"gegen kult"
Year: 2012
Label: Twisted Chords
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 12
Time: 26 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Hardcore
Year: 2018
Country: Germany
City: Stuttgart
Label: End Hits
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 12
Time: 30 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Hardcore
Empowerment undoubtedly holds something of a special status in Germany's thoroughly illustrious hardcore scene. This is not only because the band brings together an idiosyncratic mix of master killer-filled beatdown vibes and snobby punkattitude, but certainly also on the unmistakable political standing for which the gentlemen from Stuttgart at least since the big-cash 2012 debut "gegen.kult" are known.
In general, since the founding days, Empowerment has been conveying a very coherent picture of lived, unencumbered anti-attitude, which begins with the denial of social media activities and stops at the lyrical charm of songs like "Stuttgart asozial". Long story short, you just can not deny the troop's authenticity - a trait that's all too often lost when trying to squeeze your own portfolio into some popular pattern.
Such pre-emptiness will of course increase the expectation to the appropriately titled successor "Bengalo" in the immeasurable. Even the first sounds should calm the inclined Empowerment sympathizers. Hard riffs straight outta stu york, beatdown, furious barking and gang shouts. Everything remains how it was there.
Even six years after "Gegen kult", empowerment left the musical paths it had taken at the time only marginally. The boys are by no means tame or quiet and the texts are still uncompromisingly written in German. In addition to the omnipresent, anti-fascist mindset and the ying and yang of interhumanity, the social shady sides of a republic, between the disenchantment with politics and the shift to the right, are addressed above all else. In terms of timeliness and relevance, the record can not be beaten and the variedly staged hardcore / antifa-punk hybrid sound whips the political message into the mind of the listener without too often citing itself. A special feature is once again the very distinctive voice of singer Jogges.
That "Bengalo" despite all musical and lyrical similarity to its predecessor album does not degenerate into a decal, prevent the guys through a very dynamic songwriting. The album combines hard mid-tempo numbers like the metallic opener and title track, impelling Chokehold bowing ("man to man"), punky-flottier pieces ("the söhnin", "connectedness") and empowerment-typical street tunes à la "stu york state of mind "to an equally coherent, as well as varied overall picture.
The whole thing is garnished with a few rap inserts and features. Particularly noteworthy is a German-language trap song titled "Mensch ist Mensch", which is both unexpected and appropriate in the center of the record next to the otherwise well-tried sounds. Even though the track certainly takes some getting used to and will by no means be everyone's event, it underscores the symbiosis of unconventionality and a solid ideological foundation through its appealing text.
Sound technically rumbles and groovs the plate damn high-class through the boxes without sacrificing corners and edges. Here, too, the balancing act between filth and appealing production succeeds effortlessly. With all the punk attitude you can not deny the guys a certain professionalism.
Even if "Bengalo" for me personally does not deliver a flawless hit like "Stuttgart asozial", should here anyone who is on Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags or Sick Of It All blind access. If you are curious or looking for the soundtrack to the next AFD counter-demo, you should definitely check the album stream or order the record or CD at End Hit Records. Stu york state of mind (*Review from HERE ).
Discogs , Lastfm , Download , Web In general, since the founding days, Empowerment has been conveying a very coherent picture of lived, unencumbered anti-attitude, which begins with the denial of social media activities and stops at the lyrical charm of songs like "Stuttgart asozial". Long story short, you just can not deny the troop's authenticity - a trait that's all too often lost when trying to squeeze your own portfolio into some popular pattern.
Such pre-emptiness will of course increase the expectation to the appropriately titled successor "Bengalo" in the immeasurable. Even the first sounds should calm the inclined Empowerment sympathizers. Hard riffs straight outta stu york, beatdown, furious barking and gang shouts. Everything remains how it was there.
Even six years after "Gegen kult", empowerment left the musical paths it had taken at the time only marginally. The boys are by no means tame or quiet and the texts are still uncompromisingly written in German. In addition to the omnipresent, anti-fascist mindset and the ying and yang of interhumanity, the social shady sides of a republic, between the disenchantment with politics and the shift to the right, are addressed above all else. In terms of timeliness and relevance, the record can not be beaten and the variedly staged hardcore / antifa-punk hybrid sound whips the political message into the mind of the listener without too often citing itself. A special feature is once again the very distinctive voice of singer Jogges.
That "Bengalo" despite all musical and lyrical similarity to its predecessor album does not degenerate into a decal, prevent the guys through a very dynamic songwriting. The album combines hard mid-tempo numbers like the metallic opener and title track, impelling Chokehold bowing ("man to man"), punky-flottier pieces ("the söhnin", "connectedness") and empowerment-typical street tunes à la "stu york state of mind "to an equally coherent, as well as varied overall picture.
The whole thing is garnished with a few rap inserts and features. Particularly noteworthy is a German-language trap song titled "Mensch ist Mensch", which is both unexpected and appropriate in the center of the record next to the otherwise well-tried sounds. Even though the track certainly takes some getting used to and will by no means be everyone's event, it underscores the symbiosis of unconventionality and a solid ideological foundation through its appealing text.
Sound technically rumbles and groovs the plate damn high-class through the boxes without sacrificing corners and edges. Here, too, the balancing act between filth and appealing production succeeds effortlessly. With all the punk attitude you can not deny the guys a certain professionalism.
Even if "Bengalo" for me personally does not deliver a flawless hit like "Stuttgart asozial", should here anyone who is on Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags or Sick Of It All blind access. If you are curious or looking for the soundtrack to the next AFD counter-demo, you should definitely check the album stream or order the record or CD at End Hit Records. Stu york state of mind (*Review from HERE ).
