Artist:KMFDM

Title: World War III

Label: Sanctuary

By Orren Merton

When first playing this CD, you'd be forgiven if you wondered if you were sold the wrong disc, as the album begins with the sound of crickets behind a slide acoustic guitar and banjo number. After a minute or two you'll realize that all is well as the traditional thunder and mayhem that is KMFDM begins in earnest. While sonically, this CD treads the same ground as their previous self-described "ultra-heavy beat" albums--namely the crossroads of industrial, acid house, metal, rock, and dance music--there are still enough new flourishes to keep "World War III" from sounding musically stale.

With Tim Skold gallivanting around the globe as one of Marilyn Manson's un-merry men, this album lacks some of the melodic maturity Tim brought with him. However, this album offers a more focused, driving sound more reminiscent of earlier KMFDM releases. Lyrically, however, there is nothing retro about this album. It is as contemporary as tomorrow's newspaper, attacking Dubya's foreign and domestic policies, as well as the mob mentality that enables it to take hold. The title song, "Stars and Stripes," and "Last Things" are the most obvious rants against the current US administration, with "World War III" even featuring samples of Dubya himself calling for war. "Capt'n K" has long been calling on the KMFDM faithful to "rip the system," think independently and actively oppose the status quo, but with this album, there is a desperation and a drive to that call that makes it especially poignant, in the way that only a transplanted European can.

No KMFDM album is all work and no play, of course. Despite the fact that this may be the most thematically consistent KMFDM album ever, there's still enough room for Raymond Watts to be his sacrilegious, oversexed self, Lucia to both purr and growl, and Sascha to throw his trademark wit and humor into the mix ("I am the father of industrial rock...and if you don't believe me, you can suck my glock, ya..."), and Joolz to show that even in synthesized and deconstructed bombast there's room for some really tasty guitar licks. All in all, fans of KMFDM will absolutely love this album, fans who've yet to discover the joys of "ultra-heavy beat" music will find this a great introduction, and anyone who's generally dissatisfied with the way the USA has been handled by Dubya will at least enjoy Capt'n K's wit and perspectives.