Apokalypse’ is perhaps the most diverse track found here, and sees Von Thronstahl expanding heavily on their neo-folk sound, which on this occasion has subtle similarities to Death In June, and an incredibly catchy psychedelic folk chorus which you can’t help singing along to. From time to time during the track’s seven minutes, it’s easy to forget that you’re actually listening to Von Thronstahl at all, but at least this only goes to demonstrate the diverse nature of the band’s sound, and proves that they are so much more than a straightforward martial industrial group.

  Visually, the album’s artwork is a wonderfully inspired mixture of the authoritarian starkness and industrial beauty of Fritz Lang’s legendary ‘Metropolis’ and the old totalitarianism of the German state. Simplistic yet alluring, whilst still being awash with a staunch, commanding power, it sets the mood for the music it accompanies fantastically, and helps Von Thronstahl’s delivery of a perfectly produced release.

  With a movement in sound and atmosphere from bombastic martial to neo-folk, ‘Sacrificare’ may initially surprise a number of listeners. However, Von Thronstahl still manage to pull out all of the stops and produce a remarkable album of immensely high quality that only goes to strengthen their grip on the European post-industrial scene as a whole.

  Yet another essential purchase, not only from Von Thronstahl, but from Cold Spring Records as well.

From Necroweb: (by Blizzard)

  Seit über 10 Jahren aktiv, spricht man mit der stilistischen Bandbreite vom Neofolk bis zum Martial Industrial ein breites Publikum an. Und obwohl die Band von einigen Presseorganen bewusst verschwiegen wird, feiert man dennoch mit erstaunlich hohen Verkaufszahlen.

  "Sacrificare" lautet das aktuelle Werk der teils doch recht umstrittenen Von Thronstahl.

  Man kann über Joseph K. und Raymond P. mit ihrem Projekt denken was man will, aber musikalisch gesehen dürfte es sich hier ohne Übertreibung um das bisher beste Werk der beiden Münchener Aktivisten handeln. Im durchweg melodischen Gewand präsentiert man uns hier 14 Kompositionen, welche stilistisch ganz und gar dem Neofolk zuzuordnen sind. Alle Tracks sind dabei im Gegensatz zu früheren Veröffentlichungen von ruhiger Natur und schaffen es den Hörer am Stück zu fesseln, ein Album welches von Gefühl und Melodiereichtum lebt. Tracks wie "The Age Of Decay And Democrazy" oder "Ganz In Weiss Und Ganz In Eisen" brauchen überhaupt keine Anlaufzeit, sondern begeistern sofort mit fesselnden Melodien und gelungener Interpretation. Man schafft es spielend Melodien zu weben, die sich über Tage im Oberstübchen einnisten. Besonders "Dressed In Black Uniforms" scheint es den beiden angetan zu haben, wurde dieser Joy Division Klassiker doch schon auf dem Album "Bellum, Sacrum Bellum" in anderer Form verewigt. Der Titeltrack selbst glänzt mit Anleihen aus der Klassik ebenso wie "Mother Of Mercy", wobei ersterer recht düster interpretiert wird.

  Aufgenommen im Ton-Strahl Studio ist die Produktion abermals überaus gelungen, ebenfalls ist die gesangliche Darbietung beider Künstler als hervorragend zu benennen.

  Das Teil kommt neben dem normalen Digipack noch als Doppel-CD und in einer Gold/Box Edition auf den Markt. Alles schwer limitiert, die erwähnte Box ist leider offiziell schon ausverkauft. Sammler können aber bei Ebay fündig werden.

  Klar, Moralapostel werden sicher auch wieder was zu meckern haben, aber musikalisch gesehen haben wir es hier mit einem überaus gelungenen Tonträger zu tun. Aufgrund der stilistischen Gegebenheit auch interessant für Anhänger von Death In June und Konsorten.

