An American Reviews: Kammerarchiv by Coppelius
- leeannbontrager
- Sep 23, 2019
- 6 min read
Background
After listening to the album non-stop for nearly two weeks, I feel I've got enough of a taste for Kammerarchiv to give it a full review.
Now, if you are someone who knows me well, you know I might have a little bit of a bias for Coppelius. They are, after all, my favorite band. The band members are friendly, welcoming, and just generally delightful. The fanbase is kind, warm, and accepting of everyone as well.
My youngest son, my fiancée, and I all traveled to Germany to see them in 2016, just before they took a year-long break. Fans we had met online were all too happy to greet us and welcome us into the already established fan groups. And the band members we met strove to make sure our trip was nice and that we were enjoying the shows. Clarinetist and singer Max Coppella even made sure our last day in Berlin was special. Honestly, everything about the band feels magical -- indeed, my fiancée and I frequently joke that we aren't even sure the band members are human, but rather they are some kind(s) of mythical creatures.
Also worth noting before I discuss the songs on the album, the digital album pre-order cost me only €8,99, or roughly $9.90 US. There are 19 songs on the album. That's a fantastic deal!
Review
#1: Die Mühle
This song is everything I've come to expect from a Coppelius a capella song. It's a short song that opens the album with beautiful, gentle harmonies. A song I definitely look forward to hearing live someday.
#2: I Get Used to It
A reboot of their earlier version of the song, found on their 2005 EP To My Creator, the updated version offers several appealing changes from the original. In its newer form, the instrumentation has a much smoother timbre. In terms of vocals, Max Coppella unabashedly shows off the impressive vox contrasts he is capable of -- from soft and melodic to heavy metal screams, the bite of which King Diamond would envy. Additionally, the new harmonies are warmer and silvery, with deeper tones than the previous version. Overall, this version is superior to the original piece, of which I am also very fond.
#3: Kein Land so schön
This is the first song on the album from the Coppelius steampunk opera Klein Zaches, genannt Zinnober. For me, this song was my first taste of the talents of the late Rüdiger Frank when it was posted online with video from the show. Frank's vocals give the song a fun edge, playing well with high energy tempo and instrumentation played by the gentlemen of Coppelius. Bastille's honeyed vocals juxtapose beautifully against Frank's gruff voice. A great song to headbang to.
#4: Ides of March
An instrumental piece covering Iron Maiden's song from their 1981 album Killers. The change of instruments from standard heavy metal to classic doesn't deter headbanging. The gentlemen always manage to retain the heaviness of their covers, and that is heard in this short song. It makes for a great interlude between lyrical pieces.
#5: Wrathchild
Another cover from Iron Maiden's 1981 album Killers, Wrathchild remains true to Iron Maiden's sound while employing all the allure of a Coppelius song. Wrathchild demonstrates ethereal-voiced Bastille's ability to switch to singing a hard tune without strain. Essentially, this song is a fantastic display of Bastille's versatile vocals.
#6: Mir egal
The beginning of this song sets an almost jazzy tone for the piece with the talents of bassist Sissy Voss charming you in from the first note. Composed by Le Comte Caspar, Mir egal shows his vast talent for creating songs that are from any and all music genres. The slight echo of the clarinets adds a mellow but abstract feeling to the number. A great song to dance to!
#7: Dreaming
A reboot of their 2004 song from the EP 1803, Dreaming opens with breathy, almost spoken lyrics from Max Coppella. Coppella's delivery of the first few lines gave me goose bumps on the first listen. His vocals in the song show immense growth from the previous recording, though to me his voice has always been mellifluous. The clarinet parts in this version seem airier than in the previous recording, giving a lighter feeling to the instrumentation which contrasts with the gruesome lyrics of the song. As with the other reboots on the album, Dreaming shows the band's growth over the years, and this version is more melodic and beautiful than the original recording.
