I hope this is satire
Rumpelstilzchen | 10/27/2006
(1 out of 5 stars)
"I've been a fan of Alexx Wesselsky's work since the old days of Megaherz, and while I liked Eisbrecher's first release, I feared Eisbrecher was a gimmick that wouldn't last.
Now I can only hope this is a gimmick. Dual razor blades on the cover? Is this a joke? Now don't get me wrong, Leider and Vergissmeinnicht sound good--if you don't understand German. I like music that uses many emotions, but when the lyrical content consists of nothing more than being a depressed and self-loathing imbecile, I have to draw the line. I don't want to throw the popular derogatory term "emo" around, but that's pretty much what this single conveys; exaggerated sorrow, regret, and unhappiness. I thought pretty highly of Eisbrecher when it was a cold, electronic industrial band, but now with this peek into the new album, I don't know what to believe anymore. Maybe I should write a downtrodden song about it just to be totally hardcore.
As I already mentioned, far as the music goes, it's original and memorable. The sound of Eisbrecher is still unique and catchy, but lyrically... it is a train wreck. If you don't understand German, or if you don't mind the idea of someone passing cliché "dark poetry" off as lyrics, this isn't bad at all.
I hope I'm missing something here and this is all an elaborate joke to poke fun at depressing music. Even if that were the case, it's still pathetic."
About time!
Bert Rinderle | L.A., CA United States | 08/22/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"High time Eisbrecher released something new, and what a special release it is. Thanks to Dancing Ferret Discs, we lucky North Americans get both European singles ("Leider" and "Vergissmeinnicht") on one disc, and at a domestic price, no less!
Eisbrecher is somehow able to adapt Rammstein's heavy guitar/synth style without sounding like a ripoff. Maybe it's the more aggressive vocals of Alexx, or Noel Pix's leaning towards the electronics, but who cares - Eisbrecher knows how to put a satisfying driving track together, and this single is no exception.
"Leider" has to be the gem here, a powerful anthem that combines a brutal riff with a stick-in-your-head chorus. "Vergissmeinnicht" carries considerable weight as well, but it dwells in the shadow of its brother song, not quite reaching "Leider"'s height. According to the liner notes, only "Vergissmeinnicht" is from the upcoming October 2006 album Antikorper, which is a slight disappointment, but as long as Eisbrecher can make tracks like these and the catchy, crunchy b-side "Wie Tief?", there's no cause for concern. Besides, the apparently exclusive "Leider" makes the single worth owning by itself.
Also present are some fine remixes courtesy of the Retrosic and Eisbrecher themselves, and the two multimedia tracks round off the release perfectly.
You have to think that DFD is trying their best to make a US splash with Eisbrecher, and they've done everything right - the word just needs to get around. Rammstein fans will of course feel right at home here, as will anyone who has a taste for electronica-fused rock.
Hurry up October! Now if only these guys would tour over here..."
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1