| CD REVIEW Schelmish |
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Band : Schelmish Sometimes, it’s a pain in the neck wanting to review albums in chronological order (going on release dates). While I still had some reviews to be done of albums issued befóre this one, I nevertheless decided to take a little time leap, knowing that one of these days the editor-in-chief will be along with yet another pile of albums to be reviews, with quite a few to be done (according to the same chronological work ethic) before this one! But then I’ve already had this album at the house for a month and a half, so…as fair is fair…this one takes precedence! Originally, Bonn-based Schelmish was started as an anniversary project for Des Demonia’s mother, in 1999. Musically taking roots in Irish Folk music, and singing in German, Latin, French, and English, the instrumentation was acoustic and medieval. The first albums (2000’s Van Räubern, Lumpen und anderen and 2001’s Aequinoctium) were filled with classic pieces, and it’s only from third album Codex Lascivus on, that the band starts writing its own songs as well. On album N°4, 2003’s Tempus mutatur, the band for the first time displays a track with electric bass and guitar, albeit only on the bonus track of the album. In Extremo’s Michael Rhein shows his appreciation for the band by performing guest vocals on two of the album’s songs. That same year, the band records the EP Si salvesme, which includes 3 versions of the title track plus another song, and serves as introduction to 2004’s full-length Igni Gena, on which not only Michael Rhein again can be found, but also a medieval cover of Johnny Cash’s “Ring Of Fire”! In 2005 the band supplies to the needs and wishes of their fans by releasing the live album Schelmish – Live, followed 2 months later by the DVD Coetus (which not only contains the video recordings of the album – the complete show at Krefeld’s Kulturfabrik – but also material from several older shows and a documentary on the band’s history. It has to be said: over the years many members have come and gone, for several reasons going from urgent medical ones to the usual personal and musical diffferences, to wanting to focus on their families). In contrast to the older albums, which were typified by the almost exclusive use of medieval instruments, 2006’s Mente Capti sees the band (for the first time an octet) shift towards a more Rock geared direction. A shifting which continues on 2008’s Wir werden sehen (preceded by EP Moor, which not only contains single versions of 2 album tracks, but also 3 bonus exclusive ones) and the band’s newest album! By the way, according to the info I’ve got, this band not only plays and tours as a Rock-geared outfit, but still tours the fairs as a medieval quintet as well (info may not be correct anymore, as long-time medieval collaborator Fragor leaves to concentrate on family life)! The (Rock) line-up of the band currently includes Dextro (sings, plays electric guitar, medieval bagpipes, bombard, flutes, small mediaval pipes, hurdy gurdy, and bouzouki), Des Demonia (sings, plays bagpipes, shawm, bombard, percussion, and bouzouki), Rimsbold von Tiefentann (sings, plays medieval bagpipes, flutes, bombard, shawm, small medieval pipes, harp, and percussion), Luzi das L (medieval pipes, shawn, and bouzouki), Picus von Corvin (Davul, percussion, and sampling), and Samtron (drums & percussion). At least, that’s so far as I know, things may have changed by now, members may bave been added (see how in the list above a bassist is missing?) to comply to the band’s needs. But…as you may have noticed from the above instrumentation of the individual members, the medieval aspect of the band has not gone altogether! Quite in contrast, they have developed the Heavy Medieval thing to a fine-tuned art which sees the band alternate the nature of the songs occasionally anyway (check the dark, samples & atmospheric keyboards/ piano based album opener “Bist du bereit”, the great instrumental “Goresh” in which samples and medieval instruments are married perfectly). To enhance the Punk aspect of the more Rock oriented tracks (?) the band has also uses in-you-face lyrics, at one moment putting down the whole “wanna-be-seen” culture in the Rock business (check “Boulevard”) and then thanking the fans, without whom the band would not be where they are today (check album closer “Für euch”). Also love the lyrics of “1212”, in which the band spews its criticism on the religious-political misleading and abuse of children in medieval times for military needs. For the most part, you’ve got the slightly nasal (which is a plus, really) singers exchanging lead position frequently (while lavishly backing each other up, often quite harmonically), and singing in German. But you’ve also got two English songs in “Too Late” and “Strangers”, the latter of the two even with a female backing singer, for whom I’ve found no credits. Might be, the guys are introducing a new female member in their midst (like in older days)? Overall, this is a fairly varied album, and you’ll find slightly Industrial-flavoured tracks sitting next to medieval and Rock-flavoured ones (the “Rock” going from pure Metal to Punk) in perfect balance. An intriguing album which has its contents unravelled to the attentive listener only after several sessions (obviously, I’ve been able to give the album plenty of those). It’s a pity I’ve had to wait so long to get this reviewed (you wouldn’t believe the amount of work I’ve had to perform in the last couple of months, both personally and for the label), and the only advantage to this late review is in having been able to read the opinions of the so-called “professionals”. I have to say, the reviewer of Belgium’s Rock Tribune nailed the nature of this band’s new album quite perfectly. On the other hand, I have no good words for the guy from Aardschok (Holland), whom apparently has no feeling at all for this kind of music (I wonder what this kind of negative person is doin’ in this business…oh well, let’s say “Boulevard” is like written for him, eh!?)! Anyway, check out some music (no less than 10 of the 14 tracks on this album available, including the two instrumentals “Goresh” and “For The Clansmen”…and 16 videos, which I had no time to see) at myspace.com/schelmishband. You’ll notice that, in spite of my very positive evaluation of this band and the work I put into this review, I do nót give the album the rating which would put it into my year-lists…but ask me to make a separate “Medieval Rock/ Metal” category, and Die hässlichen Kinder gets catapulted into it, keine frage! Macht nur so weiter, Kumpel! 92/100 Tony. |