#8: Radio Video
Radio Video is a cover of System of a Down, from their 2005 album Mesmerize. Singer and cellist Graf Lindorf manages to sing most of the song softly and melodiously, while nailing the penetrating screams of Serj Tankian of System of a Down. Radio Video is the perfect song to highlight Lindorf's contrasting abilities.
#9: Welthentrubel (Seltun genug)
Another piece from Klein Zaches, genannt Zinnober, Bastille's gentle vocals, the solemn-sounding cello, and the melancholic piano make this a song that directly tugs at one's heart strings. I am not ashamed to admit that I cry every time I listen to this song. One of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard.
#10: To My Creator
This song is a reboot of their 2005 version from the EP To My Creator. To My Creator is another song showing off the incredible vocal range and talents of Lindorf. If you did not know he was German, you could easily mistake him for a native English speaker because of his remarkable pronunciation. This song is a fantastic remake, with a tempo that begs for dancing and headbanging. My fiancée and I call this adaptation To My Creator: The Power Version.
#11: Way Down in the Hole
Way Down in the Hole is a cover of the 1987 song by Tom Waits from his album Franks Wild Years. Vocals for this song come from the late, great Rüdiger Frank. As someone who has never been a fan of Waits, I was unsure what to expect from this song. I was pleasantly surprised as Frank makes the song more enjoyable than the original while still maintaining the Waits sound and vibe.
#12: Lied der Liese
This is another tune from Klein Zaches, genannt Zinnober. The disparity between sotto voce and stentorian in Lindorf's vocals in conjunction with the suspenseful instrumentation gives Lied der Liese an ultimately spine-chilling vibe.
#13: Ein kluger Mann
Another song from the opera, fans are given a bit of nearly everyone's voice in this piece. For me, the most gratifying part of the song is the spoken word section from Sissy Voss. I find his speaking voice comforting and soft, like lying in bed with a blanket fresh from the dryer.
#14: Zeit & Raum
With this song, Le Comte Caspar composed an incredibly versatile song, hitting both the hard and soft aspects of music within one piece. The opening lines, "Allein in meinem Kopf, mit meinen gedanken," strike a nerve with me as someone who tends to overthink everything. The dark, deep instrumentation is in wonderful juxtaposition to Bastille's angelic voice.
#15: Kalthes Herz
Kalthes Herz starts off in a way in which the listener might think they are about to listen to a ballad. But that quickly changes as the hard-hitting cello kicks in. Composer Max Coppella has nailed yet another powerful tune, worthy of headbanging.
#16: Notatall
Another song that resonates well with me, the lyrics begin with, "Do you know/What to do?/I know/Not at all." Another great short song.
#17: Was war denn das
Another brief song from Klein Zaches, genannt Zinnober, Was war denn das translates to "What was that?" in English. With an upbeat tempo, Was war denn das is a fantastic song to dance to.
#18: Aus den Betten
Composed by Max Coppella, Aus den Betten is a true banger. The tuneful cello makes me want to dance and headbang -- if you aren't listening for classical instruments, you'd be quick to forget that this isn't a song with amplified guitars. Overall, this may be my favorite song on the album.
#19: 1916
This song is a reboot of their cover of Motörhead's 1991 song from the album 1916, originally covered by Coppelius on their 2005 EP To My Creator. While the lyrics are still sorrowful and Lindorf's delivery of the lines still makes me sob, the added piano feels slightly off-putting. While I will still listen to and enjoy this reboot when it plays, I much prefer the version on the 2005 EP.
Overall, this album is everything a fan could want from a Coppelius album. Hard and soft, classic and new, sorrowful and joyful. Kammerarchiv is rapidly becoming my favorite Coppelius album to date.
My one and only complaint, and this is definitely due to my personal biases, is that there isn't enough new Max Coppella singing content. There are several songs composed by him, but nary a song sung by him.
That being said, I absolutely recommend that everyone check out Kammerarchiv! Support Coppelius and remember,
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