Heimataerde – Aerdenbrand (Out Of Line Music)

English:CD-review
  Van Muylem    28 augustus 2016

Ashlar von Megalon's band of Electro-templars are unveiling the next chapter of their epic saga. Aerdenbrand (= Earthburn) is fusing modern club sounds with medieval romanticism and Neue Deutsche Härte. Be ready for their best album so far!


We already had the single Hick Hack Hackebeil and now we finally have the full album! You can expect a lot of nice melodies and killer tracks! I was amazed when I noticed that my 2 years old daughter was actually reacting very positive towards this album and started dancing like crazy! In fact I’m pretty sure you will all follow and do the same!

Let’s start with the story-line: ‘The brotherhood of undead knights templar is facing a dark menace. A fallen angel has plunged from the sky to push the weak and the innocent over the brink. The world and the established order are threatened to be swallowed by the remorseless pit of darkness. With a skillful symbiosis of the old and the new, Ashlar von Megalon and his companions are attempting to win the battle against the ever-growing brutalization and infamousness in this world and to overcome impending doom: forward-driving electronic beats meet epic choral chants while electronic bagpipes and hard guitar riffs are relentlessly cutting their way through darkness. Fortunately, the templars are not entirely alone in their quest, receiving vocal backup from guesting knight Joachim Witt.’

Song wise we start with Ein Flammenmeer: a symphonic intro that reminds me a bit of Diary of Dreams (the dramatic feel). It could be the opening track for the new Viking season as it promises a lot of blood and lots of fighting! Next one starts acoustic, gets pretty fast beats, a symphonic feel and guitars. It slowly gets build up, but once in full force makes pretty clear that it aims for club land! Aerdenbrand sounds like the perfect earworm, despite the content of the lyrics! It reminds me a bit of Final Fantasy (the video game), somehow.

Fühl die Zeit sounds like a mix between Diary of Dreams and VNV Nation as in a duet. It’s catchy, clubby and will make you want to listen to it endlessly!  Und wenn ich sag is a bit softer, led by the bagpipes, tribal percussion and the guitars. It has something melancholic, sweet and sticky. Veritas Domini is a soft interlude with heavenly chants (it reminds me a bit Dominion/Mother Russia from The Sisters of Mercy). More beats follow with the club minded Die Erde verdreht sich. Again the sound is very catchy and sticky. Hoch hinaus is another high speed top track that will be a possible hit followed by yet another great one Eintausend Mal! Ja, wir sind Kampfbereit! The bagpipes and beats creates a cool vibe! The stomping beats will for sure keep the party going!

Folge mir has some Arabic sounds, together with (what I think) a violin and breakbeats. It’s another dance floor filler! I’m pretty sure it will also be a hit on stage, the crowd will go crazy! It sounds like a fantastic voyage, but the lyrics ain’t! I already reviewed the absolute killer track Hick Hack Hackebeil (read the review of the single here ). Dein Herz has a more guitar minded sound, with a dark touch that reminds me bit of Diary of Dreams (the backings are angelic and sweet, whilst the beats lift it to a higher level). They end with more beats (even some breakbeats) and a very melancholic sound: Freiheit. Somehow I feel this one will be their last song of the regular sets during their new tour!

I must say that almost every song is an instant hit! They really worked hard in the studio and it’s clear that they can’t wait to break out and release the songs on stage and in clubs!

So what are you waiting for?!

For the fans: “Aerdenbrand will also be released as a deluxe double disc containing the story of the album told on an enthralling German-language audio book as a bonus and as a limited edition 3CD set in a Digipak longbox (999 copies) which contains the double disc plus the first ever Heimataerde live album (a recording of the group's show at the Out Of Line Weekender 2015, plus two bonus versions of Fühl die Zeit) plus a hand-numbered ownership certificate as exclusive bonus content.”

Track Listing:

CD1

1. Ein Flammenmeer

2. Aerdenbrand

3. Fühl die Zeit

4. Und wenn ich sag

5. Veritas Domini

6. Die Erde verdreht sich

7. Hoch hinaus

8. Eintausend Mal

9. Folge mir

10. Hick Hack Hackebeil

11. Dein Herz

12. Freiheit

 

CD2

1. Lleida

2. Das Heer der Sterblichen

3. Alcedonia

4. Schattenblick

5. Fatalis

6. Der vierte Reiter

7. Comitō

8. Aerdenbrand

9. Windhauch

10. Animus et Anima

11. Flötenspiel

12. Puer

13. Decretum

14. Erlösung

CD3

1. Es ist nicht vorbei (Live)

2. Gotteskrieger (Live)

3. Gib mir (Live)

4. Kaltwaerts (Live)

5. Heut ist ein Guter Tag (Live)

6. Pater Noster (Live)

7. Heimataerde (Live)

8. Weiß Schwarz (Live)

9. Kadavergehorsam (Live)

Bonus:

10. Fühl die Zeit (Cello Version)

11. Fühl die Zeit (Rock Version)