Translating to ‘all this violence’, all diese gewalt is the solo moniker of Max Rieger, frontman of post-punk trio Die Nerven, who have graced these pages on a number of previous occasions. His new album ANDERE (Others) was released at the weekend via legendary German label Glitterhouse. Packed with synth-led post-pop doom anthems tackling subjects both personal and political from overcoming paranoia to the breakdown of social order, these eleven tracks provide an intriguiging snapshot of the uncertain times that we find ourselves living in.
For those who’ve mislaid their German – English dictionary, we’re delighted to have a track by track guide to the album from Max.
HALTE MICH
This song was built on a single piano note recorded with my iPhone. I remember doing a visual sketch for the arrangement, starting with an explosion and then progressing into the repeating piano sample.
ERROLGREICHE LIFE
It’s a rather odd bow to ‘COPY OF A’ by Nine Inch Nails and to dirty Dutch EBM married to synth pop. Weird song if you ask me.
DEIN
This one feels naked.
ETWAS PASSIERT
I struggled with this song for a long time until I changed the key and transposed it to my vocal abilities and recorded it on my 25th birthday, a quarter century, that day felt weird.
ECHOKAMMER
I don’t remember writing this song at all, must have been in Leipzig 2016-ish. Love it though.
GRENZEN
‘Grenzen’ was written by the all diese gewalt band at rehearsals for the 2016 live performances touring my album WELT IN KLAMMERN. I carried it through the whole production like a sacred object.
GIFT
One of the last songs I wrote for the album. I like the triplet accentuation, a hybrid of ‘The Beautiful People’ by Marilyn Manson and Billie Eilish’s ‘Bury A Friend’.
MASKE
This is by far the oldest song of the album. I think I wrote it in 2014, way slower and in another key. ‘Maske’ means mask. A shame it got a new meaning in 2020 without intent.
SICH ERGEBEN
The only song which is not in 4/4. This one is also old. I don’t remember anything.
BLIND
The piano ballad from the closet.
ANDERE
Title track, résumé, everything. The vocal sample at the end is a Bose bluetooth box performing its vocal part, listing all devices it has been connected to in this melancholic way.
ANDERE is available now on vinyl and digital download from Glitterhouse Records.
Introduction by Paul Maps
facebook.com/alldiesegewalt