From Darkroom: (by Michele Viali)

  Ritorna sulle scene il nome, forse, più scomodo del panorama underground, sponda brown/grey area. Con questo terzo lavoro di lunga durata l'act germanico Von Thronstahl si lascia in parte alle spalle le soluzioni industrial di "Imperium Internum" e la vena electro-dance che segnava "Bellum, Sacrum Bellum?!", e così, non rinunciando all'immancabile titolo in latino, arriviamo ad un full-length di stampo prettamente neofolk. "Sacrificare" è stato edito in ben tre confezioni differenti: la prima pubblicata mesi fa per i tipi dell'etichetta Fasci-Nation in un lussuosissimo box rigido, mentre in tempi più recenti sono uscite le due edizioni prodotte dalla label inglese Cold Spring, di cui una limitata a 1000 copie con allegato un CD 3" contenente i pezzi inclusi originariamente nello split "Pessoa-Ciaoran" (in compagnia di The Days Of The Trumpet Call) del 2004, e l'altra limitata a 3000 copie in un bel formato digipak. Le malinconiche ballate neofolk con tema l'Europa e la decadenza del mondo occidentale dominano un po' tutto l'album, e non nego che alcune sono riuscite in modo eccelso, a partire dall'apertura di "The Age Of Decay And Democracy", assolo sulla nostra "età di discussioni senza fine". È ottima anche "Gloomy White Sunday", musicata dal nostro Damiano Mercuri (Rose Rovine & Amanti): un inno triste alle bellezze immortali dell'occidente, in attesa del prossimo crollo di Wall Street. Josef K. non rinuncia a coverizzare per la seconda volta la controversa perla dei Joy Division "Walked In Line", e così, dopo la grandiosa versione dance apparsa in "Bellum Sacrum Bellum?!", eccone una reinterpretazione emozionante in chiave folk con titolo "Dressed In Black Uniforms". La presenza dell'altro Von Thronstahl Raymond P. è ridotta al minimo, ma è evidente che quando i brani hanno anche la sua firma (mi riferisco a "Sacrificare" e "Palästina") si ha un'impennata della qualità realizzativa, con suoni che rimandano all'industrial eroico che conquistò mezza Europa ai tempi di "Imperium Internum", nonché vicini al successivo debutto degli H.E.R.R.. Il limite di Von Thronstahl è sempre lo stesso: album troppo lunghi in cui risplendono alcuni brani tra musica di puro riempimento. Un esempio di questo aspetto sono i pezzi composti da Lars Wehr ("Undefinierbare Sehnsucht", "Berg Einsamkeit" e "The Four Horsemen Of The Apokalipse"), in cui l'ex-chitarrista dei Forthcoming Fire (precedente progetto rock di Josef K.) si lascia andare a tonalità folk deathinjuniane con tocchi rock: idee non malvagie, ma nemmeno all'altezza del resto dell'album. O ancora pezzi musicalmente piuttosto inutili e troppo derivativi, come la cristiana "Mother Of Mercy"... Discorso a parte va fatto per il brano che più attirerà (nel bene e nel male) l'attenzione degli ascoltatori italiani: mi riferisco a "Molti Piu Onore", in cui su una base a metà tra il neofolk e la new-wave il nostro Josef ripete all'infinito due celebri motti destrorsi. Il pezzo è realizzato bene nel suo andamento minimale, ma è lecito pensare che tanta gente non approverà le posizioni esplicite ivi espresse. Lascia con l'amaro in bocca il libretto allegato, pieno di refusi ed errori, a partire dal motto "Molti nemici, molto onore" qui storpiato in "Molti piu nemeci, multi piu onore" (sic!): fino a qualche tempo fa ero convinto che si trattasse di uno scherzo, invece è proprio la dura realtà. Allora mi chiedo: perché usare l'italiano, se poi lo si deve abbassare a questi livelli? Meglio mantenere l'uso della lingua madre, visto che anche le parole inglesi pullulano delle stesse arbitrarie modifiche apportate alla nostra lingua. Che Josef risenta ancora del suo passato punk? La recente esibizione dal vivo a Roma sembra dare risposta affermativa... Per il resto un album di alto livello, immancabile per chi segue la brown area e il neofolk. Ma attenzione: siamo dinnanzi ad un lavoro senza compromessi e senza sfumature, costruito in modo unidirezionale, a partire dalla citazione d'apertura presa da De Maistre, ai suddetti motti di nostalgica memoria, alla posizione riguardo la Palestina, al cristianesimo e a molto altro ancora. "Sacrificare" non dà adito a dubbi, e Josef K. rimane ad oggi uno dei pochi musicisti a non farsi problemi di nulla. Proprio di nulla. Avvertiti!

