VON THRONSTAHL : SACRIFICARE
Cold Spring
Von Thronstahl is a German act comprised of brothers Josef and Bernhard Klumb, who craft a powerful, poignant brand of neo-classical music, inflected with martial tones and electro-industrial flavours. “Sacrificare” is the latest instalment in a discography packed with enviable quality, and, like much of Von Thronstahl’s previous work, is inspired by the band’s interest in the Fascist period of Europe’s history. The idea of a totalitarian Reich of Europa, is the band’s principal muse, and the tracks on “Sacrificare” vividly express sadness and nostalgia that such a thing has not come to pass.
Opener “Decay and Democracy” sets the musical tone and the lyrical trajectory for much of the album, with its mixture of synths, clean, heartily-strummed acoustic guitar, militaristic percussion and intimate, honest soft male vocals. It questions the supposed ‘democracy’ of the West, whereby we apparently strive for enfranchisement and equality for all on the one hand, whilst promoting radical free market capitalist gain on the other. The kind of situation that lands us up thinking “in fear of the cold, we’re begging for gold, in this emergency”. Topical, huh? Nothing on “Sacrificare” is overt or incendiary; the lovely, bassy guitar movement of “Molti Piu Onore”, the dreaminess of “Gloomy White Sunday” and the soaring horns and strings of the dramatic title track ooze reflection, emotion and brains, not the stomp of the jack-boot, a sound which is only ever used with percussive intention.
The most memorable thing about this release, actually, is its breathtaking beauty. There are gentle variations between songs built around pretty acoustic arpeggios and sweeps, those with a grand neoclassical scope (such as “Palastina”) and those with an engaging yet subtle electronic foundation, such as the striking “Demnezev Exista/God Exists”, with its resonating beats and intonations. However, the pacing and pitch remain similar throughout, allowing the listener to find familiarity with the band’s accustomed movements. A stand-out track in terms of inventiveness and beauty is “Dressed in Black Uniforms”, a superb re-imagining of Joy Division’s “Walked in Line” which catches clever nuances in the original. Josef’s vocals are key to the familiarity and closeness of these tracks, lending even more masculinity and melancholy.
Totalitarianism holds no appeal for me whatsoever. Which is convenient, of course, because I’d be the first against the wall. Still, the most important aspect of maintaining a political opinion is to open your mind up to all ideas, and allow dialectic to form between your beliefs and those that challenge you. With Von Thronstahl, you will find the most intelligent, measured and emotive exploration of a political system that forms a significant, if unspoken, part of the West’s cultural identity. Beyond all that, though, you will also find martial neo-classical music of outstanding beauty, carefully crafted and laden with surprising references. Calm, emotionally powerful and technically adept, “Sacrificare” is a remarkably pretty slow-burner.
78/100
