Mißträu – Gegendemonstration (Review)

During the recent years, especially the genres of Post-Punk and NDW have experienced quite a renaissance both on the mainstream surface as well as in the underground. Evidently, larger bands brought back this sound and underground bands and labels implemented it in a broad variation of different brews. In the universe of genre terms, it feels that the synergy between different genres limits the variety to the sum of all combinations. However, this cognition dismisses the fact that even the mere interaction between two closely adjacent genres can lead to seemingly endless alternations of tones. If you wanted to get a real world example of the fact that the mergance of Post-Punk and NDW is not just the single combination that is served after one band having played within these spheres, the debut EP Gegendemonstration by Brandenburg-based Post-Punk meets Black Metal (you read correctly) band Mißträu might help.

To a certain extent, it feels as if Mißträu vocalist Hagiophobic has turned into a recurring figure at Transcended Music Blog, now having been interviewed, reviewed, recommended already with other projects and having been in charge of the TMB orb that now is the logo of this blog. Some of you might associate him with his widely known visuals that by now feel almost omnipresent. When we at TMB found out about the new project Mißträu, this lead to the funny moment of finding out that a major share of our members pre-ordered this tape without even communicating about this. Nevertheless, don’t get me wrong – this is not the sole member of Mißträu, but only the figure that adjusted our attention.

As mentioned in the beginning, Mißträu deliver a cocktail of sound that moves somewhere in between the spheres of Post-Punk, Hardcore and Black Metal with nuances of Noise and NDW. Only reading this description already showcases the difficulty to find words for the tone that Mißträu brings forth. Especially on their debut effort Gegendemonstration, the composition of all of the six tracks conveys the capacity of this band to effortlessly float between genres, simply cherrypicking for whatever traits seem to be fitting for different passages on those tracks.

The classification somewhere within the fuzzy boundaries of the term Post-Punk remains blatantly present on the entire EP. However, the graduations of the evidence of this genre consistently alternate on almost every track. Starting off with the strong opener “Wer zu leben weiß” (those who know how to live), the first few seconds are garnished with an eerily haunting analogue synth melody that only takes you by the hand for a few seconds – then crushing into a heavily Punk-driven Black Metal tone whose interplay between guitar and drums casts a big smile on any fan of Hellhammer. However, the vocals on this track kick off with desperate screams that rather remind of early Urfaust. Throughout the track, Mißträu are capable to interconnect genre jumps between Hardcore, Post-Punk, Black Metal and DSBM thus continuously upholding the listener’s attention. For your live experience, the chanted chorus surely serves as opportunity to even join on this track. 

The second track “Verabscheuungswürde” follows the footsteps of the opener, similarly merging Black Metal and Post-Punk with a stronger lean towards Black Metal. Blistering guitars underline vocals that might be compared to the notorious Goblin vocals by Cattle Decapitation, although only as loose reference to get an idea. In between the hellfire of Black Metal, the aforementioned DSBM screeches occasionally appear and at some spots, riffs drift towards a cascadian tone and back into blunt raw Black Metal force. During and after the call and response between the gnarly clean vocals and screams, these genres are also intertwined with a D-Beat-driven Crust undertone. 

I’ve mentioned it numerous times already – usually try not to follow track by track. However, when we’re talking about an EP that brings in alternations to such an extent, it is not possible to do any different. This becomes increasingly evident when arriving at the pre-released track “In den Häusern,” which then also implements the Post-Punk side of this band a little further than before. On this track, the vocals are not screamed but rather bellowed – particularly during the verses. As if this wasn’t enough of a wild combination already, this track then finishes off with a sequence that might be associated with a Stoner-driven Doom sound – or so – I’m lacking words to describe this.

With the fourth track “In der Schwebe” we then get the full-blown presentation that a major shift towards Post-Punk also doesn’t come with any difficulty for Mißträu, since this then fully dives into the soundscape of the aforementioned genre. Slow rhythm, tender drums, a lulling bass and mesmerizing keys accompany the almost spoken vocals. I have to admit that this track marks one of my favorites on this EP. If you were wondering where the promised NDW influences can be spotted, just listen to this track and you’ll know. I’m kind of a dreamer, when I listen to songs like this, I fully drift away. I really love when music succeeds to do so. 

On “Das Gelächter begraben,” the sound then entirely changes once more and pushes the influences of Industrial and Noise to the forefront with a track that is heavily driven by its beat and distorted vocals. Although there were keys on pretty much every track of this EP, the implementation of electronic devices is more blatant on this track with the distorted bass and the hammering rhythm, thus heavily emphasizing the Industrial foundation of this track. 

The final track “Seuchen & Wunden” then seems to draw a line along all of the tracks before. Starting off with a sound that seems as if early NDW is driven through the Kraut-mixer only to distract the listener, halfway through this will adjust your attention when full-blown Black Metal strikes back after a hard cut. With slower drums yet broader desperation, the final sequences showcasing a mixture of DSBM and raw Black Metal lead you out of this EP.

If you did not read from this interview already, I was absolutely astonished by this Mißträu debut EP. Usually, a first EP shows off raw attempts to bring together a specific sound that could turn into the band’s individual tone on their way to their full-length debut. When talking about Mißträu, though, it  becomes clear quite quickly that those musicians did not put together their first band. The strong variety of genre combinations and playstyles on this EP is seminal. When you start writing music in a style that itself is already heavily refreshing and you still manage to jump back and forth within this style as if you were playing it for a damn long time already, your attention should be grasped. What I want to say is that you should definitely keep an eye on this band.