From Twilight Zone: (by Michele Viali)

  L’atteso nuovo album di Von Thronstahl si conferma più aggressivo dei suoi predecessori almeno a livello ideologico. Per contro sul versante musicale si ha un ammorbidimento dei suoni con poche (ma validissime) incursioni nell’ambito industrial marziale (“Palaestina” e “Sacrificare”) e l’allontanamento totale dai suoni dance e più in generale da quell’elettronica che fece storcere il naso a molti (ma non al sottoscritto) ai tempi della pubblicazione di “Bellum, Sacrum Bellum?!”.

   L’uscita di “Sacrificare” ha visto una vera e propria celebrazione con ben tre confezioni differenti, tra le quali svetta per bellezza quella autoprodotta da Josef K. (in particolare dalla sua ambigua label Fasci-Nation), caratterizzata da un box con interno satinato a specchio limitata a sole 500 copie. Ben curate anche le due versioni prodotte dall’etichetta inglese Cold Spring, a cui va senz’altro il merito eil coraggio di aver dato spazio ad un progetto musicale tanto interessante quanto (se vogliamo) pericoloso. Passando alla musica, va senz’altro evidenziato l’ampio spazio dedicato alle classiche ballate neofolk con tema la decadenza dell’occidente e la difesa delle tradizioni. Svettano “The Age of Decay and Democracy” e “Gloomy White Sunday” (musicata dal nostro Damiano Mercuri, ben noto per aver dato vita all’act Rose Rovine & Amanti). Eccellente anche la cover di “Walked in Line” dei Joy Division, ora rititolata “Dressed in Black Uniforms”: un pezzo,questo, amatissimo dalla brown area (molti ricorderanno anche la cover che ne fecero i Blood Axis) e che riesce a dare, grazie alla sua perfezione, una resa grandiosa in qualsiasi veste lo si proponga. Come già detto non mancano alcuni pezzi più elettronici, lato che comunque arricchisce anche le ballate folk, grazie ad un ampio uso di samples. Emergono in alcune tracce i riferimenti al cristianesimo (“Palaestina” e “Mother of Mercy”), aspetto che sta caratterizzando la carriera più recente di Josef (si veda al proposito la partecipazione alla compilation italiana “Credo in unum Deum”). Mentre “Demnezev Exista / God Exists” immortala il crollo del regime comunista in Romania, riproponendoci le urla della folla in rivolta a Timisoara nel dicembre del 1989. Non mancano tracce che ci rimandano in modo abbastanza diretto al precedente gruppo (decisamente più rock) di Josef: i Forthcoming Fire; un ritorno al passato che avviene nel segno di Lars Wehr, ex-chitarrista della band e compositore di ben tre brani che chiudono l’album (di cui uno fortemente ispirato da un vecchio tema di Vangelis). Nonostante la durata eccessiva, “Sacrificare” è un ottimo lavoro, forse più completo rispetto al precedente “Bellum sacrum Bellum?!” e più diversificato. Se il neofolk sembra essere il futuro di Von Thronstahl, continuano ad affiorare anche passaggi che rimandano a releases più vicine al rock classico , miste a momenti caratterizzati da una vena industrial. Nemmeno a dirlo l’album ha un taglio fortemente destrorso (andatevi ad ascoltare “Molti piu onore” per capire meglio) e non lascia spazi ad ambiguità di sorta. Insomma Josef non “gioca” a fare allusioni, ci sbatte in faccia il suo pensiero come accade ormai da anni. C’è comunque da dire che i riferimenti fatti non risultano mai offensivi e non scadono nel bieco revisionismo. L’album sembra piuttosto essere un inno rivolto ad un modo di pensare più fiero e orgoglioso, tutto teso a recuperare le radici e le tradizioni che si stanno perdendo. Un lavoro decisamente “granitico”. Per molti sarà un pugno nello stomaco!

