Should you not be familiar with the Ultra Heavy Beat you can basically pull out any album at a record store, they’re all more or less the same really. Of course, the die hard fans would disagree with me here, but hey, what do they know.
Should you not be familiar with the Ultra Heavy Beat you can basically pull out any album at a record store, they’re all more or less the same really. Of course, the die hard fans would disagree with me here, but hey, what do they know.
Achtung! KFMDM Hau Ruck tour! Patronaat 3/11/05
KMFDM!? What you say? Short for "Kennels Make Friendly Dogs Mean"? No sir. "Kane Makes Fucking Dull Music"? Although that might be true, it’s not what KMFDM stands for. Neither does it mean "Kinky Movies For Demented Men", "Karl Marx Fought Democracy Mercilessly", "Kiss My Faithful Dog Max" or "Keep Me From Doing Marijuana". Surely it must mean "Kill Mother Fucking Depeche Mode"? No mein freund, if you really must know KMFDM is short for "Kein Mehrheit Für Die Mitleid" which loosely translates into "No Mercy for the Masses". And the masses gathered at Patronaat were certainly allowed no mercy from the sonic assault these Seattle-based soldiers unleashed upon them.
Arriving at the Patronaat, Panic DHH (USA) was busy being opening act. I had seen them at a previous KMFDM gig a year ago and they seemed to have incorperated a more guitar orientated sound instead of the noise/industrial hardcore thing they did before. Still, they didn’t succeed in impressing us much, which is a shame really, because they were obviously trying very hard. We took the time to observe the crowd, a nice blend of die hard tough looking industrial fans, a couple of lost metalheads, a few nerds that had taken their night off from ‘dungeons and dragons’ and a few goths that seem to like this kind of stuff for some reason.
After enduring some waiting, KMFDM appeared on stage. They didnt waste time and it became very clear that for the next two hours, frontman Sascha "Kapt’n K" Konietzko, would be bringing their self proclaimed Ultra Heavy Beat sound to us: this normally involves shredding industrial guitars, ferocious political lyrics, tongue-in-cheek vocals, chanting, agressive dance beats and weird samples. Should you not be familiar with the Ultra Heavy Beat you can basically pull out any album at a record store, they’re all more or less the same really. Of course, the die hard fans would disagree with me here, but hey, what do they know. Still, credit is due where it’s due, KMFDM have been producing a steady output of albums for over 20 years now. Without a doubt, KMFDM are one of the hardest working bands in the scene and that’s why their latest album is named Hau Ruck (Heave Ho in German). Let us roll up our sleeves and get on with the gig shall we?
Hau Ruck is unique in some ways and not so unique in some. It’s very tightly produced like its predecessor WWIII (2003). The new albums seems to be a bit less political orientated than the Bush bashing WWIII and the charming Lucia Cifarelli seems to assume a much larger role, taking care of about 50% of the vocals on the album. Also, the album was intented to be titled FUBAR in the tradition of the 5 letter capitalised album names they used in the past. Either way, the gig opened with the title track, Hau Ruck. A heavy song, with a chorus well suited to chant along, even though it’s in German. A bit too sluggish for my liking but I guess it works. Son of a Gun was next, an all time favorite by many fans (including yours truely). Free your Hate is the opening track on Hau Ruck and sounds like it could have been on WWIII, a cliche song about violence and stuff, been there, done that, bought the T-shirt. Next up, Every Day’s A Good Day is a song that seems to be made to be played live. Trashy riffs played at lightning speed and chanting ‘Die, fucker, fucker, die motherfucker!’, that’s the KMFDM we all like.
Terror, another oldie from Nihil is followed by the remarkable Mini Mini Mini. A unique song in KMFDM’s canon, simply for being a French cover from Jacques Dutronc. Up next, Inane followed by New American Century. The latter is another typical ‘fight the power that propagates lies’ type of KMFDM signature song. Cifarelli and Konietzko take turns in convincing the audience to revolt against oppressing authority. Jan Peter Balkenende had better watch his back I’d say. Now, Real Thing is something different, Cifarelli demonstrates she can do more than just scream and actually manages to sing a decent song and pulls it off believably. After Adios from the album with the same name and Waste the band decided it was time for some Last Things. Taken from WWIII, Last Things deals with being an anonymous soldier in some power hungry government’s war. Hey, if you’re at a KMFDM gig you’re supposed to expect that kind of stuff.
Luckily they played A Drug Against War after that, which has become their anthem over the years, and a favorite of many a fan. After that the band left the stage, only to return for the obligatory encores, being the title track from WWIII, and the classics Attak and Megalomaniac. When they returned for the second time on the stage I was thrilled to hear the trumpet intro of D.I.Y. Really, if there’s only one song you want to hear from KMFDM let it be this one. Militaristic beats, lyrics that make no sense at all and a chorus that goes like ‘DIY, destroy what destroys you, DIY, do or die!’ Rip the System, Throw it away.
Long live the Ultra Heavy Beat.
Words: Wouter van Heuvelmans.