Kanonenfieber | Live In Oberhausen | Noisebringer Records

 

Kanonenfieber was formed in Germany by multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Noise, with the intention of creating a historically grounded metal project centered around the First World War. Drawing lyrical content from real letters, testimonies, and military records, Kanonenfieber has stood out for their thematic focus and refusal to romanticize war. Originally conceived as a studio project, the band took to the stage in 2022 and quickly rose in recognition across Europe. Their debut album, "Menschenmühle," brought attention to the atrocities and trauma of WWI through a heavy blend of death metal, black metal, and martial passages. With subsequent EPs and the full-length "Die Urkatastrophe", the band expanded their sonic and historical scope. Within just a few years, they became a leading voice in historically driven extreme metal, performing sold-out shows across Europe.

"Live In Oberhausen" captures a pivotal moment in Kanonenfieber’s swift rise—from underground history-obsessed solo act to one of the most prominent live names in European extreme metal. Recorded during their largest headline concert in Oberhausen's Turbinenhalle II, this live release documents the group’s transformation into a compelling and cohesive stage unit. With 1,800 fans in attendance and sixteen out of twenty shows on the tour sold out, the performance here reflects a band reaching its peak intensity, delivering music with purpose and cohesion.

The live album spans the band’s full catalog, integrating tracks from their debut, "Menschenmühle," select EPs, and no fewer than eight selections from their 2023 release, "Die Urkatastrophe." This balance allows for a sweeping representation of their development in both sound and subject matter. The band retains its core essence—grim and thunderous death metal grounded in wartime realism—while expanding its dynamic capabilities on stage. There is no indulgence in theatrics; instead, the performance emphasizes weight, repetition, rhythm, and the dread-laced pace that fits the subject matter.

Sound production, handled by Noise himself, leans toward clarity without losing grit. Instruments are well-leveled, with drums and bass carving out a percussive floor beneath tremolo guitars and harsh vocals that are delivered in a tone consistent with the band’s archival, report-like approach to narrative. Unlike many live albums that blur sound into indistinct noise, "Live In Oberhausen" keeps the material grounded and intelligible while not sanitizing the rawness of performance.

The Blu-ray edition’s inclusion of performances like “Der Maulwurf” and “Sturmtrupp” also affirms Kanonenfieber’s visual impact—stripped of gimmicks but rich in atmosphere, with a stage presence shaped by lighting, uniforms, and movement synced with the intensity of the themes. These songs, like much of their material, deal with brutal details of trench warfare, tunneling crews, and the emotional degradation of soldiers—a perspective rarely presented in such depth in metal.

The importance of this live release lies not in technical precision or audience banter but in how Kanonenfieber delivers their history-laden metal with commitment and consistency to a large crowd. That this performance comes only two and a half years after their live debut highlights just how quickly the band has resonated. The songs on "Live In Oberhausen" do not exist in abstraction—they are tied to lives lost, fears buried, and silence broken. The performance reflects that tone throughout.

Score: 8.3