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Apoptygma Berzerk
"Imagine there's no Lennon"
Format:
CD+DVD
Online date:
14/11 2010
Label:
Hard:drive
Genre:
rock
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This is a live CD and DVD from the creators of futurepop that is recorded in Köln with the touring of "Rocket Science". The musical catalogue of APop has definitely changed since the release of Soli Deo Gloria in 1993. In a time where almost all bands in the genre where influenced by Ministry, these Norwegians took synth music to a whole new level. Follow ups "7", "Welcome to earth" and "Harmonizer" are all classics within Futurepop. With the release of "You and Me against the world" in 2005 the music had changed. Futurepop was abandoned for a more rock oriented sound. Latest album "Rocket Science" follows the same path and has Benji Madden from Good Charlotte on several tracks. It's obvious that Stephan Groth wanted to take another direction with the band. Too bad I don't find this new direction interesting whatsoever. Live, it becomes even clearer. Guitar driven tracks that I would call Arena Rock instead of synthpop or even synth rock. Is this narrow minded talk from a hard synth fanatic? Fact is that I enjoy rock, metal, punk and other genres as well. The music on the latest albums is very well produced and the live recording on this album have a great sound. The problem for me is that it is music without edge. Pop/rock songs that are more suited for a mainstream audience and this is of course a deliberate move. When I listen to this live recording I could of course enjoy listening to old tracks like Starsign, Eclipse and Non-Stop Violence but if you compare them to the originals they aren't even close.
The DVD has 5 extra tracks compared to the CD. The first single "Apollo" and two more tracks from
"Rocket Science", the ballad "Bizarre Love Triangle" from "Sonic Diary" and "Kathy's song" from
"Welcome to Earth". Not enough to enhance the material compared to the CD. Bonus material includes a boring back stage visit where the only interesting thing is a glimpse of the set list which includes the song Mourn (Mesh version) as the last extra song. A song that is not included on the DVD or the CD. Further on there is a short documentary called "Rocket Science Decrypted", a conspiracy of US History which is pretty interesting. There's also "STP and the Dollar Bill" where Stephan Groth dissects a dollar bill on the same theme as the documentary above. Finally some Live Videos that I actually enjoy more than the live concert itself. E.g. “Cambodia” which is a really good track not included on the CD or DVD, “Shine on” and “In this together” in original versions that sounds much better than then they do live.
For old time’s sake I wish Apoptygma Bezerk a very good luck in the future and hope they will achieve great success with their new direction. For myself, I will go back to the old albums and remember the days that where.
/Thobias Wollhed
Check CDDB tracklists for this record:
Apoptygma Berzerk"Imagine there's no Lennon"
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