All Open Again: The Minimalist Zen of Einsturzende Neubauten

Album: Alles Wieder Offen
Artist: Einsturzende Neubauten
Genre: Experimental/Industrial/Minimalist
Year: 2007
Label: Potomak/Independent

The music of Einsturzende Neubauten is a living thing. It has a pulse and a heartbeat, one as deep and powerful as to move your very soul. The band hails from Germany and is one of the most original and experimental Industrial groups in the world. Along with acts like Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire, they are responsible for inventing the genre. But to pigeonhole them as merely Industrial is to take away from their music, for it is truly a marvel to hear. They are widely known for their innovative percussion, banging on metal items and found objects to create the perfect beat. They are also known to be noisy, but this album has something else in store. “Alles Wieder Offen”, the group’s umpteenth release, is a grand show of minimalist restraint. For all the band’s pounding force, this time around they focus everything so tightly that, at times, they seem to not be there at all. Only on “Let’s Do It a Dada” does the band give in to total chaos. Whirring, buzzing and clanging, the song is a perfect piece of industrial anarchy. But the rest of the album is far more contained, though its pulse is no less strong. The opener “Die Wellen” starts with a simple bass line, then slowly at first, a piano, and then the voice of Blixa Bargeld, the mastermind behind this genius band. As the track builds, a low roar is heard, and then it begins to grow, like a great train approaching from the distance. The song builds and builds and builds more and more until it finally, suddenly stops. That is what this album is all about, building from simple pieces to grand crescendos. “Von Wegen” like “Die Wellen” begins simply enough, but builds into a grand symphony of metallic percussion and a wall of sound so powerful that even Blixa loses his words in the sheer ecstasy of the piece.

The band’s discography is extensive, but this is not a bad place to begin, as it gives insight into many facets of the band’s work. And, there is not a single weak moment throughout the album. My belief is that there is no language barrier here. Sure Blixa is singing in German, but you don’t have to understand it to enjoy the music. It is glorious, it is powerful, it is alive. And it will make you live too.