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ATROCITY – Werk 80 II
We write the year 1997, the musical scene is in a sorry state. Dancefloor and lame canned hits are getting hyped by the radio and music TV. Handmade Rockmusic - no way. People from out of the scene and critics already scent the downfall of the musical culture and a call for the return to the musical qualities of the ‘golden 80s' is increasing. Those were times in which were composed the best Pop hits of all times. This call was answered – but definitely different as most of these so called musical experts were supposing it: The Metalband ATROCITY breaks all taboos with WERK 80. The Megahits of the eighties are sounding in a total new way with screaming metal guitars and bombastic arrangements. The fans responded enthusiastically to the album and the music of the eighties was getting an unexpected renaissance!
In 2008, ATROCITY are bringing back the 80s again, more intense than ever before! It is exactly a decade now that hits like ‘Shout', ‘The Great Commandment' or ‘Der Mussolini' were conquering the dancefloors again. It was ATROCITY with their rocking versions of the 80s Megahits and their album entitled WERK 80 who were taking both by storm, the dancefloors and albumcharts. And now ‘It's WERK 80 time' again, because ATROCITY have recorded a second part of WERK 80 to the very joy of their fans! The hits from WERK 80 II were put in action with the help of a symphonic orchestra and a choir in the typically bombastic ATROCITY style.
It starts off with the melodic-hymnlike online Single ‘Smalltown Boy' which also contains the mighty-opulent song ‘Relax', which takes no prisoners. The fans had to wait a very long time that their favourites are recording an album full with hits from the 80s. Frontman Alex Krull states: ‘We thought it is a good idea after ten years to record an album like this, to play compositions from others in our typical band style. In those days as we recorded the first WERK 80, fans, DJ's and people from wherever in the music business were coming up wish lists to record an album in the same way. Even many bands and musicians came to us asking for a following up of this uncommon project due to its success. But we didn't want to do it in those days. It was clear to us that if we want to do something like this again, we need to have a break in between and also we had to receive new and fresh musical input. One idea was to boost the classical parts on the album and to substitute the electronic elements with them which was a lot of work but well worth it! ‘WERK 80 II' is dynamic, vital and rocks like hell!'
If you ask the band about their musical diversity which you can hear in a very direct way on WERK 80 II, the singer and producer states: ‘ We see ourselves as artists which are finalizing own musical ideas in miscellaneous ways without limits but with infinite creativity. A good actor has to play different roles too, a successful script writer or director has to be able to put on a drama or a action-packed thriller too. I see a similarity between them and us as metal musicians who dare to look beyond one's own nose. We dare things that other bands wouldn't dare to. But we love musical challenges even if some people will never understand the philosophy of the band. We give a fuck, because we have our own visions how the band has to sound like. Artistic diversity is an enrichment and certainly not a flaw at all. A great example are the great classical composers and soundtrack writers who are able to produce new impressive works with a given concept which can be very diverted in an emotional and atmospheric level.'
So ATROCITY are going their own way with WERK 80 II again and they produce absorbing arrangements of well- known songs. The opener ‘People are People' is enough to produce wet pants. The work together with guest singer Liv Kristine, the wife of Alex Krull, makes songs such as ‘The Sun Always Shines On TV" a feast for the ears. . "Don't You Forget about Me", "Here Comes The Rain Again" or "Hey Little Girl" are performed with so much intensity you never heard before. This are no covers it is a celebration!! The spheric “Fade to Grey” is surrounded by a grooving steamroller combined with the voice of French artist Jensara Swann. “Such a Shame” takes great advantage from the strong-voiced choir whereas ‘Keine Heimat' is getting transposed into nowadays still actual political messages with the help of harsh guitar sounds and flying doublebasses. With ‘Forever Young' you get a great cinematic feel at the very end of the album, when the band, choir and orchestra are performing this evergreen.
A travel through time with a high goose-skin factor indeed! In short: WERK 80 II may not be missed in your CD collection and your parties!
Not enough, the cover artwork from the first WERK 80 album and the singles “Shout” and “Tainted Love” were absolute eye-catchers. But now, for WERK 80 II you get something really special: The cover model is nobody else than fetish icon, Pin Up Star and world famous Burlesque artist Dita von Teese. Nothing could be more adequate for the choice for artwork with dark flair and the mystic opera hall. Highest erotic aesthetics on the highest level!
Here's a short flashback into the past of the possibly most alterable and experimenting band in metal history:
In 1985, ATROCITY was formed. After the releases of the demo tape “Instigators” (1988) and the EP “Blue Blood” (1898) on Nuclear Blast (this EP is a rare collector's item nowadays), ATROCITY presents their debut album ‘Hallucinations' in 1990, a forerunner of technically skilled Death Metal.
