Preview: KMFDM – “KUNST”

KMFDM – KUNST

German for “ART”, KUNST is fitting for a band that has spent three decades conceptualizing its own brand of art war against the establishment. Bombastic musical graffiti, the album shows the band making another indelible mark on the walls of society. Kicking things off with the snarky title track, the signature KMFDM sound busts down the doors with an instant payoff for long-term fans and newbies alike, seamlessly blending their anarchic signature sound/themes with elements of punk, industrial and EBM. From the steady build of “Ave Maria” to the relentless “Animal Out ” to their show of solidarity for the jailed Russian punk band, Pussy Riot, with the song of the same name, KUNST exposes the underbelly of society’s shortcomings. “KMFDM has always been, particularly by means of our artworks, a propagator of female empowerment.,” Sascha explains of that track. “I am a ‘fan’ of both Pussy Riot and FEMEN [the feminist Ukrainian protest group] insofar as these are young women who don’t just talk and complain but act and take things into their own hands and create worldwide awareness of their issues and be it – in the case of FEMEN, simply by calling attention to their actions by baring their t**s in public. The felling of the cross was an epic statement in support of Pussy Riot.” Contributions by Swedish cult band Morlocks and Legion Within‘s William Wilson to the tracks “The Next Big Thing” and “The Mess You Made” add further fuel to the inflammatory statements about the eroding forces undermining society. “The use of guest vocalists has a longstanding tradition with KMFDM,” he says. “it spices up the mix here and there and collaboration with others is always interesting, sometimes even fun.”.