As All Die, an American project around Clint Listing, seems to be fascinated by WWII, and especially the German part in it. On the rather folky album “Time of war and conflict” various war hymns could be heard, and the new mcd “Germanic Tales” seems to deal with comparable militaristic subject matter. By the way, this new release comes in a vcute 3″ cd, though the German helmet on the front gives it a less friendly appearance. Musicwise this new material is more subtle and less bombastic. The folky sound has disappeared in favour of an ambient/soundscape approach.
Soft layers of sound and mysterious whispered vocals form the framework of the first track ‘Children of the northern lands’. Song no.2 ‘Radios are down in London tonight’ sounds a lot harsher, with heavily distorted noisy sounds and sharp frequencies, backed by heavy percussion, dark orchestral sounds and a few sudden explosions, taking you to violent battlegrounds. The last song ‘Funeral march’ seems to be situated after the apocalypse, with threatening, preaching spoken word against a strange electronic background. A discomforting 15 minutes of warlike music.