Strength Through Discipline
Blood Soil
Vater, Ich Rufe Dich!
Brotherhood Of War
Siloah's Brook
Never Surrender

Sometimes I get sent a release to review and wonder just what I’m going to achieve by penning a few pathetic inadequate words. Sometimes the release speaks volumes for itself without the aid of my input. The quality already clearly and firmly defined. The knowledge of the participating artists making it a ‘must have’ in anyone’s book. Review it though I must. If words do fail me…as I fear they may…then I humbly apologise for my lapse and hope you understand. For I am star struck. Not worthy to be called a reviewer. But the show must…eventually…go on.

This release by Stalwerk 9 and Rasthof was originally intended to be released as a double 7 inch vinyl back in 2003...or thereabouts. The label concerned disappeared…as labels have a bad habit of doing…until the sensible decision by Agitprop…a subdivision of the Steinklang record label…stepped it and gave it the release it deserved. Now you can bathe in the glow of this seminal work in either vinyl (limited to 400 copies) or CDR (limited to 150 copies) form. On this occasion they wear the mantle of instigators of mayhem, power electronics fanatics and war obsessed protagonists over the six tracks making a suitably noisy and disruptive blockbuster. All analogue screams, squeals and throbs and virtually unintelligible voices intoned down a toilet pan with overlaid samples from WW2. Superb. Sure they take their stance from BDN and Propergol and everyone else on the list of top 100 power electronic acts today but what they bring to the party is that indefinable ‘something’. Unlike certain other acts their noise isn’t unpalatable, noxious or unbearable. They have defined and refined the sound to such a degree that hearing them in full flow is a thing of wonderment to enjoy and experience. The majority of power electronic recordings bore after a few spins…even grate and annoy…but "The Final Resistance" isn’t like that. They balance everything to perfection. Never allowing the electronics to dominate or intrude from the vocals or samples. Of course Stahlwerk 9 has a pedigree stretching back 10 years which accounts for the quality of this work and although Rasthof Dachau may not be so well known the way they combine together is the reason that this release is so essential to not only the power electronics crowd but to anyone into the old military style Industrial music or inquisitives everywhere.

I know I haven’t done this release justice. The words won’t flow. But then the Gods probably never meant them to. For the names Stahlwerk 9 / Rasthof Dachau are all you surely need.

ANM