Alter Der Ruine - I Will Remember It All Differently

There are so many bands out there that tout their music is emotional and empathetic, which makes a lot of music cliche and just completely standard in just about every nook and cranny explored. However, with that said, there so often comes along an act that can actively push forward work filled with affection, causing the listener to twist and turn with every noise and layer of sound that is added to the mix. It's here where Alter Der Ruine succeeds so well.

So many have talked of their breakup in 2012, but such sordid deeds need not to be discussed anymore. What is important is the now, and with the addition of Tamara Jenney on keys and backing vocals, their latest album was formed.

I Will Remember It All Differently cannot be signaled to one simple genre, as it sways boundaries and each song takes a stronger influence from one genre or the next. While Lights has a distinctive and soft synthpop appeal to it, other tracks such as Horizon Slide and Gift Horse take on a wonderful EBM influence. And, even as you get close to the end of the album, Poltergeist is ready to hit you with a lovely club track that can really get you bouncing. Of course, and needless without say, each of the aforementioned and unmentioned tracks come packed alongside the much more advanced and progressive sound that Alter Der Ruine has been evolving and perfecting since their very roots as a power-noise project in 2005.

But, perhaps my favorite track on the album takes shape in the form of Stars. Slow moving, extremely dreamy and with bell-like sounds chiming throughout the track, it was absolutely beautiful. With percussion beats rolling in at the two minute mark alongside piano work, this was the best track on the album to me, and served as a shock and awe.

Around fifty minutes of listening pleasure await your ears in this album, and there's not much more that you can ask for from this act. Perhaps their most defining piece yet, this album is one they should easily hold over their head as a trophy. They've come this far, and made an album that's spectacular in all forms. It's one that will stand out for quite a while, and will serve as a benchmark in their career for years to come. Dec 01 2014