WELLE ERDBALL
CHAOS TOTAL
ALBUM+DVD SYNTHETIC SYMPHONY, ENERGY RELEASE: SEPTEMBER 4, 2006 REVIEW: SEPTEMBER 21, 2006


You either like the Welle Erdball recipe or you don't. "Chaos Total" does not extend, alter or transform the familiar machine gore of Welle Erdball. Accompanied by female vocalists and mannequins Plastique and Frl. Venus, the Commodore crazed tandem of A.L.F. and Honey have wrapped themselves in the melodic strangeness they call music once more. And the formula is beginning to reach its expiration date.

Personally, I went into Erdball frenzy around the time they released "Der Sinn des Lebens" (still my favourite album of theirs) and the singles "Starfighter F-104G" and bliss spangled "VW Käfer & 1000 Tage". The following album "Der Wunderwelt der Technik", while still portraying some of the band's best work, pushed one repetition button too many. Now "Chaos Total" was supposed to vitalize their expression.

Sadly, it does not. The clever songs and synth riffs are few and far between, which is concerning considering a track list of no less than 20 tracks (not counting the hidden tracks)! "Graf Krolock", "Grüsse von der Orion" and "Sternenkind" have the magic so often linked with the band, but they stand painfully alone on "Chaos Total". Too many compositions remain hollow silhouettes. Equally puzzling is the incorporation of "Bill Gates, Komm f... mit mir!", a track from their "Tanzpalast 2000" album from 1996!

The main reason to grab a copy is the bonus DVD. It is an Easter egg of live songs, discography details, galleries and an extensive historic run-through. Not to mention the song and video inspired by an old favourite Commodore 64 game of mine (and theirs, I suspect), "Wizard of Wor".

"Chaos Total" ended up an album full of letdowns, regrettably, but keeping their many fans in Germany and Sweden in mind, I'm convinced it will still do fairly well. Welle Erdball is an acquired taste, however. Now more than ever.

NIKLAS FORSBERG

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