From Gothtronic: (by TekNoir)

  The new release of the enfants terribles of the German neofolk scene is nicely packed in a tastefully crafted black- and gold coloured digipack. Sacrificare probably is the the most accessible Von Thronstahl release so far. The music on this new album consists of melodic neofolk, with some martial and orchestral moments, but mostly minimal, tranquil and melodic. Some songs even have a link with popmusic, an apparently unexpected link that however has never been far distant with Von Thronstahl’s music. Mind you, all in all this band is musicwise of course pretty capable in what they do. The musical direction that was instigated with the Mutter Der Schmerzen EP has been processed further on this new album, which indicates the dark times with the bombastic martial percussion or grotesque sample collages seem to have ended definitive. On Sacrificare vocals and acoustic guitar are the main ingredients. The atmosphere mostly is melancholic in character. Striking songs are the beautifully sung bluesy ‘Molti Piu Onore’ which also features trumpets, the of Death in June reminding ‘Gloomy White Sunday’ which was written by Damiano Mercuri of Rose Rovine E Amanti and ‘Dressed in Black Uniforms’ which is a neofolk re-interpretation of the Joy Division cover and only Von Thronstahl clubsucces tune ‘Walked in Line’. ‘Ganz in Weiss Und Ganz In Eisen’ and ‘Mother of Mercy’ feature excellent guitarplay from Nick Nedzynski of Lady Morphia. The titlesong ‘Sacrificare’ is the most bombastic tune of this album and shows Von Thronstahl at it’s best, with timpanes, strings and an orchestral sound. Finally ‘The Four Horsemen of the Apokalypse’ is worth mentioning since it is a free interpretation of a song from Aphrodite’s Child, the long defunct project of Demis Roussos and Vangelis, taken from their obscure occult album 666. Who would have thought of that? Von Thronstahl naturally give it a twist of their own and only let the catchy chorus from the original song return and add a wide array of sounds to that, including the orgastic moaning by female voices. The Scarificare cd has also been released in various versions as a luxury boxset, but this has been sold out for a while noe. If you are lucky you will find the limited edition of this digipack release which has an extra disc with songs on it from the 2004 released and hard to find Pessoa / Cioran split together with Days of the Trumpet Call. Sacrificare is the most minimal and also most accessible album of Von Thronstahl. However, if you don't expect the old Von Thronstahl and if you’re looking for quality neofolk you can’t go wrong with this.

From Chain D.L.K.: (by Maurizio Pustianaz)

  SACRIFICARE is the newest Von Thronstahl album. It was first issued by Fasci-Nation the last spring as a deluxe limited edition and now is re-issued by Cold Spring in two edition: a digipack containing the same songs of the previous edition and a limited to 1000 edition with an exclusive 3" CD containing exclusive mixes from the Von Thronstahl tracks which appeared on the "Pessoa - Cioran" CD. Those of you who already own the previous albums by this particular band (Josef K started his musical "career" into post punk bands just to form, like Death In June, a contradictory a project where European identity meet fascist/military iconography fascination) will for sure note that this is the most melodic and homogeneous album to date and this for sure will help gathering new fans. The new tracks, thanks to the guitar/vocals/percussions well balanced formula, are able to create a new mixture where post punk and new-folk cohabit with ease. Even if the tracks have a song approach, the band didn't totally lose their will to experiment but instead of doing it with sounds (see their use of orchestral samples into the previous releases) they did it with the songwriting. So, we have Joy Division of "Walked in line" covered with different lyrics on "Dressed in black uniforms", Who guitar riffs coming from Tommy's "Pinball wizard" on "Occidental identity" and Aphrodite Child's "The four horsemen" refrain on "The four horsemen of the apokalypse". The band did a good job by mixing everything with their distinctive sound and you won't notice with ease the different sources (the first time I only noticed the "Walked in line" melody). Catholic identity, modern times' decay and post punk approach find their place into the Von Thronstahl songs and bring to the new-folk genre a bit of freshness.

From Ultrasonica: (by Jackie Low)

