Lifetaker – Herbsthunde (Review)

If there is one band that I can come up with that has been following my work at Transcended Music Blog since the beginning, it certainly has to be Dortmund-based Deathgrind pioneers Lifetaker. Having marked one of my earliest reviews with their full-length debut Night Intruder, which also marked my first 10/10 when we were still handing out points, this band has stuck with me ever since. Apart from that, the fact that Night Intruder came via Lower Class Kids Records, this review was also the initial factor that got me in contact with our still-Blog-member Nino. Phew, kind of a background that maybe also lightly indicates what could be considered a bias – but who cares about that, right?

Lifetaker have been around since their debut EP Thanatos in 2018 that I also got my hands on when having seen those guys live for the first time, opening up for Cult Leader back then. After that, the aforementioned full-length debut Night Intruder followed in 2020, shortly accompanied by their EP Pit Viper and then the second full-length release Der Letzte Raum in 2022. Now if you have known this band before and you enter the realm of Herbsthunde, you might be a little confused. This probably comes from the fact that former Lifetaker drummer Nico left the band and the remaining trio decided not to go for a new drummer but switch towards electronical devices as percussive foundation. We’ll stay closely connected with Lifetaker’s former releases in order to specify their musical progression, which feels kinda necessary with the changes that took place on this LP.

On May 1st, Herbsthunde was released and this EP showcased sonical spheres that coined quite a shift in musical style of Lifetaker’s sound. Having talked about this already in the interview, I still have to highlight the fact that the former ferocious and blasting Deathgrind band that was present on Night Intruder now introduces itself differently. The sound that forcibly pushes you into Herbsthunde on “Totsignal” immediately flashes Lifetaker’s reinvention of their sound with pulsating mid-tempo electronical drums that shove the listener through immediate madness right from the first second on. There is an overtly present industrial tone that moved into the absolute forefront and is perfectly synergized by the decision to go for well-chosen drum computers. Sustaining and heavily distorted guitars underline vocalist Konstantin’s primal screams on top of a soundscape that encompasses pure lunacy. First aspects that might cross the attention of the listener are the facts that Lifetaker hit the brakes on this track (and the following) and the novel drum setup emphasizes the devices of digital tone a little further.

Different and slightly unexpected – you might wonder. Well, you’re right. Or… are you? When taking a closer look back at Lifetaker’s back catalogue, this progression didn’t come out of nowhere but can rather be considered a natural progression aligned to external circumstances. Even when recapitulating Night Intruder, the album that exploded with blast beats and Deathgrind, the progression on this album itself showcased Lifetaker’s recurring characteristic trait of working towards resolution in madness – hence offering the possibility of associating these releases with literature off the period of Sturm and Drang. The final tracks on Night Intruder already hinted the band’s interest in working towards madness. This became way more obvious on their sophomore full-length Der letzte Raum. Just listen to the final tracks on this album and you’ll see that flirting with Noise elements didn’t come as a surprise (listen to “Gamma Mörser”). Apart from that, also the tendency towards an industrial tone has been repeatedly present on Lifetaker releases. And eventually – the switch into German language also already took place on Der Letzte Raum. As you can see, following this line of argumentation, you have no right to be surprised… but it’s ok to be so as well. 

Speaking of madness as heard before, the first track off Herbsthunde is just what could be considered the scarecrow of this EP. When continuing with the second track “Schattenkabinett,” Lifetaker will be able to show you that their percussive progression is a perfect way to implement blackened Industrial tone with a heavily memorable rhythm. Right from the start, the vocals are presented in the most versatile manner possible. This had been one of the most immanent highlights about Lifetaker in the past and it especially eases the progression from former to new sound. Konstantin’s vocals are – especially on this track – first of all drastically different from the vigorous screams that were for example present on Night Intruder. Nevertheless, they perfectly fit the tone of this track and – if you are patient enough to dive a little deeper into this EP – you will be rewarded with what you might have expected. As I mentioned already when having talked about Der Letzte Raum, I highly favor their switch to German language because its harsh pronunciation and association with aggressive German Streetpunk widens the eerie soundscape that this EP captures. 

On the third track “Alpha Centurio,” the percussive elements then shift towards a pattern that reminds of more electronical music – moving in the spheres of Darkwave or EBM and could encounter you in a Blade movie. In this case, though, the vocals then go fully insane when Konstantin barks and vomits all over this catchy rhythm. On both of these tracks, the guitar also moved to a different position. Giving up the former riff blast, the guitar now functions to add layers to the weirdness of this tone. The accessibility of this sound then again drags in the direction of madness towards the end of this EP. On “Maschinensturm,” Noise elements step into the foreground and vocals intertwine with pure rustle. Eventually, we’re lost in eerie atmosphere on “Herbsthunde der Karpaten,” finding resilience in insanity. What a blast!

Back then, I stayed in contact with the band when the decision fell to move away from a drummer towards electronic percussive elements. Usually having compared this band to the adaptability of Full of Hell, being able to move in whatever landscapes are present, I was very interested to find out what this is going to sound like. Since Black Omega Recordings was no longer present for a release, it was also interesting to find out what new home this band might find. I didn’t expect the transition to Ván Records, but I definitely hope that this jump might bring wider awareness for this band, since they absolutely deserve it!