MEGAHERZ - “In Teufels Namen”

The band have a long history behind them. 2023 sees them entering their third decade having been formed in 1993. For most of that time they’ve been one of Germany’s best “Neue Deutsche Härte” (New German Hardness) Bands.

Over the time the band has been in action the line-up has been fluid, to say the least. However, the changes in members haven’t slowed them down and they have released over a dozen albums in that time. Highlights from their catalogue include “Kopfschuss”, 1998, 2000’s “Himmelfahrt,” and 2014’s “Zombieland.”

“Zombieland” was also their first album to be released on Napalm Records and “In Teufels Namen” is the third album to come from this partnership.

A word of warning and apology. “In Teufels Namen,” like all Megaherz albums is sung in German, as were the lyric sheets provided in the press pack. So, if some of my translations of the lyrics are incorrect, I apologise (and will blame Google translate rather than my, very poor, German).

With a sound that leans into industrial metal Megaherz have an axe to grind with the world we live in today. This is a feisty little album that gets in your face about politics, religion, social media, and many of the things that ail the world today. The band’s current line-up, Alexander "Lex" Wohnhaas (vocals), Christian "X-ti" Bystron (lead guitar, programming), Wenz Weninger (bass), Christoph "Chris" Klinke (rhythm guitar), and Maxx Hertweck (drums), picks up from the previous album “Komet” that was released in 2018.

The album opens with “In Teufels Namen,” (In the devil's name). Built round a repeating riff the song is metal with a cutting edge of steel. The song itself is visceral attack on the church and what it stands for today.

There’s barely a break as we’re launched into “Rabenherz,” one of the easier translations into “Raven Heart.” After the metal mayhem of the opening track Megaherz change tact on “Rabenherz.” It’s a much lighter track pulling in poppier elements that hints at Simple Mind stye anthemic big music. There’s a touch of Psychedelic Furs lurking in the mix too. It shouldn’t really be a surprise that the band can move between styles while retaining their own definitive sound on a track. These are all experienced musicians who have worked in a raft of other bands over the years.

If “Rabenherz” leans into the poppier big music of Simple Minds and U2 albeit with the guitars turned up to 11 then “Engelsgesicht,” (Face of an Angel), comes in and stomps all over it. Eighties style rock synth, and a back beat that any self-respecting glam band would kill for its tone and lyric are pleasantly uplifting and bright in amongst the darker themes around it. But she’s not an angel, she just has the face of one. The object of the storyteller’s affection sucks the hearts of men dry, she’s worse than a vampire.

The light soon dims again as we drive into “Freigeist,” (Free Spirit). It’s not all doom and gloom here though either. With a title that speaks of freedom and not following the rules the song adopts a similar strategy. Those synths are back giving the song a strong melody and for good measure we have a sing-along chorus that’s going to have live audiences belting the lyrics right back at the band. Megaherz don’t want to be sheep following the crowd. They sing “Life is too short to be quiet, I won't be bent, No one keeps me down, ‘Cause I do what I want, I never stand still, Free spirit, free spirit.”

“Kannst du den Himmel sehen” shows just how far you can go if the band’s tight and the musicianship is good enough. The title translates to “Can you see the sky,” and it feels like Megahertz are trying raise the sky on this track, the roof having be blown off a few tracks earlier. This is the big ballad done as if Trent Reznor had got his hands all over it. Think the original, and now almost forgotten, version of “Hurt” by NIN. Even here the guitar work is excellent, and the riffs will have you humming this track long after the album has come to an end. The song wants to rise too, singing about whether you can see the sky past the clouds. Its protagonists want to soar above the chaos of the abyss and be free to live their life their way, which seems to be a recurring theme in Megaherz work.

"Der König Der Dummen” (The King Of The Fools) has a personality crisis. It wants to stomp your eardrums with some prime glam moves that Marc Bolan would be proud of and smack you in the face like it was the darkest gnarliest song Rob Zombie ever came up with. The track stomps but finds time to turn in a smart gothic section break that again shows the talents of the band and their ability to shift gears not just between songs but even in the middle of one.

The use of synths and programmable electronics are well to the fore on “Amnesie" (Amnesia). We are in the heart of the darkness now. Wohnhaas sings about cutting himself with shard and tightening a belt to cut off his air while lying in a bath of ice. The object of the song deciding that the only way to kill the pain they’re feeling is with the pain of suicide as that’s only way they will reach total amnesia. There’s a loose limber groove to this track and even though the electronic sounds are pushed to the fore there’s still plenty of room for some crunching guitars.

When I saw the title “Alles Arschlöcher" (All assholes), my brain did a quick flip back to 1980 and “California Über Alles” by the Dead Kennedy’s. Other than my brain farts there’s no real connection but let’s just remember what a great band the DKs were. "Alles Arschlöcher" is a total crowd pleaser of a track. It’s loud in your face industrial rock of the type it seems only German bands can make these days. It’s hard, loud, and yet still manages to have a hooky chorus that will no doubt be another track to get live audience giving everything in the pit down the front. The song screams rage at bankers, politicians, false idols and lies, everybody only caring about themselves, cheating and taking selling us a vision of society that will never be.

"Menschenhasser" (Misanthropist) strides around in the style that has come be recognised in Europe as “Neue Deutsche Härte” (New German Hardness). The protagonist in this song wants to do things his own way. “I'm just very direct, it's really difficult for me, To restrain myself, to slow myself down, so I like to get loud.” He rails against false gratitude and hypocrisy. It all just makes him angrier.

"Menschenhasser" slips into the exceeding short “Ich Hasse (Epilog)” (I Hate (Epilogue)). The title sums up the short track perfectly, “Nobody loves me, nobody needs me” sings Alexander Wohnhaas picking up the lyrical thread from "Menschenhasser". This is a keyboard blowout that heralds the final track “Auf dem Weg zur Sonne” (On My Way To The Sun). Finally, Megaherz put their hearts on their sleeves for this track. It’s the album’s mobile phone lights in the air swaying back and forth track although it still finds passages to rock out. Lyrically we’re in knock me down and I’ll get back and do better, don’t let the bastards grind you down territory.

What I really liked about this album is the fact that Megaherz never forget that no matter how heavy, loud, in your face nasty they want to get, a good tune is always the backbone of getting the audiences prolonged attention. It’s what will bring people back to listen to an album over and over.

“In Teufels Namen” has good tunes in abundance. The playing is excellent throughout, and the vocals are powerful, heartfelt, full of emotion. They’re not afraid to bring in other sounds and in places they get downright poppy, a few moments almost out parp parping Europe’s “Final Countdown” intro.

“In Teufels Namen” is probably the most fun you’ll have trawling through the dark heart of the world we live in today. It’s been my introduction to the world of Megaherz and I’ll be delving in deeper after listening to it. I better start brushing up on my German first though!