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Centhron - Roter Stern


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If someone wanted to ask me (and I know they will not), which Centhron’s album I consider as their opus magnum - without a doubt I would reply that "Roter Stern". It would be more difficult to answer the question: why exactly this album is the best? I must admit that I have spent many hours searching for answer – however, my efforts failed... Because if you look closely to the record - in fact, technically, or stylistically it stands out with nothing, just another electro-industrial kick-ass - same as anything else. Neither innovative - nor explorative. As truth... Kind of... Undeniable fact is that it is very good to listen. So it may be better to put aside all bland attempts to objectify advantages of "Roter Stern", and focus instead on subjective feelings? Yes, it is probably a better option...
 
How to begin? Hmmm... Maybe like this: there once lived a famous philosopher - parents gave him name of Frederick. During his life Frederick highly valued the ancient tragedy and music. On his way of life he met a certain, nonconformist – mister Richard. Partly under his influence, Frederick wrote a book, in which he presented his controversial idea as if Greek tragedy was supposedly born from the spirit of music. Thus, the music was presented as a kind of sacrum - according to this interpretation it had divine substrate, specifically Dionysian; was supposed to provide clear representation of the one’s pain, to be an experience of chaotic absolute and, what is more important, was supposed to have exuberant character – to be born out of the spirit.
Why exactly I am talking about it? Because it was supposed to be subjective! Well, it happens to me that after listening to some album, I think to myself: "Yes that is what I was looking for - this is the Dionysian music in today's edition. Frederick would like it". Of course provided that he would live in present day, and from his birth he would have contact with contemporary music. Finally, comparing Centhron to Wagner is... Let's say that fans of classical music would decapitate me for it.
 
Of course you can undermine alleged Dionysian form of "Roter Stern". "Because  this whole concept is a metaphysical prattle, not affecting artistic assessment of the album". Maybe, but treating it as a way to introduce a kind of aesthetics – it works. Let’s take as example the best track from the album - "Dreckstück". Quite slow, somewhat harsh like, packed with half-poetic, half-perverse descriptions of intercourse between two people. How does it look from the Dionysian’s point of view? So it is immoral, there is the one’s pain, laughter of deceitful god, comfort by showing the stability of life - by showing that life is stronger than the primal pain. But that is not all - passionate lyrics sung (?) by female vocalist during bridge work, in context of whole composition, it is a perfect reflection of the well-known ruling that "the highest freedom is where the highest resistance is overcome".
 
And so in this, strange, unexpected moment I would like to finish the review. I am not going to write about rest of the tracks, because I do not see much sense in it. I can only guarantee that "Roter Stern" despite passing years (premiere in 2009) did not become stale. All those, who yet do not know of this work, and would like to acquaint with it, I advise to start with the track described above, and only then slowly discover new tracts of this extraordinary production.

Tracklist:

01. WK III
02. Bitch of Dreams
03. Dreckstück
04. Orkan
05. Die Sphären Von Ost
06. Cleopatra
07. Godmachine
08. Fast Blast
09. Kaltes Fleisch
10. Roter Stern
11. Testosteron
12. Seelenflug Im Rotbereich
13. Die Galeere
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Translator: hellium
Add date: 2015-10-13 / Music reviews


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