ALLERSEELEN

"Edelweiss"

Aorta / Ahnstern - 2006

CD

This is not Allerseelen's new studio album, but a sort of "best of", which features well-known chartbusters of Austrian industrial folklore in their original as well as new versions, together with a few unreleased tracks and some interesting rarity. The best part is that you get for the first time on CD songs previously available only on limited-edition vinyls: "Marques De Pubol" and "Canço De Somni", with the voice of Catalan singer Rosa Solé, originally released as a single, "Vino E Cuore", with the Italian vocals of Gaya Donadio (alias Antichildleague), bonus track included in the vinyl reissue of "Sturmlieder", and "Ein Ganzes Jahr", featured on the vinyl reissue of "Gotos=Kalanda".

Von Thronstahl's Josef K. stars as vocalist on "Sonne Golthi-Ade" and "Sturmlied", both already tasted on "Flamme" together with "Ob Auch Mein Herz So Funkelt". The exotic "Nest" appeared in this version on "Abenteurliches Herz", while the epic "Mit Fester Hand" was the leading hit of "Neuschwabenland". Finally, the title-track made its appearance years ago on the Ajna Offensive sampler "Infernal Proteus". The unreleased material includes "Gondellied", again enriched by Gaya's voice, another superb performance by Rosa Solé on "La Despedida", and a haunting dark version of "Gletscherlicht", with M. Percht of Sturmpercht on vocals.

This whole exquisite menu is recommended to any Allerseelen fan, especially if you missed the limited vinyls, but it could also work as introduction to Gerhard's fascinating musical world, call it kraut pop or industrial folklore. A special note for the outstanding package, a very elegant white digipack with a painting of the alpine star (Edelweiss in German) on the cover and stunning pictures of wild mountain landscapes on the inside. Even more interesting is the presence of a quote from "Bella Ciao", a traditional Italian alpine folk song that became a partisan hymn during WWII...

- Simon V.

Website: http://www.geocities.com/ahnstern

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/allerseelen

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