Sigfried - Nibelung [Album]

Napalm Records

“Nibelung" is the name of the new album from the Austrian Metal band Siegfried. The entire disc is sung in German, so I don’t really know what they’re saying. However, from the title, the images and song titles like ‘Fafnir,’ ‘Brunhild,’ and ‘Die Gotterdammerung’ this release is clearly a concept album based on the same Teutonic myth that inspired Richard Wagner’s epic Ring Cycle.

This is full-on Austrian Metal that takes itself very, VERY seriously. The guitars howl and growl, the drums lay down big stomping rhythms, and the vocals are belted out by characters in what could only be called a theatrical delivery. This is a Metal Opera. It is melodramatic and even a little silly at times, but God help me, I liked it.

For all its overblown drama, operatic dialogue in song, and occasional narration, the music is good. The entire enterprise would fail if the Metal didn’t rock, but as technical Metal goes it has all the elements: distorted guitars buzzing out syncopated rhythms, double kick drum, minor key synthesizers moaning in the background, vocals ranging from high and wailing to the Cookie Monster guttural growl.

Don’t get me wrong. This is arguably a ridiculous project. It’s pretentious and nearly a caricature of itself, but the thing is they absolutely mean it. It’s internally consistent and whenever something doesn’t rock, it immediately becomes funny. I won’t be spinning this at any parties, but I do appreciate it for what it is. If you like Austrian Metal, this disc falls somewhere between camp and kick ass.