  Discusso oltre ogni dire, Von Thronstahl pone un ulteriore sigillo su una carriera almeno pittoresca con questo “Sacrificare”, tenuto a battesimo dall’inglese Cold Spring Records. Un progetto bizzarro, che ha incuriosito un po’ tutto il pubblico neo folk generando amore e odio, mai una reale indifferenza. Una caratteristica che evidentemente dipende sia dalla musica prodotta (motivo unico e fondamentale che conduce l’acquisto di un album), sia dal corredo estetico che Von Thronstahl porta avanti caparbiamente, sin dalla giovinezza artistica nel calderone del punk londinese fino alla maturità di un’identità europea ritrovata. Quattordici composizioni che si affidano ad una costante chitarra classica sorretta dalla nota vena marziale del progetto, ed una quantità di samples, aperture neo-classiche, effetti. Ed una voce che nell’opinione di chi scrive è uno dei veri punti di forza dell’album: ben costruita, con un’attenzione inaspettata per l’armonia, sempre efficace. “Sacrificare” non porta nulla di particolarmente nuovo nell’area del neo-folk più marziale, appoggiandosi a strutture tutto sommato canoniche: la canzone bellica sullo sfondo, una naturale propensione alla melodia ed un immaginario che permette un immediato riconoscimento a tutta quella fetta di pubblico che si emoziona nella rievocazione dell’orgoglio nazionale, nelle peculiarità culturali di razza e nell’appartenenza ad un movimento che ha fatto della forza e dell’onore la propria caratteristica fondante. Si ascoltano con estremo piacere le influenze wave che pure costellano l’album, le cadenze suadenti di “Dressed in Black Uniforms” (adattamento dei Joy Division)?, la commovente “Gloomy White Sunday”, e gli echi kraftwerkiani di “Molti più Onore” (e sentire recitare “boia chi molla” un sorriso lo deve strappare a tutti). Qualitativamente ben prodotto, canonico eppure permeato da una personalità forte ed assestata, “Sacrificare” spazza senza troppi complimenti chili di produzioni neo-folk marziali degli ultimi anni.

From Synthesis: (by Troy Southgate)

  AND so the new Von Thronstahl album appears at long last, bearing the thoughts and aspirations of one of the more 'controversial' artists in the post-industrial underground. The lavish artwork used for the packaging of this album is sure to make "Sacrificare" one of the most attractive and exciting prospects to emerge from Cold Spring towers over the last seventeen years. As huge gold lettering spells out the band's name, a muscular warrior, ears of corn and wild stallions stand among shovels aligned with the black sun of Wewelsburg. The album comes in two separate editions. The first contains the standard fourteen-track album which runs to just over 70 minutes in length, whilst the second features the same album with an exclusive 15-minute disc. But more of that later. The jangling guitar structure used for the aptly-titled 'The Age of Decay and Democrazy' is similar in style, perhaps, to Death In June, but the urgently incessant and endearing vocal layers tell of hypocrisy, materialism, 'endless discussion' and social control. Female vocals come in the form of Anna Dyomena and the cataclysmic rumbling and cheering towards the end probably gives you some idea of where the totalitarian control-freaks of the American Empire are leading us. 'Molti Piu Onore' has a real Spaghetti Western feel to it and Italian lyrics and trumpets are mixed with militaristic yelps and rat-tat-tat drumbeats to give the whole thing a sense of driving force and energy. 'Gloomy White Sunday' features Damiano Mercuri from label-mates Rose Rovine e Amanti and has a very catchy chorus for all those who feel out of step with the contemporary era. In fact its evocative and prophetic lines could have been written by Mircea Eliade or Miguel Serrano: "Well, I'm not of this world and not of today". 'Occidental Identity' - which is unquestionably based on The Who's "Pinball Wizard" - is all about what it means to be European and how important it is to motivate our revolutionary forces and "Schlagt alarm!" ('Sound the alarm!'). The passionate ballad that is 'Ganz in Weiss und Ganz in Eisen', on the other hand, is full of robotic litanies, battering snares, great harmonies and descriptive imagery. Composed in England, this is certainly the best track so far. 'Dressed in Black Uniforms' is a rendition of Joy Division's brilliant 'Walked in Line' and personally I do think that this comparatively more varied and powerful version is superior to the one covered earlier by Blood Axis on the "Im Blutfeuer" (1995) compilation. 'Mother of Mercy', a possible reference to the 'Salve Regina' and something which reveals the group's strong Catholic leanings, is one of the liveliest tracks on the album and the theme is one of martyrdom and self-sacrifice. Here, among tales of blood and fire, Josef K has the chance to demonstrate his impressive vocal range. 'Dumnezeu Exista / God Exists' is equally steeped in religiosity, this time employing Romanian Orthodox imagery taken from the period when Ceauescu's regime was tottering amid an anti-Communist backlash. It's rather short, but charged with a spirit of uncompromising revolutionary fervour. 'Sacrificare', the title-track, is mainly the work of Raymond P. and is crammed with trepidation and suspense. Choral voices, orchestral strings and dramatic Latin phraseology are fused into one all-encompassing totality. The 'HEP' in 'Palastina (HEP Version)' stands for 'Hierosolyma Est Perdita' ('Jerusalem is lost') and is a famous reference from the time when the Crusaders were active in the Middle East. However, the derogatory term 'hep' was also used by German agitators when the country experienced a series of anti-Jewish riots in 1819 and is the root of the phrase 'hip, hip, hooray', so no doubt this lesser-known connection will keep the anti-Von Thronstahl camp busy for a while yet. The song opens with Arabesque wailing and the 'hep-hep' accompaniment that will leave us in no doubt as to its origins and perhaps this excitable Jew-baiting catcall has now become a reinterpreted anthem for Muslim-baiters everywhere in order to suit the contemporary atmosphere that characterises the so-called 'clash of civilisations'? I suspect, however, that it's a display of sympathy for the plight of the Arabs themselves, and rightly so. 'Undefinierbare Sehnsucht' sees the return of the guitar and Josef K's beautiful vocals, this time in English, are full of mourning and lamentation. This is one of the real gems on the album, a bell-laden soundtrack of pain and desire, suffering and loss. The frosty beginnings and contemplative guitar of 'Berg-Einsamkeit' works like a musical version of Julius Evola's 'Meditations on the Peaks' (1974). The laid-back English chorus is like something plucked from the Acid Folk era of the early-70s; as tranquil and dreamy as the snow-capped mountains of the Alps, something accentuated by the traditional Bavarian snippet that forms the end of the song. 'The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse' is a fantastic cover version of the old Aphrodite's Child track from their "666" (1972) album. This Vangelis Papathanassiou and Demis Roussos masterpiece has long been a favourite of mine and, combined with Josef K's own lyrical additions, this song is a real treat and remains faithful to the original. 'Gloomy White Sunday (Version)', which is even better than its predecessor, brings us to the end of this majestic album and is a reminder of how good this journey has been. I can't wait to hear some of these songs live, but for now, my congratulations must go out to all those concerned. Lest we forget, however, the single track contained on the bonus disc is a heady blend of 'Pessoa / Cioran', 'O Quinto Imperio', 'Interrgenum', 'O Encomberto', 'The Death of the Trumpet' and 'L'Amour de la Solitude'; all of which represent a condensed version of 2004's "Pessoa / Cioran" release. But regardless of whether you own a copy of the original or not, this is an essential release for anyone's Von Thronstahl collection. Keep it up, chaps.

