Customer Reviews

Das Testament

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A friend of mine kindly introduced me to E Nomine and I can never thank him enough because they're now one of my all-time favorite groups! I haven't heard music this satisfying in a long while... After reading the reviews for this album I noticed someone complain about the remastered version of `Das Testament' but I just don't get it. They claim there to be too much classical and not enough dance beats but I find there to be more of the latter. Every time I listen to this it sends me into a hypnotic trance. It takes an open-mind to see the real beauty of the German speaking heard throughout the songs for it's often a tough language to handle (it's not exactly appealing) but in a strange way it compliments the glorious choirs and haunting Gregorian chants and, on occasion, the ethereal female vocalists.

Now I can't say for sure (although I'm pretty certain) because, aside from the English version of "Vater Unser" ("Lord's Prayer") and the meaning of the record's title, I have no clue as to what they're saying but the pictures inside the booklet depict religious themes, such as a statue of an angel holding a large cross and two hands cupping the sun as its rays escape through the fingers, shooting up into a clear blue sky with white clouds that truly look divine... Tracks such as the ear-catching "Das Abendmahl", the dreamy "Psalm 23", the heart-wrenching splendor of "Per L'Eternita" with what sounds like a boy soprano, and the stunning "Der Befehl des Konig Herodes" simply take my breath away. They also tackle a common yet amazing rendition of "Ave Maria", which has been done many times before but never as good as this!

E Nomine may not be as accessible or as easy to digest but if you stay objective than fans of Enigma and Schiller should greatly appreciate their debut, `Das Testament', for the wonder it is.

{Also check out `Finsternis' by the same artist}

This CD is just that. Amazing. The chanting, the chorus. Everything. This one tells some of the Bible stories. It has good beats, good lyrics, and a good chorus. I am deffinitly going to buy another one of their CDs.

For all of you who speak English and don't know German, I have translations up for this CD (and will for the others once I get them) at my website www.enomineforus.tk. The site is in all English.

I was stationed in the military in Germany for four years and left in 2000. I was recently playing this album for a friend. He was a amazed at the effect of the music--hence my search for this album on the net. I'm glad to see that it is still available.
I bought the album not because I heard it on the radio or in the clubs, but because I saw it featured in a store and was curious after hearing it mentioned on a German radio "morning sermonette" type feature. What luck! This album is stunning. The setting of the Our Father does convey a feeling of doubt and anger--but so does the Book of Ecclesiastes. This is prayer with a passion--so different from some of the insipid mass produced stuff that passes as "Christian music" (with all respect to artists who do try to put some real emotion into their music). The setting of the creation is just plain beautiful. I've played the album so many times that I can recite the beginning of the book of Genesis in German--and I certainly can't in English. One of my favorite albums of all time.

This is a good one, alright! "Das Testement" combines the best features of techno, classical, and religious music. The voice of the main narrator (or is it "chanter"?), though it is not musical, is deep and resonant, capable of either a quiet purr or a full-on Voice o' Doom. The mix of German and Latin lyrics creates an otherworldly feeling, and the choir provides a good balance to the "chanter." The music itself, as I said before, blends classical and techno themes, to the point that (if they are flexible enough) fans of either branch of music should find something here to enjoy. Another thing to note: the entire album has a very Biblical theme. To me, that is icing on the cake. I happen to be a fan of religious music (especially the kind involving a Latin choir). True, I only know a little German, and a smidgen of Latin, but I enjoy it anyway.

Of course, nothing ruins a good CD like having to memorize the song lyrics, and my German teacher made us do just that. Oddly enough though, I don't mind. It's still a great album.

Seriously, this CD has it all- great music, great lyrics (I should know), a beat that you can feel next door if you turn it up all the way, everything. It's better if you know German, though.

My German teacher brought this in and played it for us and I've been hooked ever since. Mostly I'm not into albums in languages I can't speak, but this is too good to pass up.

The lyrics are all Bible verses, including the 10 commandments, the Lord's Prayer and the 23rd Psalm (my teacher made us memorize the lyrics to that one).

It doesn't come cheap, being an import, but you won't regret your investment. Believe me, in a few days you will be walking through the halls humming the lyrics to yourself.

Whereby hangs a tale...... I heard this played for someone in a record shop in Zurich Banhof late in 99. The four of us in the shop at the time were stopped in our tracks. We were in a hurry and didn't pick it up. Just meant to later. I left Switzerland before we did, with no idea who it was by, or the title of the album. Back in Ireland I kept hearing "Vater Unser" on a shakey pirate Techno station, with no DJs and no phone number. I have an ultra lo-fi cassette recording of MOST of the song as a result, but still no names. I posted newsgroups to trace it, had a friend in Geneva go into the same record chain with no luck. It took 8 months to track it down, found it by accident in the end. It's worth all the trouble. It IS a stunning and original album. Nothing is lost on the fact that it is in German (which I barely understand). Though the words are respectfully catholic, there is something raw and dark about the presentation that provokes thought. My Uncle, in his 60s, hearing it for the first time now, thinks it is amazing too. I cannot imagine what could ever challenge "Das Testament" as my favourite album of all time.

The songs on this cd are great, All the songs on the CD are good and If you liked anything else by E Nomine you should check out Das Testament.

A previous review said that this won't work on computers, but that hasn't been true for me. I can't save the files as an mp3, but I was able to save them as windows media audio file (wpa).

This cd was better than I thought it would be. My sons wanted me to buy it because they listen to this type of music. But after listening to the cd for awhile, it kind of grew on me. I now have it in my cars cd changer, and it has become one of my favorite cds.

Beautiful German Techno. Whether or not you understand any German, this is some of the best music to listen to. Good beats, has up-beat and some slower stuff. If you understand the words it makes even more beautiful and meaningful.