portrayed a world on its way to the abyss, populated by a thoughtless species acting like God while failing to see which irreparable damage this behavior causes. The brand new EP 'Sünder' ('sinner') continues this apocalyptic picture, is even more hopeless, more desolate and darker than the last album.
Without shrinking away from uncomfortable topics,
Martin and
Thalia Schindler summon a gripping Gothic maelstrom, put their finger into the gaping wounds of society and point our attention to grievances too often ignored and played down. This outcry, this protest veiled in Gothic darkness sounds especially impressive in the title track that addresses the clergy's' horrible crimes. But it doesn't end here: With the much too true words in 'Goldener Strand',
Mantus denounce the dissociation of the 'First World' against the poor whose misery they are also responsible for while 'Traumzauberwald' once again puts the necessary estrangement from the erring human race in the focus of a song influenced by enchanted spinet sounds. This EP is darkly musical escapism in its purest essence.
Stilistically true to the gloomy romantic
Mantus codex of leaden guitars, danceable and pushing midtempo rhythms and orchestral beauty, the duo invested even more passion into the marriage of heavy riffs and wallowing orchestral walls - with an unrivalled result: The strings, pianos, spinets and electronic elements merge with guitars and drums and become shimmering black gems whose enigmatic attraction cannot be resisted. In that, even the daring but ingenious Slime cover version 'Etikette tötet' makes no exception.
Mantus interpret a German Punk legend - a must hear!
Not one year has passed since 'Zeichen' - and already
Mantus took a huge step foward. Passionate, true to the past and yet contemporary, this EP proves how the classic Gothic genre can get fresh impulses even in 2011. 'Sünder' is the living proof why Gothic does not lose its relevance.
