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On disc: Coppelius



Time-Zeit - Philip Thelen - 8 stars
Zinnober - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars
Zinnober - Philip Thelen - 8 stars


www.coppelius.eu







Zinnober

Zinnober
(Fame Recordings - 2010)


And again German KammerCore inventors Coppelius are releasing a new record. Fine. It's their third full-length album. As you can read in my review of their debut album Time – Zeit you can see that Coppelius is a very special band. So while listening to this new record I can say that their sound is a bit more 'commercial'. That's not bad, I think it is more easy to listen to it than to some of their demo tracks (I like them too!).
In the Intro you can listen to their servant who is cleaning their manor. After it they kick off with Diener 5er Herren which is about the free time of a servant. Der Handschuh is an up-tempo track which grooves very well. I Told You So is in English language. It's more mid tempo based with polyphone vocals. It does remind me a bit on System Of A Down. But I don't know why. Risiko offers a really catchy chorus with harsh drums. I like the next track, Gumbagubanga. It has a really funny melody and funny lyrics and the drums are really grooving! And of course, the chorus is really catchy. Damen is more experimental, but you won't miss the typical Coppelius sound, for example the clarinet solo parts. Der Feuerwehrmann is again mid-tempo based. Nice song, but I like the fast ones a bit more. A really catchy one is Nachtwache. The drums are hard and cello tunes are dominating. Stetig Fromm is a ballad. For the first time they are using an cembalo. The lyrics are sad. Klein Zaches kicks off with solid clarinet riffs. Vocals are more harsh and there are more breaks. The riffing is really catchy. Ein Automat starts with a funny melody, but the lyrics aren't that way. Nice hooks. Vergessen is an choir song (as Absinth on Time-Zeit album). Really nice one. As on every album, Coppelius show that they are doing a tribute to Iron Maiden. Until now, they only covered songs from the first two records. This time it is Genghis Khan. And again it sounds amazing.
Coppelius hilft! is the slogan of Coppelius and now the are dedicating a whole song to this slogan. The song is really catchy. Check it out! Last track on the album is Ade mein lieb. Again it's an ballad. It's really slow but epic tune. Some riffs are reminding me on Apocalyptica, but I think that's only my imagination.
I am really looking forward for their next tour. From record to record they are improving their sound. If you don't now them, check them out!

Tracks I recommend: Diener 5er Herren, I Told You So, Risiko, Gumbagubanga, Vergessen, Genghis Khan, Coppelius hilft!, Ade mein lieb


8 stars

Philip Thelen
 

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Zinnober

Zinnober
(Fame Recordings - 2010)


Coppelius are special, they don't use the usual instruments you expect from a rock or metal band - okay, they use drums - and their outfit makes them look like they are coming from the 19th century with their frocks and top hat. Zinnober is the 3rd album from the Berlin-based band.
The intro is like a sound track to the beginning of a Coppelius show, coz you hear their butler Bastille cleaning, then he starts whistling an melody. The band joins in for Diener 5er Herren, a track where Bastille talks about the daily routine of a butler. The Coppelius' sound differs from other mediaeval bands, coz they don't use bagpipes. Cello, clarinets and contra bass dominate the sound of this happy tune. A bit darker is Der Handschuh, an up-tempo track which has a dash of Apocalyptica due to the cello, but at the same time they sound totally different. Lyrically it's about a gauntlet - and the protagonist who misses the duel as he oversleeps. With I Told You So they present a track with English lyrics. It's a sostenuto track which has a jazzy edge and fades out wistfully. Btw, in the booklet the lyrics are accompanied by drawings.
With Risiko they present one of the highlights, the danceable beat combined with a catchy vocal line sang by the three gentlemen and their butler. After Gumbagubanga they offer Damen which cites 70's art rock, but it's the prominent bass which makes this one stick out. Der Feuerwehrmann is a mid-paced 'heavy metal' tune, but due to the instrumentation you can't compare it with any classic heavy metal release. And perhaps the weakest tune at Zinnober... Another highlight is Stetig Fromm which is a melancholy balladesque tune with cembalo. Just beautiful. The opening part of Klein Zaches is ELP-ish, but then they pick up speed and present a kind of progressive rocker based on the E.T.A. Hoffmann's story Little Zaches, Called Zinnober. As Coppelius seems to love Hoffmann it isn't far-fetched to say the album title is also inspired by Hoffmann. It's a very heavy track with an aggressive edge and the following Ein Automat seems to be a happy track - but it isn't. A rocker with a fat groove. The ecclesiastical chant of Vergessen shows a different facet of Coppelius, the a capella tune is more a short intermezzo then a full song, and so they soon head into the instrumental Genghis Khan where they show some of their love to Iron Maiden. With Coppelius hilft! the vocals are back. It's a catchy up-tempo rocker with slow melancholy passages, actually a good song to check out Coppelius, if you aren't familiar with them. The closer is called Ade mein Lieb and it's a sad balladesque one which is based on a traditional. A good way to end Zinnober.
Fans of Coppelius won't be disappointed and fans of unique sounds should give it a try, too. Coppelius present a very interesting album which should convince more people to listen to Chamber Core!


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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Time-Zeit

Time-Zeit
(F.A.M.E. Recordings - 2007)


If you know the travellers in time Coppelius, then you know that they are real gentlemen who still dressed in the old-fashion and have their butler with them who cares about his masters well-being.
They released 3 albums on their own before they get got some attention for their 'chamber music'. And like a chamber orchestra they go on stage in frock coat, choker, cylinder and with cello, clarinet and contra bass.
The compositions aren't that different to their demo stuff, but sound-wise it's a huge different, but they didn't used any old tunes. The album has only new tracks. With Murders In The Rue Morgue they covered an early Iron Maiden song and it shines with power in this new version.
Lyrically their own tunes are a bit sarcastic, but fun to listen to. Again some songs have bi-lingual lyrics like the title track Time - Zeit or But. With Absinth they show in 34 seconds what Absinth can do - quite funny.
I have to state that I really enjoyed their KammerCore - again. They celebrate their special music in a very special way. Especially with this great sound. Listen to one of the clarinet solos and you will know what I mean!
Even if this isn't the right place, but they have a fantastic live show!
And so I can only recommend this album to everybody who is in KammerCore, medieval rock, folk, metal and gothic!
My recommendations: Rather Be Dead, Time - Zeit, Murders In The Rue Morgue, Operation, Escapade I and Absinth.


8 stars

Philip Thelen
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)
 

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