From Judas Kiss: (by Simon Collins)

  After the totalitarian grandeur of Imperium Internum, the odds’n’sods of E Pluribus Unum, and the rock history revisionism of Bellum, Sacrum Bellum!?, Sacrificare finds Von Thronstahl’s Führer Josef K. ringing the changes once again. This album tends heavily towards the neo-folk sound showcased on last year’s Indiestate EP Mutter Der Schmerzen, with a lot of strummed acoustic guitar and soulful singing in stripped-back arrangements, although natürlich, martial bombast puts in an appearance here and there. Sacrificare took a long time to record, and this has paid off, as the album contains some of the strongest songwriting yet heard from Von Thronstahl, with many memorable tunes finely poised between delicacy and brutality.

  Sacrificare is also a long album, containing 14 tracks totalling 71 minutes, and I don’t want to give a track-by-track account of it, because that’d be boring for me to write and for you to read. Here instead are some of the album’s highlights. ‘Molti Piu Onore’ is a bluesy stomper with trumpet fanfares and boisterously belligerent vocals. ‘Gloomy White Sunday’ is written by Damiano Mercurio of Rose Rovine E Amanti, and it’s a dead ringer for Death In June songs like ‘Break The Black Ice’, with a lilting strummed guitar melody, vibraphone, snare drum and bar chimes. The song also features a couple of lines which neatly summarise Von Thronstahl’s aesthetic amalgamation of romanticism, punk rebellion and a politically engaged anti-American stance:

A poem of Lord Byron, and some tunes from The Clash,
And such a calm before the next Wall Street Crash.