After international tour successes, ATROCITY releases ‘Todessehnsucht' in 1992 via Roadrunner Records. They surprise the critics with classical elements and opera singers as guest musicians, to integrate them into their music. This bombastic sound brings ATROCITY in comparison with ‘Wagnerian moments' and they manifest their reputation as a ‘band with extremely complex and well structured song ideas'.
In 1994 ‘Blut' is released through Massacre Records. The Vampire concept is the red line in the entire album, and it enables the listener to feel the dark scenery and fascinating atmosphere of Transylvania. The creative output causes a very positive reaction from the press and fanbase: ATROCITY cannot be put into any stylistic category any more.
 
Both CDs from 1995, ‘Calling the Rain' and ‘Die Liebe' are logical consequences of this. The song ‘Calling the rain' from the ‘Blut' album was so positively well received that ATROCITY decided to continue in this way. With the vocal support from Yasmin Krull, the band reaches a new atmospheric level. ‘Die Liebe' is a groundbreaking teamwork from ATROCITY with the German Gothic Icon ‘Das Ich'. Both bands arranged songs of the other band to finally interpret them together. It is the first time that two bands from the Metal and the Gothic scene are working together which laid an important foundation stone for the Metal and Gothic crossover. ATROCITY finally managed to become a solid term for fans of Dark Wave and Electro music.
 
1996: ATROCITY's album ‘Willenskraft' gets the past, present and future right to the point with an arrangement of brutal riffing, hymnlike parts and atmospheric elements. ‘The definition of Kraft & Wille' EP with its Electro and industriallike remixes is a bonus as well as a sequel to the cooperation with Das Ich and it also contains their classic ‘Gottes Tod'. As a complete contrary program you get the ‘The Hunt' EP with brutal songs (including a remake of ‘Blue Blood') which expressed the band's gratitude to the Old School Friends for their long years of support. The limited video box ‘Kraft & Wille' was another present to the loyal fans.
After that, ATROCITY signed a worldwide record deal with Napalm Records and in 2004, the spectacular ‘Atlantis' album was released. According to their tradition, the quintet prefered an entire concept album: ‘Atlantis is a very diversified and atmospheric Metal album', states frontman Alex Krull. ‘It stands for bombastic, epic songs in which heaviness, atmosphere and melody work hand in hand to tell the story of Atlantis and the Golden Age.' ‘Atlantis' stands against stereotypes and goes beyond the scope of Metal and Rock genres. It is a grave mistake to try to categorize the musical framework of ‘Atlantis': ‘Reich of Phenomena' contains symphonic arrangements, blast beats, brutal riffing and rough voices; ‘Superior Race' is a double bass firestorm with flaming emotions and atmospheric arrangements; ‘Enigma' in contrast is a journey to the opera. With the Single ‘Cold Black Days', the album has a real Tune Wedgie. Besides engrossing the listener not only in a musical way, you find on ‘Atlantis' a multimedia section with detailed information about the greatest myth of our time. The band goes on a worldwide tour after the album release. A first DVD release is in preparation.
 ATROCITY - WERK 80 II
1. People Are People
2. Smalltown Boy
3. Relax
4. Hey Little Girl
5. Don't You Forget About Me
6. Fade To Grey
7. Such A Shame
8. The Sun Always Shines On TV
9. Keine Heimat
10. Here Comes The Rain
11. Forever Young
Bonus (limited edition):
12. Feels Like Heaven
ORDER HERE!
 ATROCITY - WERK 80 II DELUXE EDITION (2 CD)
Contains WERK 80 II + Bonustrack and WERK 80 + Bonustracks!
ORDER HERE!
Produced by Alexander Krull at Mastersound Studio.
Release Dates:
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden 29 FEB 2008
Europe: 03 MAR 2008
Finland: 27 FEB 2008
USA/CAN: 04 MAR 2008
ATROCITY - Smalltown Boy (Online Single)
1. Smalltown Boy
2. Relax
ORDER HERE!
Produced by Alexander Krull at Mastersound Studio.
Release Date: 11.01.2008
You can ORDER CD's at the Napalm Online Store or EMP:
Management:
MASTERSOUND ENTERTAINMENT
email: info@mastersoundentertainment.de
homepage: www.mastersoundentertainment.de
Management
email: info@mastersoundmanagement.de
Studio
www.mastersoundstudio.de
Booking Worldwide:
Rock The Nation
Thomas Caser
Tel.: +43 (0)676 705 77 79
email: thomas@rockthenation.eu
Internet: www.rockthenation.eu
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