Kerker/Ban All Lights/Nihilistsche KlangKunst/2016 CD Review

  Kerker  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this zine  and  plays  a  very  raw,  depressive  and  atmospheric form  of  black  metal  and  this is  a  review of  their  2016  album  "Ban  All  Lights"  which  was  released  by  Nihilistsche  KlangKunst.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  sound  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  starts  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful  and  the  melodic  guitar  leads  add  a  modern  touch  to  a  sound  that  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  style.

  Most  of  the  vocals  are  grim  black  metal  screams  and  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  clean  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording and  depressive  elements  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Kerker  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  raw,  depressive  and  atmospheric  black  metal  style  of  their  previous  release,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  poetic  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Kerker  and  if  you  are  a fan  of  raw,  atmospheric  and  depressive  black metal, you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Lizards  Waltz" "Eurydice"  and  "Bal  All  Lights".  8  out  of 10. 

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Kerker/94693

Kerker Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

Arges: At the moment, we are working on new material for a 3-track-MCD. We occasionally meet in order to jam a bit, to arrange the new tracks and to find ways to improve the sound for our next recording. And Neideck is currently recording songs for a new Trauer release.

2.Recently you have released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Neideck: The sound is much better, denser and more forceful than before. The songs are shorter and mostly there’s a common structure of verse and chorus, which we’ve used rarely on the last two records. We’ve wanted the songs to be more direct and straight.


3.The album was recorded in 2012 and you waited until 2015 to release the album, can you tell us a little bit more about the delay?

Arges: Neideck’s Trauer album A man with a load of mischief was recorded several years ago. Due to problems with another label, Nihilistische Klangkunst offered him to release it. So it was decided to release the Trauer album before Kerker.


4.Between 2007 and 2012 there was no new music released or recorded, what was the cause of the gap?


Neideck: Sometimes it is hard to find any time for making music beside work. Another problem was my move six years ago. In the past Arges and me lived in the same village and it was very easy to jam and to make music. Nowadays we’re split to 200 miles, so we can not spend the same amounts of time like before. A lot of other things happened and so sometimes we talked about doing another Kerker Cd, but we didn’t. Actually there’s no good reason to explain it. Maybe it just wasn’t important enough. Whatever, Kerker is back.


5.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?


Neideck: The whole album is meant as a “memento mori”, by using the ferryman as a leading figure. I like albums with a concept running like a golden thread through all of the songs. So we tried to create a coherent construct.


6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Kerker'?

Arges: Well, it was the best term to describe our music and our sound. In 2006 when we recorded our first rehearsals, we had a horrible sound. But nevertheless these recordings had a certain oppressive and gloomy atmosphere which brought us to the name.

7.Has the band ever done any live shows or is this strictly a studio project?

Neideck: I wouldn’t designate Kerker as being just a studio project to constrain our options in the future, but at the moment I don’t think that we’ll appear live.


8.The new album was released on Nihilistche KlangKurst, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Neideck: It is a very reliable label. A man, a word. All what I want.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?

Neideck: They love us. Based on the four praiseful e mails we’ve got in the last seven years.


10.What is going on with some of the other musical projects or bands these days that some of the band members are a part off?


Neideck: At the moment I’m recording the next Trauer album.

Arges: I only concentrate on new Kerker material.

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?


Neideck: We’ll do black metal. Hopefully we’re getting faster. And maybe we’ll sell more than 1000 copies.


12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Neideck: In fact I don’t listen to music very often since I’ve started doing it by my own. But to name a very cool band: Mgla.

Arges: I personally listen to a wide range of genres but I’m definitely not up-to-date regarding new releases, especially in black metal. There is simply too much out there. But everything you listen to is an influence, in a way. Either you like it, you get inspired and try to make something similar but better or you do not like it but learn from it.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Official website

Kerker/A Dime For the Bleak Faces/Nihilistische Klangkunst/2015 CD Review

  Kerker  are  a  duo  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  raw,  atmospheric  and  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "A  Dime  For  The  Bleak  Faces"  which  was  released  by  Nihilistische  Klangkunst.

  A  very  fast,  raw  and  old  school  black  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  good  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  great  amount  of  grim  screams  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  European  tradition.

    Both  of  the  earlier  songs  stay  away  from  any  modern  elements  that  are  a  part  of  today's  black  metal  sound  along  with  most  of  the  songs  going  back  to  the  second  wave  style  of  the  genre  and  you  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  raw  energy,  darkness  and  hate  throughout  the  recording  along  with  a  decent  amount  of  melody  being  utilized  at  times.

  As  the  album  progresses  some  of  the  slower  riffing  brings  in  a  depressive  feeling  to  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  a  small  amount  of  atmospheric  sounds,  clean  singing,  spoken  word  parts  and  the  bass  guitars  having  a  very  powerful  sounding  presence  and  the  music  also  starts  bringing  in  small  amounts  of  synths  while  the  later  songs  go  back  to  more  of  a  raw  style  of  black  metal  while  still  having  a  few  seconds  of  clean  playing  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Kerker  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  mostly  raw,  grim  and  old  school  sounding  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  more  atmospheric,  depressive  and  experimental  sounding,.  the  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

    In  my  opinion  Kerker  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  old  school  style  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dethronement  Of  Old  Kings"  "Prague"  and  "His  Farewell  Left  Decay".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.kerker.kohop.de/