Tohuvabohu

KMFDM | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 21, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Metropolis Records
• ASIN: B000SO7OD4
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #102,805 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Tohuvabohu starts with a boisterous, tongue-in-cheek hymn to the power of KMFDM, replete with phone messages from fans extolling the band's virtues, and then tries to live up to it over the course of 51 head-slamming minutes. Longtime fans will immediately recognize the mix of aggressive storm-trooper grooves with lacerating scrawls of electronic noise multiplied across sequencer patterns and Steve White's distorted slabs of guitar. Sascha Koneitzko remains the frontman for the group, shouting his lyrics in that Skinny Puppy yowl from hell. Lucia Cifarelli, on the other hand, exults in a dominatrix vocal style. Her tunes sometimes make KMFDM sound like they want to be Shirley Manson and Garbage--and "Looking for Strange" and "Fait Accompli" almost succeed--but they just can't commit to the hook or a vocal approach that isn't shouting in your face. They take lyrical cliché to extremes on the title track and "Headcase," altering stock phrases like "Ask no questions, hear no lies" as cartoon political sloganeering. In Hebrew, "tohu va bohu" means "formless and empty," referring to the world before creation (Genesis 1:2). But KMFDM is all about form and structure and the idolatry of the beat. If nothing else, Tohuvabohu shows KMFDM's continued commitment, after nearly a quarter century, to their mutant marriage of heavy dance beats for metalheads. --John Diliberto

Product Description

KMFDM, now in their 23rd year, remain a musical entity to be reckoned with. Through relentless experimentation and reinvention they have continued to unleash a barrage of songs that allow their fans to dance with abandon, bang their heads or dissect the band’s cuttingly cunning lyrics sometimes all at once! KMFDM’s new album on Metropolis Records, Tohuvabohu, is no exception. ‘Tohuvabohu,’ an Old Testament word meaning wild and chaotic, perfectly captures the spirit and energy behind the tracks contained therein. Sascha Konietzko, the band’s founder and leader, conducts his army of analog synths and wields his razor sharp lyrics and vocals. Chanteuse Lucia infuses her tracks with a fiercely powered urgency alternating with soft beauty. The KMFDM core remains solid as ever with Jules Hodgson, Andy Selway and Steve White providing the cranking guitars and forceful beats that KMFDM is known for.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Listening to it for first time right now..., August 24, 2007

By 

Daisy Lou "jickweez" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tohuvabohu (Audio CD)

Great sound, great use of Lucia and hooks we've come to love by this band ... agreed this is kind of old school KMFDM (more funky than heavy industrial) but I do love it - love it much more than any new music being churned out right now. Long live KMFDM and industrial music (just happy that Skinny Puppy, RevCo, Slick Idiot and TKK are still making new tunes). It's all about the "small" pleasures, folks ... btw, "I am what I am" is sublime.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Album Since Reunion, August 22, 2007

By 

M. Dinslage (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tohuvabohu (Audio CD)

I can see how a lot of newer KMFDM fans may not like this album, but being a fan since 1993 I have personally not really like the direction that Sascha has taken KMFDM since the reunion... until I heard Tohuvabohu. If you like albums like Nihil and Symbols then this album is for you. Definitely check it out at the very least.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars KMFDM IS BACK!!!, August 22, 2007

By 

Dave Pelletier "Dave - Joymode" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tohuvabohu (Audio CD)

You heard that right! KMFDM is BACK! with their strongest effort in years! This album has instantly become one of my favorites. and thats only after a few listens.

Tohuvabohu was released in the US today on metropolis records. The modern equivalent of Wax Trax. Although I'm not usually interested in much that they release these days. Industrial for the most part is dead IMO. Its a genre of self loathing and self parody. And its just damn depressing. A genre that completly blew my mind as a young teenager discovering music, has turned into an absolute abortion.

There are a few old masters still at work. KMFDM, Ministry, Skinny Puppy, Einsturzende Neubauten and dare I say... Nine Inch Nails? But even in recent years, some of these past geniuses (I wont mention which ones) have caused me to wonder if it was time for even them to hang up the sequencer and.. er.. manipulated vacuums and drum machines...

I will be honest when I say that I had given up completely on KMFDM. their last couple studio albums left MUCH to be desired. with the loss of Raymond Watts, Skold and before that En Esch... this new band that Kaptn 'K' had put together... while technically impressive with their playing ability... still left much to be desired.

I felt like I was listening to the same metal rock record over and over. which isn't unnecessarily a bad thing... It just seemed either forced, or careless. I cant be sure. Either way, after two albums of that, I had lost interest.

Enter Tohuvabohu. the latest effort by Kaptn K. and his Krew. Featuring the Lovely LUCIA and ex members of PIG (Who's presence is still missing on this record) This record gives me hope for industrial music once again. It seems to be mix between the SYMBOLS album and WWIII. two albums that I absolutely adored. Lucia obviously has a bit more influence in the structure of the songs written, its obvious... however they are all still very classic KMFDM. this is the album that should have been released after WWIII. Its got those classic dance floor metal beats backing Sascha's tounge in cheek self proclaiming God of Industrial/Political movement lyrics.

The opening track is very reminiscent of early to mid 90's work. opening with a funky bass line, and a full horn section, Complete with a sax solo that would make Mr. Reznor blush. I actually smiled when i first heard that bass line kick in. I knew I was in for something special.

the rest of the album follows suit nicely. jumping directly into full on industrial chaos that KMFDM is so loved for. Sascha and Lucia trade vocals off and on throughout the album as was expected. Its interesting to hear them interact as husband and wife after a few years of marriage and touring and recording together. Maybe that explains why this album is a return to form. Maybe they are finally comfortable with each other. Who knows? Regardless, the album continues on to impress me with a mixture of familiar as well as new rhythms and concepts.

Dont get me wrong. This album doesn't sound like a rehash of anything theyve already done. It just sounds like the old Kaptn is back in top form, after a few years of... well I don't know what that was... maybe he was listening to allot of Rammstein or something. I don't know. But I'm glad he's moved on. Or maybe he was heavily influenced by his live band. eh. regardless.

This album is amazing. Its out today. Go Buy it. You can listen to some more tracks on their myspace page as well.

I just have one request for the band...

PLEASE BRING RAYMOND BACK!!! poor piggy is all alone out there. and he truly brought an amazing dynamic to the albums as well as the live shows. Thats my ONLY complaint on with this album. No Watts.

Still.. I give the album 5 stars!

For more of my reviews, check out my blog.
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