If you haven't heard Austria's German-language industrial/pop/classical-metal band Stahlhammer before, prepare yourselves. On this limited-edition digipak reissue of their third album, 1998's Feind Hört Mit, these guys (led by gruff, militant vocalist Georgij Alexandrowitsch Makazaria) sound like S&M-era Metallica jamming with an edgier Rammstein and occasionally joined by an angelic choir. The pop angle comes from the band's decision to pay tribute to Falco, the German artist who broke through in America with "Rock Me, Amadeus" and who died earlier that year, by recording two Falco songs. (Guitarist Conrad Schrenk had worked with Falco previously.) Those songs, "Der Mann Mit Dem Koks" and "Jeanny," don't lack heaviness and actually fit in well with the rest of the album. And lest you think it bizarre that a band like Stahlhammer cover Falco, note that it previously tackled Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall" and M.C. Hammer's "U Can't Touch This."
Makazaria left Stahlhammer after this album and was replaced by original vocalist Gary Wheeler. The band went on to release at least three more records (featuring Phil Collins and David Bowie covers), but Feind Hört Mit is considered their strongest effort.
Track Listing:
1) Was Ist Das
2) Am Liebsten Von Hinten
3) Feind Hört Mit
4) Der Mann Mit Dem Koks
5) Herz Aus Stahl
6) Schlag Mich
7) Messerschmied
8) Jeanny
9) Kein Schöner Land
10) Strom Der Zeit
11) Supernova