Artist: Shamall
P: 2019
Shamall took almost 6 years to release a sequel to his successful album "TURN OFF" (2013) incl. "CONTINUATION".
Why this long time without publication? The composer and multi-instrumentalist Norbert Krüler and his colleagues Matthias Mehrtens and Anke Ullrich were certainly not short of ideas. For the self-critical artist, however, even after almost 35 years it is still the greatest challenge to create a worthy follow-up album to the respective predecessor that meets Krüler's high demands on his own works. One that gives him the creeps. Here the artist knows what he owes to his loyal fans of many years: A musical continuation of his previous albums in the styles of Spacigem Neoprog, Hardrock, Progmetal and Artrock, which he enriches with new inspirations, but never submits to the zeitgeist and certainly no collection of fixed, freaked out ideas.
It was under these circumstances that the new Shamall double album "Schizophrenia" came into being, which is indeed something very special. Even the opener and title song make it clear what's going on: guitars and vocals are much harder and more threatening, but at the same time more sensitive than those of their predecessors. Very well thought-out arrangements, which present an energetic change between lovingly ingratiating, yet demanding vocals and infinitely playful keyboard and guitar solos, accompanied by atmospheric sounds and dramatic classical interludes. Some synthesizers were replaced by guitars, which doesn't mean that Krüler doesn't work on the keys again passionately and produces one memorable solo after the other. Besides hard riffs and fast-paced passages, fantastic atmospheric surfaces provide pleasant relaxation before guitars, drums and synthesizers resume speed, sometimes skilfully accompanied by discreetly woven-in classical orchestras. In short: A hard rock prog pop ballad album from a single source with an impressive atmosphere and bombastic sound. And in fact it is also a journey through the most different music styles. For Krüler as self-evident as if there were no pigeonhole thinking. After all, he himself comes from a time when there were only two drawers: good or any music.
His long-time comrades-in-arms - guitarist Matthias Mehrtens and singer Anke Ullrich, who can now be heard on the third album, who knows how to please very well with her passionate voice and somehow reminds us of Kate Bush - help Krüler to put his personal view of music into practice. The guitar playing of Matthias Mehrtens gives this work a very personal touch again, especially since he can be heard a little more aggressive and playful in some passages. The many turns and facets of his performance as well as the progmetallic riffs surprise again and again and lend the whole work a tremendous dynamic. As usual, Krüler is responsible for the beautiful, catchy melodies - so goose bumps under your fingernails are guaranteed And of course this album by Shamall with its about 150 minutes is not an easy one either. But once you get involved, it guarantees an insatiable addiction factor Like its predecessors of the last 15 years, the double album "Schizophrenia" contains a socially critical message. Krüler deals with the ignorance of the human species towards the current social and ecological problems - according to the motto: "We all actually know what is going wrong and simply do nothing" - and finds this schizophrenic. It seems as if he wants the hippie times of the 70s back and seems to think of Che GueVara.
To cut a long story short: The album has a dynamism and a freshness you wouldn't have expected after almost 35 years of Shamall. Here the artist has succeeded in bringing together the most diverse musical styles of the last 50 years with modernity. If you now know all the Shamall albums and bring them together, you feel as if you are reading a thick book, which simply becomes more and more exciting in the course of time. "Schizophrenia" is definitely for fans a further improvement on its predecessors.
Weight:
0,14
kg per
piece