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Long paths tend to be exhausting and strenuous, but at the same time extended
journeys give us an opportunity to reflect, arrive at decisions and leave old
routines behind. The Southern German act, EMIL BULLS, who despite their tender
age are already considered a musical institution among German rock bands of
international standing, embarked on this path, which they like to refer to as
the "black path"; after all the world of EMIL BULLS is honest and emotional.
Following four successful studio albums, their surprising acoustic cut, The Life
Acoustic, a subsequent sold-out club tour and countless shows all over Germany,
its neighbouring countries and the US, the time had come in spring 2007 for
Christoph, Chrissy, Stephan, Fabian and James to give their band history a new
direction.
They ensconced themselves in a cabin somewhere in the Allgäu mountains, a long
way away from the distractions and blessings of civilisation. The landscape can
be enchantingly beautiful there, but also threateningly dark and awe- inspiring.
The forests and mountain tops can seem bizarre and unreal in bad weather and
easily wear you down. The quintet spent night-long sessions in the cabin's
snuggery, which they had cleared of all furniture, letting their ideas run riot.
Inspired by the rain which lashed against the window panes and the thunderstorms
which were caught between the mountains and clenched their fists with rolling
thunder, riffs and melodies for the new album erupted. And the band really
didn't care how this inferno would go down with the outside world. For three
weeks, they turned the nights into day, always driven by a spring which featured
extremely moderate weather. With over 20 numbers under their belt, they returned
to Munich, where they immediately set about recording a demo with the support of
engineer and sound mixer Jakob "JDAWG", putting together the basic framework for
THE BLACK PATH. It took them a while to restrain the tracks' sheer riff power
and summarise their ideas in 14 songs.
As embarking on new paths is part of EMIL BULLS' band philosophy, they decided
not to rely on the usual suspects when it came to choosing a producer for their
album, but met up with Benny Richter, a young and talented composer, musician
and producer who has worked with acts such as Caliban and Krypteria. He proved
to be highly impressed with the Bulls' attitude and joined them on their
journey. Having completed the team, the exceptional engineer Jakob "JDAWG"
Bernhart took care of the sound, leaving Benny to concentrate on musical
concerns, which proved an extremely fruitful approach. The musicians proceeded
to commute between the Horus studios in Hanover and Benny's own Butterfly Studio
in Mülheim/Ruhr, polishing the new album. The riffs became ever more brutal, the
melodies more iridescent than they had already been in typical EMIL BULLS style,
and the atmosphere of the songwriting sessions and the impressions from the long
and strenuous path were put down on record for eternity.
You're holding the result in your hands - pure, unadulterated EMIL BULLS. Waste
your time looking for the right pigeonhole if you must, THE BLACK PATH reflects
this band's soul, it's emotional, independent, angry, anthemnic, merciless,
poignant, liberating and basically honest and genuine. Which at the end of the
day convinced the record label, Drakkar, who soon discovered that EMIL BULLS
2008 have left the hype of their previous albums behind, having found their own
direction on a musical as well as on a personal level. Released on Drakkar and
available April 29th, 2008.
The Black Path (Intro)
To End All Wars
The Most Evil Spell
All In Tune With The Universe
Pledge Allegiance To The Damned (The Unseen One)
Wolfsstunde
Nothingness
Collapsed Memorials
Close To The Wind
Worlds Apart
Pure Anger (The Hex)
10050
Cigarette Scars
Glad To Be With You Again
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Emil Bulls - The Black Path |
CD $17.97
CAD
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