Interlude
1938
Völkerwanderung
Departure
Torpedos
So Gross Wie Die Ganze Welt
Heiliges Feuer
Ehret Das Leben
Only Stones Remain (Instrumental)
Feux / Fire (Instrumental)
Ritual Suicide
Weakness
Das Blut Der Helden
The Archangel (Part 2)
Havamal (Part 2)

Originally released as a limited CDr in October 2001, ACOH take us on an epic journey through the sinking of the Red Cross ship ‘Wilhelm Gustloff’; torpedoed by the Russians in January 1945, when over 9,000 perished. There are samples from the 1959 Frans Wisbar film “Nacht Fiel über Gotenhafen” and from a Winston Churchill speech in March 1946.

The music is very much a mixed bag of bombastic orchestral pieces, filmscores, neofolk and dark ambient moments, interspersed with lots of Germanic samples, echoed voice samples, proud marching songs and military drumming. Ship horns, lapping water and radio samples create the maritime atmosphere and the melancholy which ensues.

The culmination of "Wilhelm Gustloff", with a spoken piece in German enveloped by strings and piano, ascending into an intense percussive piece and dying down to the same spoken piece at the outset, is a fitting ending to this bleak story. Another masterpiece from the Cold Spring label - very highly recommended.

JLM