Was listening today Söldnergeist debute tape, thinking if there was discussion of this project already? Seems like not. This 1992 Der Rest Ist Schweigen -tape is not his best recording, but it reminds of style that is no longer done. Sure there are heavy electronics and power electronics, but most of them do not have characteristics of this era. There are lots of short loops. Short spoken samples. There is the rough analogue feel to mixing and production. It doesn't aim to be overtly noisy, nor brutally violent or lo-fi. Just happens to be quite raw. Only track I don't care much is the looping of psychedelic rock - droning in the end of tape. Not bad, but shift of atmosphere is perhaps too much, especially when knowing how great and solid the later works of Söldnergeist became. I still rate this higher than some of the CD works.
Full tape here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpvyAC2Q4Dg&t=1581s
1st CD, "Spur 2" CD is notch better and certainly worth to get.
2nd CD, "Global Media Control" from 1996 if often mentioned by members of Strom.ec/Cloama, when talking with them about influential recordings. If one has appreciated 90's works of those Finnish projects, but not listened Söldnergeist... Well.. check this out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmO6dbhQwdI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkDCKLnQWiA
Influences may be pretty clear.
My personal favorite was always 3rd album, "Terror" CD. Curiously, this CD being issued by both Art Konkrete and RRR/Pure, making it probably easily available in USA and Europe, but no tracks appear at youtube? Sound seems more heavy and noisier than Global Media Control was. More towards the early works. German version has better covers. Music is the same for both. All the CD's are fairly cheap, and certainly worth to grab when you see them.
Project seems to be almost forgotten. Member of project appears to be still out there in social media. No relevant works seems to be done after 90's. Only remixing few tracks of Drape Excerement almost 15 years ago.
I've always held this project in a high regard, maybe just due to the period + proximity to Art Konkret, and the releases on State Art \ Tesco \ Self Abuse.
Personally my favorite isn't the Soldernegist material, but the Advokat Ihrer Hoheit - Opferbereit LP ... agree with what you say that there are stylistic elements not really present in most modern projects. There is some new material from A.I.H. but I was not convinced by what I heard.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on August 05, 2019, 07:04:24 PM
Was listening today Söldnergeist debute tape, thinking if there was discussion of this project already? Seems like not. This 1992 Der Rest Ist Schweigen -tape is not his best recording, but it reminds of style that is no longer done. Sure there are heavy electronics and power electronics, but most of them do not have characteristics of this era. There are lots of short loops. Short spoken samples. There is the rough analogue feel to mixing and production. It doesn't aim to be overtly noisy, nor brutally violent or lo-fi. Just happens to be quite raw. Only track I don't care much is the looping of psychedelic rock - droning in the end of tape. Not bad, but shift of atmosphere is perhaps too much, especially when knowing how great and solid the later works of Söldnergeist became. I still rate this higher than some of the CD works.
Been a big fan if this tape - happy it's on youtube and have only listened to it there, I remember liking it for the looping harsh textures - lots of layering and the sounds don't feel like they have a lot of "breathing room" but the whole recording feels like a fun little chaotic texture collage work, you can tell they had a good time making it.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on August 05, 2019, 07:04:24 PM
Project seems to be almost forgotten. Member of project appears to be still out there in social media. No relevant works seems to be done after 90's. Only remixing few tracks of Drape Excerement almost 15 years ago.
Perhaps they have never been a pinnacle project for me, but still enjoyable and I was actually really looking forward seeing them perform at Tower Transmissions a couple of years ago. But while confirmed to play they simply never showed up, or even contacted the promoter to advise of their no-show (from what I was told). Did it ever come to light why the gig was forfeited?
Great sounds, shame that the guy is a stupid asshole.
I've never heard of this project before. I like the low and heavy drone at the backdrop of the music, and the looped vocal samples are really nice.
remember hearing recently about reissue of that Advokat Ihrer Hoheit lp, but don't recall any details. does anyone know?
Quote from: l.b. on August 06, 2019, 08:17:57 PM
remember hearing recently about reissue of that Advokat Ihrer Hoheit lp, but don't recall any details. does anyone know?
Last update was that it's cancelled
The label posted that AIH was taking way too long getting the artwork ready. It's too bad. Listening to it now & it's better than I remembered. Maybe a German label will have better luck dealing with the artist for a reissue in the future.
I played the Terror CD last night for the first time in years and it's indeed a good album. It's quite surprising it was also released as part of the Pure series — without checking what else is in that series now, from memory it focused on noise and somewhat noisy experimental music, but not this kind of heavy electronics.
Without looking at Discogs, I believe they do a quality live set on the Festival Karlsruhe tape set. Advokat Ihrer Hoheit has a live set on Heavy Electronics - Two Days of Agony, but I don't remember it. Must not stand out like the LP does.
I was flipping through records last night & came across the Drape Excrement LP. I think that guy ran Art Konkret. I didn't pull the record but I'm guessing it's similar to everything that has been discussed- heavy low-end, samples, etc.
Quote from: bitewerksMTB on August 06, 2019, 08:40:14 PM
The label posted that AIH was taking way too long getting the artwork ready. It's too bad. Listening to it now & it's better than I remembered. Maybe a German label will have better luck dealing with the artist for a reissue in the future.
