Marduk - Live in Germania Review
by Matt Hensch
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So this CD apparently marks a special milestone Marduk accomplished after acquiring their signature identity: they stopped sucking. Yes, laughter truly is the best medicine; that is why Patch Adams could stomp our necks. Actually, Sweden hated Marduk's stupidity so much, they looked at Germany and mused, "Take these idiots! We do not want them!" Germany, being a little naive at the offer, decided it would be a good idea, because what bad could come out of a FREE black metal band, right? Well, they soon discovered.
Needless to say, Live in Germania is an atrocious effort. Showing various cuts from a German tour, this plodding live recording cannot do any right, as its issues are destructively placed and worshiped throughout poor tunes, and even poorer performances. Also, a few people have an idea Peter Tägtgren somehow does Marduk deserved justice because he is their fill-in guitarist…not on this planet, dolts.
The symptom that interferes most often is actually one prevalent on their previous full-length records, mainly the risible Heaven Shall Burn…When We Gathered. Of course, that release marked the total manipulation of blast-orientated black metal, and since five songs carry these burdens, you can probably tell where this description is going. Cut after cut, thundering drums penetrate all decipherable objects while Legion screams like a retard, which says a lot about the productions infiltration of instrumental balance. Hell, right after "The Black…" concludes, Marduk quickly ejaculates "Darkness It Shall Be" like there was no change in song. When I first heard that transition, I was completely convinced nothing had been altered, but it did, so I got f*cked. That is how much commonplace is put here.
Yet negatives continue flowing like a deep wound from Marduk's awful showmanship. Legion's shrieks are ghastly moans not yielding much praise, mainly because his vocals are so pathetic it is like inviting a dying giraffe to randomly start rasping in your black metal band. The guitar playing is quite boring (when you can hear it, that is) because the group just sounds uninspired, and sometimes unserious. During a cleaner part of "On Darkened Wings" when only one guitar is intact, a deafening squeal from the second guitar emerges without any real meaning or purpose; indeed, this added noise is an error in playing, and it is impossible to miss. Not only will Marduk bore you to death, they will actually screw up during a show, and damage your ears in the process. Those bastards!
What can be said about Marduk's first live album? Jeez, wish I knew what could send a video of yours truly shoving spoons in my eyeballs via a document, but that is not possible, so just understand it is redundant at best. Lackluster performances, terrible choice of material, and overblown production is just the start; a tedious effort not zapping any limbic systems into mania, which would have been nice, actually. If I were to have razors slicing my arms, wasps endlessly stinging my ass, a group of horses kicking my ass while those wasps poke it, and find myself raped by an obese woman during Ozzfest, it would probably be on par with Live in Germania.
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Marduk - Live in Germania Rating:2.0
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