Album Review: Malum Persicum - 20 Jahre Halsabschneider (2020)
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| Picture Credit: Malum Persicum |
Malum Persicum - 20 Jahre Halsabschneider
Release Date: December 01, 2020
Label: selfrelease
Format: Vinyl / Digital
Length: 24:24
Genre: Punk Rock
Origin: Tübingen, Germany
"20 Jahre Halsabschneider" is the sixth long-player by Souther German Punk Rock trio Malum Persicum. The album's title means "20 Years of Cutthroats", and yes this is an anniversairy release. Malum Persicum (which by the way means peach in Latin) are celebrating two full decades of Punk Rock. For this special occasion the band has released a vinyl album for the first time. Nevertheless, Malum Persicum stay true to themselves and present us a 100% DIY work that was produced in the studio of their drummer Simon Spark.
On the surface, "20 Jahre Halsabschneider" is a classic German Punk Rock album. All three band members, Simon, El Udo, and Maxim, sing and they provide us with mid- and uptempo beats in 2/4 and 4/4. Catchy choruses with atmospheric backing vocals have the potential to become party anthems. The lyrics are mostly in German, partially in English. And basically, the music screams for pogo dancing and beer.
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| Picture Credit: Malum Persicum |
Digging deeper, the album has a lot more to offer than just standard 1-2-3-4-punk-rock-songs. There is this very independent vibe that has some similarities to the sound of pADDELNoHNEkANU. Then, sound-wise Malum Persicum add interesting elements, such as Balkan-type offbeats and some roaring rock'n'roll vibes. It is this mixture that makes "20 Jahre Halsabschneider" so stirring and autochthonous. For example, take the song 'Leber' ('liver') which sounds like the perfect match between German Punk Rock and Bijelo Dugme. And the title 'Schneller & mehr' ('fasterer & more') brings us back to 1980s electronic music - Cold Kids fans will most likely enjoy this.
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| Picture Credit: Malum Persicum |
The nine tracks are heavily loaded with content and even though the album has less than half an hour of playtime, it is crammed with powerful lyrics. Thus, I will only focus on the most oustanding of them. Well, there is a cover version of Boney M's 'By the Rivers of Babylon', but I guess those lyrics do not need further explanation. The opener 'Exklusive Gesellschaft' ('exclusive society') describes modern day society as a sphere perfectly fit for people without personal traits of character. The lyrics invite us to cut off our genitalia and tongues to become part of that group.
Then, I'd rather join the 'Malum Jugend' ('Malum Youth'). They have beer and they hate Nazis. And speaking of fascists, the song 'WWY92' deals with one of the dark chapters in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. The English lyrics ask "Where were you in '92?". In that year, one of the most terrible attacks against a refugee camp in Rostock-Lichtenhagen took place.
I am willing to join the Malum Jugend. So, let's raise the bottles and drink to 20 years of Malum Persicum. The band has produced and honest and awesome Punk Rock album for all occasions.
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