Release date: 06th June 2006. Label: Multi National Desaster and deafborn records.
Building on the experimentations from their debut CD (with a mix of field-recordings, guitars, electronically manipulated sounds and spoken word fragments), Melanchoholics walk new paths by exploring several acoustic instruments (such as cello and accordion) and add various sources for drones to their gloomy mélange.
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Release date: 06th June 2006. Co-release between Multi National Desaster and deafborn records. Building on the experimentations from their debut CD (with a mix of field-recordings, guitars, electronically manipulated sounds and spoken word fragments), Melanchoholics walk new paths by exploring several acoustic instruments (such as cello and accordion) and add various sources for drones to their gloomy mélange. |
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Reviews | ||
English language reviews |
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Drone Records. ... The result is a brilliant recording of dark and weird ambiances with a strong melancholic feeling and a post rock touch. Sad like a rainy day...
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Vital Weeky 530 ...The cross-over between ambient and industrial has been made before, by many (Illusion Of Safety's during the late 80s period spring to mind here), but Melanchoholics translate the sound pretty well to a new millennium.
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Malignant Records ... Eyes closed and ears open, this circles the body in gentle, abstract patterns, before periodically nudging you with spikes of guitar melodies, disembodied voices, and deep, droning reverberations. I like this more every time I listen to it... |
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Phosphor Magazine ...Very well done by Melanchoholics. Those that like the sombre artwork will not be disappointed by the music...
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Ikonen Magazin ...Even ‘spoiled’ ambient freaks should try out this album...
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Black Magazin ...A really bad trip through dark spheres without any clichees at all...
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Sonic Seducer ...it carries a strict anti-life-attitude. You’ll defnetly forget your sunblocker when listening to this album!...
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Real Art Magazine ...Despising the term “post-fate”, I would name this music "hypnotic surf for self-murderers"...
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German language reviews |
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Bad Alchemy 51 ...bei allem drohenden und nihilistischen Geflüster, Manifeste einer anderen Seligkeit, einer Seligkeit unter dem Zeichen des Saturn, der Seligkeit, die in Sehnsucht, Wehmut, Trübsal mitschwingt...
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Ikonen Magazin ... Selbst verwöhnten Ambientfreaks ist der frische Sound der Melanchoholics eindringlich zu empfehlen...
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Black Magazin 44
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Sonic Seducer ... Von Melancholie möchte man hier lieber nicht sprechen; viel trefflicher von konsequenter Verweigerungshaltung gegenüber jeglicher Lebensbejahung...
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Auf Abwegen #36 ... Absolute Schwärze spricht aus diesem Album, die greifbare Entseelung dieser Welt; der einzigen, von der wir gesicherte Kenntnis haben... |
Reviews | ||
English language reviews |
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Drone Records "A single act... " is the second full-length album from this German experimental band, after a successful debut CD "Melanchoholics" released in 2003 in an edition of 300 copies. Following the path of this first opus, a mix of dark ambient soundscapes, drones, field-recordings, analogue electronics, minimal guitar melodies ands spoken word fragments they also incorporated several acoustic instruments such as cello and accordion, processed through effects, of course. The result is a brilliant recording of dark and weird ambiances with a strong melancholic feeling and a post-rock touch. Sad like a rainy day. In the way of REUTOFF, MAEROR TRI; MAGWHEELS. Recommended.
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Vital Weeky 530 Without wanting to place Deafborn Records in one particular corner of the musical spectrum, 'dark' and 'atmospheric' are certainly two key-words. I never heard of Melanchoholics, which is a three piece group of Benedikt on guitars, Philip on bass and Lutz on electronics. Their previous interests lie in Death/Grind/Heavy metal and industrial and noise, but none of these influences are shown on 'A Single Act Of Carelessness', which is their second CD, after the self-titled, self-released CD from 2003. In 2001 they got together, discussing 'dark and solitudous sound atmospheres' and started jamming around. They probably do that a lot, since this CD shows a mature sound. The alienated, desolated soundscape of a post nuclear landscape is what is unfolded before our very eyes. Empty industrial sites, dark clouds, a thunder - the fine ingredients of a good nightmare or perhaps the storyboard of a b-movie entitled 'the last man on earth and his wanderings' (sorry that didn't sound ve ry hollywood like). The guitar is plucked, a dark wall of synths and feedback hoover in the background and we hear the sound of highly polluted water running down the drainpipes. The album doesn't very hopeful, nor any where near melancholic. What would they long for? The cross-over between ambient and industrial has been made before, by many (Illusion Of Safety's during the late 80s period spring to mind here), but Melanchoholics translate the sound pretty well to a new millennium. (FdW) |
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Malignant Records |
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Phosphor Magazine
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Ikonen Magazin
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Black Magazin 44
