NITZER EBB - THAT TOTAL AGE

Nitzer Ebb is a band I discovered listening to Depeche Mode. They released this album on Mute in 1987 and opened for Depeche Mode in 1988 during the European leg of their "Music For The Masses" tour. They weren't able to open on the US leg from what I hear, but I was aware of them because of this. But it wasn't until much later that I actually bought some of their material. Lead singer, Douglas McCarthy, performed on Recoil's second album and that's where I actually heard him for the first time. I then picked up some of their records because Alan Wilder was producing their stuff. Depeche Mode are well known for embracing the industrial element of German electronic music. They were able to create a melodic sound incorporating this often heavy electronica. Nitzer Ebb goes a completely different direction. They don't develop melodies. The electronic beats are heavy and McCarthy delivers his vocals as a shouting chant. His raspy vocals certainly compliment the industrial sound of the music, but it also serves to make the songs sound incredibly similar. The repetition of the musical motifs make each track a drone with very little variation or progression. Still, they are enjoyable enough that I keep going back for more.

There's re-occurring themes in the music. This album continually pushes themes of physical strength, youth, bodily pleasure and hard work. There's a militant look and feel to the album; another reason Nitzer Ebb are considered industrial. The first track hits like a brick. The simple arrangement frames the shouted vocals describing a very physical coupling between two people. He doesn't specify gender in any way, just the drive to mate and how overpowering it is. Very intense. 'Violent Playground' picks up where 'Fitness To Purpose' leaves off; with a frenzied beat and a sinister invitation to join them on their "violent playground" where everyone plays for power. 'Murderous' asks the question, "where is the youth?" and then kicks a funky beat while we ponder the question. 'Smear Body' is another track in the same vein. It's got a fairly aggressive drum beat with some shouted lyrics over minimal instrumentation. 'Join In The Chant' is the first song that starts off with the instrumentation playing before the beat kicks in and pummels you. Here's another song that equates muscle with machine. Can you say, "Arbeit macht frei?" 'Alarm' starts off sounding like a rousing game of laser tag. McCarthy really gives this one a shouting treatment by literally screaming the lyric. The punching laser sounds are backed with percussion sounding similar to an assembly line in a factory with bells ringing and drills screwing things in. 'Let Your Body Learn' is the closest track to something you would consider a traditional pop song. It has a definite chorus with verses. This is one of the best tracks on the album. 'Let Beauty Loose' starts off with a heavy synth line that reminds me of Juno Reactor. It follows the standard make-up of Nitzer Ebb material on the album thus far. 'Into The Large Air' features the most lyrics of all the tracks. McCarthy really branches out from his usual shouted repetitious delivery to an almost rap-like hollering. This track ends the track list for the record.

The last three tracks are made up of two mixes and an instrumental version. The first is 'Join In The Chant (Metal Mix)'. It features heavy industrial clanging like hammers hitting steel. It's an almost literal description of the sound engineered for the mix. Instead of the screaming guitars you would associate with the word "metal" you get the Einstürzende Neubauten aggressiveness through unusual percussion sounds. 'Fitness To Purpose (Mix Two)' uses some live drum sampling to round out the rhythm on this mix and they minimize the synth sounds by using softer less harsh sounding sound patches. Personally, I quite like this mix and in ways find it superior to the original version. 'Murderous (Instrumental)' is just that... The instrumental backing track of the song without McCarthy's vocals.

Nitzer Ebb were in many ways, the anti-heroes to the sound Depeche Mode were creating at the time. The downside is the lack of poetry in the lyrics and the philosophical, more complex themes explored in the subject matter of their songs. They would later develop more in this area but for the start, their music was aggressive and easy to dance to. They were an alternative to the light fluffy pop of the 80's. My final word: HIGH ENERGY INDUSTRIAL DANCE ALBUM. 

NITZER EBB - THAT TOTAL AGE
01. Fitness To Purpose
02. Violent Playground
03. Murderous
04. Smear Body
05. Join In The Chant
06. Alarm
07. Let Your Body Learn
08. Let Beauty Loose
09. Into The Large Air
10. Join In The Chant (Metal Mix)
11. Fitness To Purpose (Mix Two)
12. Murderous (Instrumental)