Label: Self released
Date: May 12th, 2020
Do I have a difficult assignment here… „Riot at the kiosk“ is nowhere near the easiest I’ve had a chance to describe. But with a name like this, how can you refuse? Rambo knife is one of the symbols of my early life. We all wanted to have one. And the plastic copies sold at the market like potatoes.
But I also like the music presented on this album. Perhaps Rambomesser does not go straight to the top of my favorites list, but I really like this nonetheless. Even if I don’t understand most of the lyrical content. German language was never my favorite, sorry to say.
Never was much of an Anthrax fan either. And I name the famous Americans for a good reason, as I find them the primary source of influence for Rambomesser. Such kind of crossover between thrash metal and modern alternative metal is the main characteristic of the German quartet. However, they do not quite stop there.
Occasional subtle keyboard background adds a bit of that Rammstein touch. Not too much, but it is there. Then you have “Kuttengott” which feels almost like a tribute to Motley Crue from their glory days. Apart from the chorus which, again, turns to the stars of their own country. And the song finishes in the regular Rambomesser style, so the versatility of Germans’ creation is on full display.
As another one of the features of “Krawall am Kiosk” is the frequent appearance of an extremely melodic lead guitar that adds a different tone to certain tracks.
Another song I would like to point out is “Mache-Liebe-Lang” for its goth-like atmosphere in combination with this Anthrax-like gang vocals. Sort of reminded me of “I’m the Man” with its vibe, though it takes off from a different musical perspective.
You see, though the album in its entirety is pretty homogenous, there are moments when Rambomesser steps out of their own creative pattern. The Germans obviously have a wide variety of different styles within their ears and if floods over to their own music. But the best part is that they let it flood and use it to their advantage. That makes for an interesting listen. “Krawall am Kiosk” is not an album you can hear too often. And it is the full length debut by the band. Once I established what they are capable of, you can place a bet that I will look forward to what Rambomesser will deliver in the future.
