SÖLDNERGEIST - german heavy electronics

[totalblack]

Plenty of new recordings from him are posted here:

https://soundcloud.com/advokat-ihrer-hoheit

Personally wouldn't be interested in hearing a re-recording of basically any 25+ year old record

[FreakAnimalFinland]

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...

[Phenol]

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.

[Zeno Marx]

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.

[tiny_tove]

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.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

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.