Customer Reviews

Apopcalyptic Manifesto

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4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
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Apoptygma Berzerk has been going strong for ten years, and this album collects some of the harder to get material, at least here in the States. A good half of it comes from the album _Soli Deo Gloria,_ as well as tracks from the _Deep Red,_ _Bitch,_ _Ashes to Ashes,_ and _2nd Manifesto_ releases, as well as two new tracks ("APB Goes C-64" and "Lidelsens Mening"), an alternate mix of "Arp," and a mix of "Burnin' Heretic" previously available only on an old compilation CD.

You really get to see the breadth of Groth's work here, from the dreamy goth instrumental "The Approach of Death" to the death metal vocals of "Wrack 'Em to Pieces" to the nasal whine in "Spiritual Reality." I found it quite nice how none of the songs sound the same. "All Tomorrow's Parties" sounded much different from the others... only later did I find out that it is actually a cover of a Velvet Underground song!

Compared to other APB CDs, you can tell that this is not an album. APB _albums_ have bizarre experimental tracks and instrumental bridges. _Apopcalyptic Manifesto_ has none of these, and moves straight from song to song. I don't think anyone is going to be upset by this, but by listening to _Manifest,_ one can tell that it is a compilation and not a true APB album.

I should also note that this CD sounds nothing like his newest album "Welcome to Earth." The tracks here are much more new-wave and goth influenced, instead of the euro-dance bent found on "Earth." Regardless, this is a very good introduction to APB's older work, and any fan of EBM in general. Very unique music.

I am a big fan of Apoptygma Berzerk. They are one of my personal favorite bands of all time (next to VNV Nation and KMFDM). I haven't been into the band for too long, maybe like a year or two. "Welcome to Earth" was my first Apop album. When I picked up "Welcome to Earth", I had mistaken Apocalyptica for Apoptygma Berzerk. What a happy mistake. I loved what I heard on "Welcome to Earth". The fusion of industrial beats with the sweet melodies of trance music was nothing that I heard of. Over time, I picked up "Harmonizer" and "7". I also started listening to fellow Metropolis mates VNV Nation, Icon of Coil, and Project Pitchfork. Next to VNV Nation, Apoptygma Berzerk is my favorite band on Metropolis records. I recently came upon "Apopcalyptic Manifesto" on one of my excursions to my favorite record store. I came upon a large stash of cds by Clan of Xymox, Project Pitchfork, Convenant, and Apop's "Apopcalyptic Manifesto". I automatically grabbed the Apop cd without hesitation as well as cds by Clan of Xymox, Convenant, and Project Pitchfork. Although "Apopcalyptic Manifesto" is a compilation, most of the songs on this cd is new to me. In comparison to the other Apop cds I own, the music I heard on "Apopcalyptic Manifesto" is slightly more aggressive and experimental. I especially loved the instrumental "The Approach of Death". "All Tomorrows Parties" is perhaps my personal favorite song (w/vocals) on the cd. I enjoyed both versions of "Ashes to Ashes" a great deal. I can't pick which version I like more. Like my other Apop cds, I loved "Apopcalyptic Manifesto". I can't get enough of Apoptygma Berzerk.

This is a solid collection of early Apop songs but why do this to yourself? Just buy '7' due to its start-to-finish excellence - this is a better intro to APB. Then get the more current 'Welcome to Earth' with at least 5 great songs. If you like those then you can venture deeper in the past and pick up 'Soli Deo Gloria'; you'll find that it is better as an album than this collection. Then go ahead and get the most current disc 'Harmonizer'.

In short, good stuff but don't start here. Only for completists IMO (yes, I have it).

"a retrospective compilation", as it says on the cover, this album contains some of the best previously released apoptygma berzerk tracks and remixes from the "soli deo gloria" era (1991-1994). adorned with an additional 2 unreleased tracks, this album contains everything from dance-floor-stomping hits to experimental synth tracks. it opens with an appropriately fundamental electronic piece, "APB Goes C64", which, as you might guess, sounds as if the music were entirely composed on the classic commodore 64 computer, and is then quickly followed by the extremely dancable EBM track, "deep red", from the then-forthcoming album, "7". with many more hits on this album, apoptygma berzerk prove themselves to be one of the most musical of the EBM artists while still maintaining enough raw energy in their sound to be appreciated for their techno/industrial element. i would recommend this album to anyone that does not already have "soli deo gloria" and/or the four singles from that period. this is an excellent introduction to some very melodic industrial dance music.

Apoptygma Berzerk's music is a mix of quality fast-paced EBM/industrial, and white noise experimental technoid stuff that doesn't satisfy me at all. The Apocalyptic Manifesto is basically a compilation album including some of APB's best songs, remixes, and a few previously unreleased tracks as well. There are some great tracks on here, including Deep Red (one of my favorite songs of all time), Burning Heretic, Electronic Warfare, and a couple others. There's also a few nonsense tracks on here that are kind of crappy, but the good ones overshadow them. It may take some time to grow on you if you haven't been listening to APB since the beginning, but overall The Apocalyptic Manifesto is a solid buy.

Stephan Groth, from Norway, sings in english. A bit of a sci-fi nut, this is by far the most "industrial" effort by this one man band. Since the release of this album, Apop when on to a much more futuristic synthpop format....in fact....some say that Apop was the first band to be noted as "futurepop". I'm not shure if VnV Nation or Apop officially started the futurepop...but for those unaware...this album certainly isn't futurepop. This is much closer to electro-industrial. I love the song "stitch". Dark stuff here. Not my favorite Apop album, but certainly worthy of being called decent.

Dazed and confused I was, when, after a visit to a friend, I found my self with a pack of borrowed cd's, and among them were couple of A.B. albums. Don't expect to describe in which situation I was, after listening to Apoptygma's manifestos,but it was like a melancholic elektrocusion, pain, agony, dark colors, emotions, and more, it was an experience to remember, the sounds of the new (how I can put this?) elektro-goth era but far more than this, far more than I can write in a text. Get it, get it while you can, if you are into the sound I described before, get this album. Trip out with this gothic elektro/dark masterpiece, let your mind loose and crawl into it's soundscape, and give your senses a touch of magik, then the Apoptygma realm may open it's gates for you. but hurry, it won't last for an eternity... Question is, will you then be a Berzerker? Ohh yes, you will... ...YOU WILL!

This is definitely one of the best CD's I've ever heard by any EMB/Industrial artist. If you're intersted in Stephen Groth and APB, this is THE cd to buy. Deep Red/Spirtiual Reality are awesome!

Apoptygma is, and has been for a while, the best elctronic music out there! This CD continues their trend!

What a trip. Hypnotic and true. Sorrow and pain are true emotions.