Album review: Die Krupps “Songs from the Dark Side of Heaven”
German industrial/metal crossover band Die Krupps hits us in the face with their keyboards and a covers album.
Since 1980, Jürgen Engler, Ralf Dörper and their various band members in German band Die Krupps have been creating a weird and wonderful music which has evolved into a combination of industrial and metal music with plenty of synthesizers. They call it electro metal. Now they are back with a new album of covers of some of their favourite songs by other artists. As always with Die Krupps, this new album comes with a twist. Die Kruppsifying old hits wasn’t enough. They decided to also bring in a few unexpected guests to perform with the band, for example Ross the Boss (of The Dictators and Manowar fame) turns up on a terrific version of The Stranglers’ “No More Heroes” while Jyrki 69 of The 69 Eyes joins them for an attack on The Neon Judgement’s “Chinese Black”. The best song on the album is perhaps Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” with James Williamson of The Stooges as guest. Devo’s “Whip It” also turns out very well. Killing Joke’s Big Paul Ferguson appears on Gang of Four’s “To Hell with Poverty!”. To cover Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” is brave but Die Krupps pulls it off.
In the current line-up of the band, founders Jürgen and Ralf are joined by Marcel Zürcher (guitar and keyboards), Nils Finkeisen (guitar) and Paul Keller (drums). As a side note, metalheads may recall that Exodus and Heathen guitarist Lee Altus was a member of Die Krupps in the 1990s.
Die Krupps’ album “Songs from the Dark Side of Heaven” is out now via Oblivion/SPV.
