Schattenmann - Licht An album review

Infectious German industrial metal with a hint of dark pop

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Cover art for Schattenmann - Licht An album

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Schattenmann have created a new subgenre of industrial metal, or so they claim. Licht An is described as ‘Neue Deutsche Härte 2.0’: a revamped version of the heavy sound invented by the likes of Rammstein. In reality, it’s not dissimilar to version 1.0, although frontman Frank Herzig’s latest project – he’s also the guitarist with Rammstein-a-likes Stahlmann – casts shadows of a more gothic nature. Fast-paced, stompy anthems are accentuated by dark pop influences and crunchy guitars. Think Aesthetic Perfection or Dope Stars Inc with elements of In This Moment and Violator-era Depeche Mode. Then there’s AMOK, which is essentially Ministry gone Gangnam Style, and the moody Zahn Der Zeit that opens with (almost) that piano intro from Paradise Lost’s Say Just Words and peaks with a soaring, Slash-like solo. Lich An is dark, catchy and loud; just don’t forget the strobes.

Natasha Scharf
Natasha Scharf
Deputy Editor, Prog

Contributing to Prog since the very first issue, writer and broadcaster Natasha Scharf was the magazine’s News Editor before she took up her current role of Deputy Editor, and has interviewed some of the best-known acts in the progressive music world from ELP, Yes and Marillion to Nightwish, Dream Theater and TesseracT. Starting young, she set up her first music fanzine in the late 80s and became a regular contributor to local newspapers and magazines over the next decade. The 00s would see her running the dark music magazine, Meltdown, as well as contributing to Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, Terrorizer and Artrocker. Author of music subculture books The Art Of Gothic and Worldwide Gothic, she’s since written album sleeve notes for Cherry Red, and also co-wrote Tarja Turunen’s memoirs, Singing In My Blood. Beyond the written word, Natasha has spent several decades as a club DJ, spinning tunes at aftershow parties for Metallica, Motörhead and Nine Inch Nails. She’s currently the only member of the Prog team to have appeared on the magazine’s cover.