RAZZIA

Now here is a strange release : most Grobschnitt albums up to this point have been sure- fire winners, then we get something that sounds like, to my ears anyway, a cold, metallic, goofy New Wave arrangement which hardly resembles anything they had done before. Now that that has been said, it's not entirely a write-off, not at all, in fact Razzia actually has certain charm and I, personally, am glad they tried something radically different. The album opens up with (Wir Wollen Sterben) silly voices and even sillier singing, complete with synth and claptrap and synthetic drums. I'd probably say that the band had lots of fun recording this album. Next track 'Remscheid' has a slightly heavy riff from guitarist Lupo, with boomy drums, simple synth lines and bass and Wildschwein's cool singing, which has been said to be of an acquired taste, and I agree. The lengthy title track has a solid, danceable beat to it, and contains a degree of spaciness, almost ambient toward the end but slightly marred by 'infant bleating'. Side two opens with Der Alte Freund, kind of an offbeat, alternative pop track. Next up, Schweine im Weltall (translates to 'Pigs in Space') is similar to the previous track and quite over-the-top with their brand of humour. The only truly, melodic song here to be found, and quite worthy of radio play, is Poona Express, which is an enjoyable, laid-back track whose sound is a lot 'warmer' than the rest of the album. Album closer 'Wir Wollen Leben' is an anthemic little ditty that rounds things off nicely, if a little on the boring side. 2 stars seems a bit low, 3 may be to high, therefore 2 and 1/2 shall suffice, but I'll back the album up by ticking the 3 star box.

Nothing will be done to cure the ears of the Grobschnitt fans with this exceptionally weak album.

After the poor "Illegal", the band will dig even lower with "Razzia". I have never been able to bear German lyrics (soory about this) and the worse is experienced with this release.

Some of the weakest hard-rock you can imagine ("Schweine Im Weltall") with a synth pop tint , totally useless. But the whole of this album is a completely waste of time. Basic German rock with the most stupid vocal work you can think of.

Don't try to find any prog feeling with this album. There aren't any. The popish "Poona-Express" is no antidote : I just can't stand it. The eighties were not the greatest for prog bands, but really "Grobschnitt" fell extremely low in their creative work. Because they were creative, believe me.

But that' s all gone now. Pulverized, finished.

The nadir is probably reached with "Wir Wollen Sterben". Awful beat, dreadful vocals. Press next; but I guess that if you reach this song, the next key has no secret for you any longer, unfortunately because the band released such great albums that it is really pitiful to listen to such a poor offering.

"Razzia" (like the previous Illegal) is to be avoided at all cost. Shame on you "Grobschnitt". Not a single song of interest here. And to have listened to almost nine minutes of the title track was quite a torture (only the last and spacey minute breaks with the whole). I am just doing so to be able to depict it. But since it is the last one from this album, I can not be more happy to have finished this review. One of the most painful of my reviewer life.

One star of course (but it easily deserves zero). Just listen to this album if you don't believe me. But I warned you.

Featuring a killer closing epic in the form of the nine-minute rock-synth-opus 'Razzia', which, coincidentally, happens to also be the name of the album, this 1982 album finds former- symphonic prog teutons Grobschnitt in full-blown, hard, hard, hard, eighties rock mode. Gone are the carefully-created symphonic keyboard passages, fairy-tale jingles and fantasy trimmings, in comes German lyrics and vocals(awkward and slightly ragged, yet somehow powerful, gritty, highly-aggressive, and very, very cool) edgy, metallic guitars and a whole heap of pent-up anger that gives some of 'Razzia's meatier number some real hair-on-the-back-of- the-neck power. The weaker, softer, and more synth-orientated material may be utterly un- progressive in it's inception, but those rock fans out there who appreciate a killer riff and don't mind the decade that fasion forgot, a.k.a. the 1980s(and not in that silly, retro, hip way that's seen everybody from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to Franz Ferdinand and The Arctic Monkeys suddenly using synths of their new material) might well warm to late-period Grobschnitt. Obviously, their first five albums are the real crowns in the eclectic Grobschnitt crowd, yet, somehow, these later, more commercialy-orientated efforts - which was only released in central Europe, not in the UK or the USA - such as 'Razzia', eminate with a surprising power and inventiveness that belies their poor repuations amongst prog fans. Dated might be the term used to describe this brand of prog-tinged 80s hard-rock, but that doesn't stop it from being bloody good fun for those who can take it. Dodgy it may be, but for once, this reviewer doesn't really give a damn. STEFAN TURNER, LONDON, 2011