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biografía : Herzer

Herzer is yet another unique band from Germany. One might say they are characterized by full and rich guitar riffs, uncompromising beats and lyrics - all inspired by German everyday life - but on the other hand also by pop-like melodies, sensibility for finer feelings and bitter insights into the life of an individual. The quintet from Göttingen is different from anything else that one may know about German music - different from the so-called "New German Metal", from the high-intellectual "Hamburg School", from German Fun Punk and from German-speaking Hip-Hop. Herzer offers something that guarantees their difference from the others - the highest possible degree of independence.

“We are barely at all musically influenced by German bands" explains the singer Phil. "Our roots lie more in the Anglo-American room: Rage Against The Machine, Faith No More, Deftones and the Nu-Metal scene." But their music does not precisely follow the abovementioned course. "Diversity is very important to us," continues Phil. "That's why 71563 consists of hard rock-songs as well as more melodic pieces with distinct pop-structure." One more difference that gives Herzer their unique face is the fact that their lyrics are always in German. "To sing in English seemed to me impossible from the beginning. I believe that one's mother tongue suits the best for the purpose of expressing oneself. Of course we wanted us to be higher than the "ordinary" category. We couldn't accomplish it with hard lyrics and music only, though it's usually thought that they should sound hard, but for us it's rather the emotions in songs that demand hardness." That seems probable enough when one compares the aggressive lyrics in songs like Monochrom and Hinter den Fassaden to the sensitive and ambiguous metaphors in Todestag and Frau im Herbst

Above all, Herzer is a phenomenon in the field where many today's German bands - unfortunately - prove to have their weakest side: it's the harmony of music and lyrics. Herzer's guitar riffs, beats and lyrics unite into a powerful expression that sometimes takes almost hypnotic degree. Their music opposes itself to the conventional standards of corporate music industry. For example, one of their love songs Jetzt sind wir dran doesn't merely verbalize a state of someone's feelings, but instead exposes the complex associations between two people who have rose higher the naiveness of common everyday life.

But can not Herzer's bitter outlook on life lead to the line where arise such things as political finger-pointing and depressiveness? "We are not a political band," emphasizes Phil, "Our attitude towards the world originates from the understanding that to think over the matters of life and understand of the differences between them, is always better than the daily habit of mindless TV-watching. This kind of unjust criticism arises merely from personal bias." The best example of their straightforward approach towards critical subjects is the song Monochrom, the first single from their album, that describes how the individual is being enlaced into the delusive, electronized world. "Monochrom's aim is to prove that people must concentrate more on themselves and not mindlessly consume the "ready-made emotions" of everyday life. We don't encourage blunt egoism, that has become very widespread in time, but rather that people just thought over themselves and the world once in a while."

In addition, Monochrom contains a small surprise, namely that it is actually a duet, sung together with no one less than Dero from Oomph! himself, whom Herzer came to know during a support-tour with Farmer Boys and Oomph!. "We are lucky that Dero cooperated with us," is Phil delighted. "When I think about good German singers, Dero is always the first to come into mind." Other guest artists appearing on 71563 are, for example, Julia from Lemonbabes who sings background vocals in Frau im Herbst and the former singer of /Dreadful Shadows/, Sven Friedrich whose voice can be heard in Schwarz. And besides that: the strings in Todestag are real (!) and their use was Herzer's own idea, arranged by well-known arranger Stephan Winkler.

71563 was produced by Thommy Hein in the Kreuzberg studio. His former productions include the ones for Scycs and Dreadful Shadows and so it's no wonder Herzer's massive sound is also welcome to his playground. Perhaps it is also an achievement that the members of Herzer are fully content with 71563 - and also will be in future. "71563 is exactly what we wanted it to be and it expresses our style precisely" says Phil. "Since our EP 6, that appeared in May of this year, everything has gone in the right direction. Our music has turned more diverse and also more melodic. Besides that, the band's structure has became more solid and is now entirely homogeneous."

Herzer was established in April of 1997. Dierk and Tobi played together for a while, then Phil joined, at first as a guitar player but soon he took over the vocals. In the April of 1998, Stef and DJ Def Rock joined. The band soon acquired a good reputation playing in local clubs, ultimately followed by becoming a support band for /Guano Apes/. In June of 2000, Herzer attracted Polydor's attention and the preparation for 6-EP began. In autumn of 2000, Herzer followed Farmer Boys and Oomph! on a support-tour that eventually brought Herzer's live performances in front of a large audience. It was an "attractive and dynamic live performance", as the intro said and indeed nothing held Herzer back from showing their strengths.

After the release of the EP, DJ Def Rock parted from Herzer on friendly terms. "There were differences in tastes for music" says Phil. "We feel happy about that decision, because the band structure is now, as it is, perfect"

That must be true, as only a brief glimpse at 71563 can prove us. Herzer has a big future lying ahead of them. A tour with Pain in the Ass starting on 21. September of 2001, will guide them through whole Germany.


Taken from germanmetal.com

Source : http://www.germanmetal.com/bands/herzer/band_history/band_history.html