From my understanding, he insisted on re-recording the whole album instead of remastered. That had high potential for total failure. Maybe it would have been sweet? Who knows...
Quote from: bitewerksMTB on August 08, 2019, 03:38:09 AM
I was flipping through records last night & came across the Drape Excrement LP. I think that guy ran Art Konkret. I didn't pull the record but I'm guessing it's similar to everything that has been discussed- heavy low-end, samples, etc.
Yes, Drape Excrement is Markus from A.K. He has also assisted with Soldnergeist from time to time I believe.
Quote from: murderous_vision on August 09, 2019, 12:27:57 AM
Quote from: bitewerksMTB on August 06, 2019, 08:40:14 PM
The label posted that AIH was taking way too long getting the artwork ready. It's too bad. Listening to it now & it's better than I remembered. Maybe a German label will have better luck dealing with the artist for a reissue in the future.
From my understanding, he insisted on re-recording the whole album instead of remastered. That had high potential for total failure. Maybe it would have been sweet? Who knows...
I think you're right. He've asked a big amount of money to re-record (damn what a Strange idea) it, and don't give any news anymore.
Plenty of new recordings from him are posted here:
https://soundcloud.com/advokat-ihrer-hoheit (https://soundcloud.com/advokat-ihrer-hoheit)
Personally wouldn't be interested in hearing a re-recording of basically any 25+ year old record
I suppose this this like repeated opening post for this topic, but while going through almost entire discography of one of long time favorites of less talked German projects is Söldnergeist, feel tempted to repeat my conclusions.
I got almost everything they have ever done. Tape, all CD's, 7"s, and perhaps half of compilations they appear. One missing thing is the 1994 tape of edition of c. 40 copies that was sold at one live show. One person says it is not actually that, but just a bootleg tape. Doesn't seem realistic to get that one. Terror CD I got both versions, Art Konkret and Pure.
Now recent days re-visiting Söldnergeist, I started with kind of reverse order. Starting from album that has usually had less impact for me, but of course great without a doubt: Started listening with Global Media Control that had significant role in forming Finnish 00's power electronics sound to be what it was. Cloama and Strom.ec both worship that Söldnergeist CD, and for example after hearing that, Cloama shifted to be very very Söldnergeist inspired stuff!
Then jumping into debut album, Spur 2 is far more raw and noisier, but kind of perfect germanic heavy electronics sound of the 90's. File it next to Dagda Mor, early Ex.Order,... but better? Global Media control was way over 70 mins. Spur 2 is almost 70 min.
I saved Terror to be last one to listen, as it is still my favorite. Listening as I write this. I know why the other Finns worship more advanced and kind of electric and innovative sound of GMC album, but terror is more in-your-face, more direct and oppressive. It gets noisy and vocals are louder here than in most other CD's. German version packaged in full color slim maxi-ep jewelbox type of cover. Thematically nice, visually each release looks different and sounds different.
As conclusion, I would say not only Söldnergeist survived well the test of time, but for me it perhaps even gets better! Thinking some of the 90's power electronics / heavy electronics and makes you think its pretty good, but would it be good if you heard it for the first time? Or dated? With Söldnergeist no problem. Haven't checked the prices, but I would guess it is pretty cheap to collect all the main album. I'd advice to do it if missing something...
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on May 12, 2023, 09:14:53 AM
Then jumping into debut album, Spur 2 is far more raw and noisier, but kind of perfect germanic heavy electronics sound of the 90's. File it next to Dagda Mor, early Ex.Order,... but better?
Same style, yes, but better? No way! Maybe just not listened to death yet? Söldnergeist is absolutely still worth listening to today, very good even on certain tracks, but not quite
as good as ones you mention. A little more crude and rough around the edges in terms of looping and sample techniques and a little more static feel to it because of it. Especially Ex.Order are really good at treating sound and giving it a professional feel whereas Söldnergeist feels like a more more homerecorded straight to tape kind of thing, especially on Spur 2. To me, at least.
Funny. I was just coming here to say how well they've aged. When I go back to power-electronics and death industrial of that age, I go to them as much as any other. Probably more than any other, really. Appreciate the long play of their albums too. Their aesthetic was oddly unique, crude, and fitting. I can remember when I opened the package with Spur 2, I thought they'd sent the wrong disc. It had more the look of O Yuki Conjugate, Temps Perdu?, Hybryds, or something on Ant-Zen. I've hoped a collection of their first tape, comp tracks, and EPs would be issued.
among the forefathers of German sound and still one of my fave bands ever.
Never listened to the first tape!!!
Yes it definitely had an impact on all Loki Foundation stuff, but also on many other euro-electronics units.
Quote from: tiny_tove on May 24, 2023, 09:40:55 PM
among the forefathers of German sound and still one of my fave bands ever.
Never listened to the first tape!!!
Yes it definitely had an impact on all Loki Foundation stuff, but also on many other euro-electronics units.
It might be hard to evaluate what exactly did impact and who. Loki stuff existed before Söldnergeist. First releases 1991, Dagda Mor, Inade, followed by forming Ex.Order in 1992. Söldnergeist also first tape 1992, first cd 1994. I would estimate that you can't really say who had impact on who, perhaps more like overall zeitgeist in scene of the time when dark, historical, occult, blood-cult heavy electronics was peaking in almost collective form.