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Sonic Seducer Sept 2006 Just like their musical soul-mates BOHREN & DER CLUB OF GORE the German/Icelandic Band Melanchoholics develop their music in diffuse ways even though they use ordinary instruments (in this case guitars and cellos). Finally it’s pretty hard to identify the certain instruments within the melange of sound. Somewhere between Cold-Meat-aesthetics and dark threataning clinical sounds, this album ain’t melancholic at all. Instead it carries a strict anti-life-attitude. You’ll defnetly forget your sunblocker when listening to this album! - translated by Ulp |
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Real Art Magazine, Russia The debut album of this remarkable trio from Germany has been quite caressing to me though mood and emotions which it caused are completely not peculiar for me. The new disk which has been released in commonwealth with Multi National Desaster Records has again forced me to feel sad and to start searching analogies. Naturally, Scorn has come on mind firstly. However, as against Harrison’s collages-nightmares, Melanchoholics’ rhythm-section represents powerful noise wall, rolling from the speakers (musical critics like to name it with very informative word "drones") and the extremely ascetic; almost Laswell’s set of bass guitar. The guitar plays the role of the soloist tool (it makes the heart compressed so much and the soul trembles); fantastic sounding and beauty - as it is necessary (brevity is the sister of our brother, isn’t it?) are used very much dosed and, I’ll allow to notice, even avaricious. In very moderate amounts the fragments of so-called “spoken word” and sounds of obviously industrial character are scattered as additional components in the compositions. Despising the term “post-fate”, I would name this music - hypnotic surf for self-murderers. (If these guys began to shout with bad voices and to thresh on drums it would sound as Neurosis. Not bad also…) (Pavel) |
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German language reviews |
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Bad Alchemy 51 Wenn zwei Death- & Grind Metal-Typen und ein postindustrialen Noise-Elektroniker die Köpfe zusammenstecken, könnte Grand-Guignol-Schlamassel drohen. Nicht so bei diesem ganz nach meinem Geschmack getauften Düsseldorfer Trio mit Benedikt an der Gitarre, Philip am Bass und Lutz Bauer mit seinen Hidden-Technology- & Rectal-Surgery-Electronics, das Saitenschwingungen und Dröhnklang wie Tinte in Wasser ineinander quellen lässt. Nach ihrem faszinierenden Debut von 2003 bitten sie erneut die Geister und Dämonen zum Zeitlupen-Tanz und tönen das gitarrendurchdröhnte Depro-Moll dafür auch noch mit Cello und Akkordeonsounds. So setzen sie schwarze Segel und stechen in das vom Stirnrunzeln eines finsteren Gottes gefurchte Mare Umbrium eines Saturnmondes. Troum und Bohren und der Club of Gore wirken neben diesen Explorern der Dark Side of the Brain wie Lichtgestalten. Alle acht Dröhnlandschaften ‚strahlen‘ in monochromen Tönen, wie mit dem Rothko-Pinsel eines Meisters der Depressionen gemalt. Das Wort Nocturne kommt in solchen Klängen endlich zu sich selbst. ‚Eternal Loss of Beauty‘ mit seinem Pink-Floyd-Riff macht konsequent deutlich, dass im ‚Licht‘ dieser Finsternis alles anders ist, dass dort, wo Beauty‘s Double of Darkness in den Augen des Saturnia pavonia schimmert, ‚right step‘ und ‚wrong direction‘ schwarz in schwarz ihre Bedeutung verlieren. Arno Schmidts „Glücklich=sein is ein Verbrechen; Unglücklich=sein eine Schande“ wird hier zu einem ‚Precious Dilemma‘. Dunkle Wellen, so lang gezogen, dass sie zu stehen scheinen, die ganze Tonleiter der Vanitas abwärts kaskadierende Noten beim sublimen ‚It‘s cold when you die‘, das brütende Akkordeon bei ‚Ohnmachtspestilenz‘, das sind, bei allem drohenden und nihilistischen Geflüster, Manifeste einer anderen Seligkeit, einer Seligkeit unter dem Zeichen des Saturn, der Seligkeit, die in Sehnsucht, Wehmut, Trübsal mitschwingt. (R. Dittmann) |
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Ikonen Magazin .
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Black Magazin 44 Nachdem das selbstbetitelte und selbstverlegte Debüt-Album der MELANCHOHOLICS (ein wahrlich genialer Bandname) von 2003 inzwischen ausverkauft ist, folgt nun der zweite Streich mit Abraumhalden- und Nachtparanoia-Atmosphären, die ähnlich denen der von BOHREN & DER CLUB OF GORE sind. Auch diesmal kommen dabei die MELANCHOHOLICS wesentlich zügiger und effizienter auf den Punk, als es ihre berühmten Kollegen zu tun pflegen und die insgesamt 8 neuen Tracks auf "A Single Act Of Carelessness" haben im Durchschnitt eine Laufzeit von nur 5 Minuten. Wie eine gefährlich aufziehende Gewitterfront ohne letztendlich erlösende Entladung kriecht ein pechschwarzer Strudel aus den Boxen und trotz aller elektronischen Low-Fi-Drone-Sounds erkennt man die Basisinstrumente wie Gitarre und Bass bzw. diesmal sogar Cello und Akkordeon klar heraus. Ein wirklich beängstigender Trip in dunkle Gefilde ohne die üblichen Klischees und bei Titeln wie "Die neuen Geister haben schon Risse", "Die Dämonen des Zahlenwahrsagers" und "Ohnmachtspestilenz" kommen die Bilder im Kopf schon von ganz alleine. Ein absolut passendes Artwork rundet diese Ausnahmeveröffentlichung ab und mehr Infos unter www.mndr.de oder www.deafborn.de und natürlich dort auch sehr günstig erhältlich. (M.F.)
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Sonic Seducer Sept 2006
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Auf Abwegen #36
Blumen am Arsch der Hölle, soll das gehen? Wie aus einem Guss kommt das erste richtige Album der Melanchoholics daher, auf dem die Band Möglichkeiten erweitert ihren Sound aber komprimiert hat. Doom und Power-Drones müssen nicht gezwungenermaßen mit Riffings generiert werden: zurbelnde Electronics und gehauchte Stimmen oder bisweilen Streichereinsatz tun es auch. Absolute Schwärze spricht aus diesem Album, die greifbare Entseelung dieser Welt; der einzigen, von der wir gesicherte Kenntnis haben. Constantine, where the fuck are you? Zipo |
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