Einstürzende Neubauten

It’s official, this ain’t your grandpa’s Einsturzende Neubauten. The days of the angry, scrap metal revolutionaries are over. Perpetuum Mobile follows the German group’s impressive Silence is Sexy release — an album that some say turned a flailing legacy around. With Perpetuum Mobile the group continues their experiment in quiet. We’re first treated with Blixa Bargeld’s haunting vocals on "Ich Gehe Jetzt,” setting the stage for the surreal, albeit sometimes tedious, experience that is this album. The title-track that follows is an absorbing and ominous 14-minute piece. "Selbstportrait mit Kater,” an angrier track, contains traces of EN’s earlier work. And near the end of the disc we’re taken to the eerily happy "Dead Friends (Around the Corner).” It’s worthy to note that the band recorded parts of Perpetuum Mobile with the assistance of some of their fans via internet. This album definitely requires commitment on the listener’s part. It’s an hour-long blended journey of sound — there are no quick fixes here. Perpetuum Mobile proves that EN are still willing to be experimental and can even offer a little bang for your industrial loving buck.