ALBUM REVIEW: Der Rote Baron – Terrible Headache

May 22, 2019 Dan McHugh

For many a year the German metal headlines have belonged to the likes of RAMMSTEIN, KREATOR and SCORPIONS. Making a return with their first album for an astonishing 21 years is Saarland’s TERRIBLE HEADACHE who after regrouping to jam back in 2015 decided to join forces once more and bring us Der Rote Baron which is available now via Boersma Records. Will they be able to pick up where they left off?

Die Welt Brennt kicks in with crunchy riffing and a punchy tempo. The bellowing vocal pieces duck in and out of the track allowing time for the instruments to do the talking. Der Rote Baron continues in a similar vain, a steady pace and groovy guitar work provide the backbone for the track. The German lyric delivery adds another level of aggression to proceedings. Egoist throws some melody in the mix in the form of a punk infused vibe to coincide with the bite of the thrash elements. Amok increases the intensity with snappy drumming and further bouts of shredding.

Häschen In Der Grube II immediately unleashes a shrieking scream and adrenaline fuelled drum-work alongside a dramatic atmosphere to create one of the more intriguing tracks so far. Der Wind doesn’t quite pack the same punch as it returns to a more straightforward galloping rhythm with a few awkward sounding harmonics that could’ve probably been omitted. The tempo does pick up some momentum as it progresses. Stosstrupp opens with some inviting melodies and additional raspy growls. The bouncy tempo will have your head bobbing along to the addictive beat.

Der Traum switches styles once more in favour of a punk-like tone combining with some memorable melodies. The thrash influences still seep into the track as they dip in and out. Die Neue Welt returns to the edgier vibe with shredding that chops and changes in velocity as the track ebbs and flows. Der Panther harnesses a darker nature with potent snare hits and evil sounding riffs. Expectations of a rapid fire farewell to leave the album on a high vanish into the ether as it just dwindles into silence.

The concept of thrash is by no means a new prospect but over the years has evolved into one of the most energetic genre’s in metal with it’s breakneck tempo and impressive musicianship and sadly Der Rote Baron doesn’t quite meet the heights of it’s neighbours. There are too many instances where it feels clumsy and fails to grab your attention. Entire songs can pass by and nothing particularly startling has occurred to pique your interest. Some catchy riffs and glimmers of excitement exist but they are too few and far between to make you enthusiastic about this release. It is admirable to see a band reignite their passion for music after such a lengthy hiatus but in this time the genre has developed too much for Der Rote Baron to make a dent in its rich heritage.

Rating: 5/10

Der Rote Baron is out now via Boersma Records.

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