21. February 2025
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Media Review

Hämatom – Berlin

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Hämatom - Berlin - Ein akustischer Tanz auf dem Vulkan

Hämatom - Berlin - Ein akustischer Tanz auf dem Vulkan
4.2

Rating

 4.2/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Great party sound with acoustic recordings
  • Brass, violins, piano and many more instruments
  • Well written songs

From Franconia via Germany… to the world? At least in their home country, Hämatom (yes, this means hematoma) became a well-reputed act among trash metal fans. Their 2021 album is simply called Berlin. Instead of hard sounds, they decided to go for soft and acoustic side this time. This also leads to the full name of the album: Berlin – Ein akustischer Tanz auf dem Vulkan! – “Berlin – an acoustic dance on the volcano”. The ten tracks will be released on 2nd April 2021.

 

Hämatom – About The Artists

Hämatom is German band from Speichersdorf, a small town Northeast of Nuremberg. The band, which has been founded in 2004, is typically categorized as a thrash metal or groove metal band. They still play in their original lineup. Thorsten Scharf is leading the band on the microphone, Jacek Zyla is the guitarist, Peter Haag plays the bass and Frank Jooss is the drummer of Hämatom. In the order of naming, they also call themself Nord, Ost, West and Süd – the four cardinal directions. Also by touring as a support act, the band grew their popularity. In 2011, their third studio album Wenn man vom Teufel spricht (“Speaking Of The Devil”) was the first publication which gained a ranking in the German charts. Meanwhile, their last three albums made it to the German Top 6 albums each and had reasonable placements in Austria and Switzerland. Berlin is the eighth studio album of the band.

 

Hämatom – Berlin – Track by Track

The ten track album lasts 32 minutes.

1. Tanz auf dem Vulkan

I had no idea what Hämatom will be like – Tanz auf dem Vulkan (“Dancing on the vulcano”) is in fact the first song I ever heard of them. The song made me smile from the very first moment, it is a nice fusion of brass / big band sounds and the raspy metal voice by Thorsten Scharf. Great partying potential.

2. Beweg dein’ Arsch

The party is heading up: the rhythmic second song simply translates to “Move your ass”. The lyrics are not too deep, the song is made to have fun – and it is fulfilling that target. The drums and brass instrumentalists hammer out a rhythmic track you just have to move to.

3. Au Revoir

What a break: the third song with tango alike sound which is very close to the old-time music country classic You Are My Sunshine. The second single of the album is also much deeper than the party track before.

Bye bye, auf Wiedersehen
Es wird Zeit weiter zu ziehen
Arrivederci, au revoir
Das Leben ist zum Leben da

(“Bye Bye, good bye
It is time to move on
Arriderci, au revior,
Life is made to live”)

 

4. Berlin

Country music lovers like me will love this one. The German capital is praised based on Dolly Parton’s classic Jolene. This interpretation, which also brings back the brass sounds, really makes me smile.

5. Zwischen Gangstern und Ganoven

Zwischen Gangstern und Ganoven (“Between gansters and hoodlums”) did not persuade me at the beginning. However, I have to say that I more and more like how the song, which is having string, guitar and brass sounds in the background, is developing over time.

6. Werft die Gläser an die Wand

Okay, there have been three songs in a row, which rather made you smile than dancing. Time to take out the power-big band sound of Beweg’ den Arsch again and make you a slave to the metallic music. Werft die Gläser an die Wand (“Throw the glasses on the wall”) is another cool party song, which is having a bit of folk-ish and medieval music touch. But finally, you are just have to dance when the tuba is taking the bass sound part.

7. Ein Herz und eine Kehle

Ja ich mag all die schönen Frauen
Aber nur für eine Nacht
Und am liebsten hab ich sie
Wenn der Tod aus ihnen lacht
Ich mag Deine schönen Augen
Beim letzten Atemzug
Wir sind ein Herz und eine Kehle
und ich krieg’ einfach nicht genug.

(“Yeah, I love all the beautiful women
but just for one night only
I like them most
when the death is smiling on them.
I like your beautiful eyes
at your final breath.
We are heart and throat
and I just don’t get enough”)

One of the coolest songs of the album to me – which also has a lovely brass solo. There is not just acoustic music for the dancefloor on Berlin. Great one.

8. Du bringst mich um

After the dark song before, Du bringst mich um (“You are killing”) is a very deep and melancholic acoustic ballad. Acoustic guitar sounds, violins and the vocals create a magic sound. Wow!

9. Die Welt ist high

This album is full of surprises – Die Welt ist high (“The world is high”) is a happy-sound big band song with a touch of swing. The song is about alcohol – cheers!

10. Nichts bleibt für immer

Nichts bleibt für immer is a shanty-alike drinking song in a waltz rthythm. A dark, but very fitting finish of the album, which reminds me a bit of Cologne carnival songs as well. Nice!

 

Hämatom – Berlin – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

Hämatom – Berlin – By View

First of all, don’t listen to that album if you like deep stories or complexly plotted songs. Hämatom does not give you that. If you want to have fun, the album Berlin can be a great option. I really love the way they tell these ten stories with a lot of alcohol and irony. And songs like Ein Herz und eine Kehle or Du bringst mich um even come with a story worth listening to. Dancing on that kind of a volcano can be that good.

 

Flyctory.com in Berlin

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