  The upbeat guitar intro of ‘Occidental Identity’ sounds quite a lot like The Who’s ‘Pinball Wizard’, and its complex montage of vocals, both live and sampled, give a dynamic energy to this driving rock song. ‘Dressed In Black Uniforms’ is actually a version of the Joy Division track ‘Walked In Line’, which of course Von Thronstahl also covered on their previous album Bellum, Sacrum Bellum!?(this song was also done by Blood Axis on their split single with Allerseelen). This time around, the song is given a slow and sombre treatment, with reverbed chorus vocals backing the acoustic guitar, and late additions of marching drums and flute. Two tracks, ‘Ganz In Weiss Und Ganz In Eisen’ and ‘Mother Of Mercy’, feature guitars by Nick Nedzynski of Lady Morphia. The title track ‘Sacrificare’ is perhaps the track which most harks back to the old Von Thronstahl sound, seguing straight in from the brief ‘Dumnezeu Exista / God Exists’, a confused babel of mass shouting, orchestral strings and punk guitar breaks. ‘Sacrificare’ cuts through the confusion with a strident trumpet, swiftly joined by orchestral; strings, more brass and timpani. Urgent and impassioned, this is one of the best Von Thronstahl songs ever. ‘The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse’ is based on a song by the Greek psychedelic rock group Aphrodite’s Child, which featured Demis Roussos and Vangelis Papathanassiou, before the former became a kaftan-clad crooner and the latter found fame with his solo electronics project Vangelis (hey, I wonder why he didn’t call it Papathanassiou?!). In 1972, Aphrodite’s Child released 666, a cult double concept album based on the Book of Revelation, and ‘The Four Horsemen…’ is one of the best tracks on this extraordinary album. Von Thronstahl’s version is far from a straight cover version, though, merely borrowing the ridiculously catchy chorus of the Aphrodite’s Child song and adding it to Josef’s own apocalyptic prognostications. And were those female orgasmic moans I heard in the background, or is it just my one-track mind? The album ends with an alternate version of ‘Gloomy White Sunday’, which doesn’t seem markedly different from the earlier version, but it’s a great song anyway, so hearing it twice is no real hardship.

  If you’ve been lucky enough to snag one of the 1000 limited edition collectors’ copies of Sacrificare (and they were nearly all gone when I got mine), then you also get a 3” CD (actually, it’s a 5” CD with a 3” playing surface, like Waldteufel’s recent Rauhnacht re-release), which contains exclusive mixes of the Von Thronstahl tracks from their 2004 split release with Days of the Trumpet Call, Pessoa / Cioran. These are rather annoyingly mastered as a single 15-minute track, but for the record, there are five tracks included here, namely ‘O Quinto Imperio’, ‘Interregnum’, ‘O Encombreto’, ‘The Death Of The Trumpet’ and ‘L’Amour De La Solitude’. All in all, a nice little bonus – though I haven’t heard Pessoa / Cioran, so I can’t tell you how much (or how little) these mixes differ from the original release. Both the standard edition and the collectors’ edition of Sacrificare are presented in a very elegant digipack sleeve with bold graphics in grey, black and gold.

  There also exists an expensive, super-deluxe, 500-copy edition of Sacrificare, released by Josef K.’s own label, Fasci/Nation, somewhat before the Cold Spring release. The CD is presented in a swanky mirrored jewellery box, and contains the exact same music as the normal Cold Spring edition. I see that some people are now moaning that they’d have got more music for less money if they’d waited for the Cold Spring collectors’ edition, but if you’re enough of a saddo obsessive to pay 45 Euros for a CD in the first place, then more fool you, say I.

From The Coven Of Janus:

  This one was a surprise for me, because in the normal run of things I am not a big fan of neofolk/martial music, but this is a very accessible CD in that genre and a useful introduction to those who have never tasted its fruits .... mostly acoustic guitar and voice, spiced up with occasional percussion and orchestral passages along with samples, with a patina of Old Europa and a surface of glossy paganism (the production is excellent), almost, dare I say it, singalong in places, and sung in a mixture of English and German. There is a longing for old values evinced on some of the tracks and a return maybe to a simpler life ("Mother of Mercy", "Sacrificare"), although I also feel that there is a sense that the loss is permanent ("This is the Age of Decay and Democracy"). Favourite tracks for me are "Occidental Identity" (based on The Who's "Pinball Wizard"), "Berg-Einsamlet" with its beautiful gentle acoustic melody & "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse", which I think is a cover of the Aphrodite's Child song but I could be wrong (Aphrodite's Child, for those who don't know or are too young to remember, were Greece's only rock group export in the 70s featuring high-pitched Pavarotti-sized kaftan-wearing singer Demis Roussos...). If you're not familiar with this genre, then this album is a fine place to start to acquaint yourself with it, through the services of one of its finest exponents..