Kanonenfieber - Die Urkatastrophe

Kanonenfieber is a blackened death metal band from Germany who formed in 2020.  Although there is an anonymous live line-up, the band is actually a one-man project from a musician known only as Noise.  “Die Urkatastrophe,” is the project’s second full-length album; three EPs and a live album have also been released. 

Kanonenfieber is one of the most interesting concepts in the modern extreme metal scene.  Their brand consists of a highly convincing mixture of death and black metal.  It is balanced pretty damn good, not leaning too far into either side except when needed.  It’s also razor sharp and focused, offering the band up as one of the heaviest and abrasive out there right now. 

Their subject matter is of great interest to me—War World I, perhaps because my last name (Wittenmeier)  is of German descent).  I’ve always maintained that WWI had to be one of the most horrific wars in history, if not the most.  Weapons such as machine guns, artillery, and chemicals were introduced in this war.  I cannot imagine what went through a soldier's mind when he saw his friends ripped apart by this gun that fires all those bullets in quick succession.  Or suffocating to death amidst all the carnage after inhaling phosgene gas.  It’s horrific to think about and that isn’t even mentioning the psychological carnage that happened. 

Kanonenfieber seeks to speak of the horrors of war,  using extremity in music to preach against the extreme horrors of men against men. Although their focus is on WWI, their lyrics remain potent. Unfortunately, in today’s world, they have also never been more important. 

I usually prefer something rougher for production when it comes to this genre but the clean production works in the album’s favor because it’s so damn sharp and clear, offering a chance for the searing music to really reach the ears and dig in.

The album’s wonderful production/mix also offers up their use of melody in a vibrant way that echoes the sorrows of which they speak.  The band’s approach to these melancholic details is subtle yet so damn powerful.

On top of all that, these songs are catchy as hell.  That might seem weird considering the messages within the music but it just makes them all the more urgent and with great conviction.  Noise truly understands the subject matter and pours a lot of heart and soul into it.  I can hear it, I can feel it, with every second of the album’s 50 minute and 40 second runtime.

The album opens with the intro song, “Grossmachtfantasie,” and it sets up the whole album.  Even though I can’t speak German, there isn’t denying the power it builds up as it races towards….

…."Menschenmühle,” the album's first full song.  It’s very immediate and vicious within the first 30 seconds.  The music, particularly the drumming, is robust and energetic.  The riffs and vocals take turns ripping it up while the bass/drums provide a bombastic rhythm attack that holds up this considerable foundation.  The melodic tinges on the edge of the chorus are icing on this cake but the song really brings it when it births out of a spoken word passage with incredible blackened screams, complete with music that marches towards the final conclusion.

“Lviv zu Lemberg,” has a killer melodic opening that caught my ear immediately.  Noise sure knows his way with history but he’s a hell of a musician too and it’s amazing how he can make music like this so goddamn memorable.  The riffs are INSANE, switching from quick grooves to sudden bursts of violence.  The vocals ride atop them with descriptive force, carrying the song to a furious but melodic section that reaches its height around the halfway point.  Afterwards, a beautifully tragic passage leads the song to a bombastic ending. 

“Panzerhenker,” is one of the more biting songs on the album, the band fully embracing it’s blackened but in their own way with a modern twist.  One parts searing speed, and other melodic landscapes, the album has a firm grasp on engagement without letting of the gas for a second.

The final two songs couldn’t be more different, at least musically.  “Ausblutungsschlacht,” reminds me of a blackened version of Amon Amarth at their height but with more emotional weight. After the halfway  mark, the song goes for broke with catchy vocal rhythms, riffs that hit hard when needed before hanging back to let the drums bulldoze through.  The last minute or so is a huge wall of sound where the band shines with all they have. 

“Als die Waffen Kamen,” surprises with a clean ballad that is just as effective and important as the other songs, just taking another path.  Noise’s cleans are great and I can hear the emotional drip through my headphones.

Kanonenfieber’s “Die Urkatastrophe” is a masterfully written album that uses extreme metal to handle a subject matter that is as brutal as the music.  It’s thoughtful even when it’s at  darker moments, never forgetting that even metal can provide an emotional outlet for even the most serious of subjects.