"Verstärker" CD by Mantus

The past few years have left no doubt that the light at the end of the tunnel was just a train. But what should one do when every new year somehow manages to be worse than the previous one in some sick way? Martin Schindler has an answer to that, the only true one in these times: Keep going. Just keep going. Because if we start giving up the last bit of humanity, optimism, and empathy, then we might as well turn off the light.

That's why MANTUS sound familiar yet also embark on new horizons on 'Verstärker.' As if to live up to its title, Schindler amplifies the emotions, the urgency, sheds light on himself, on his wounded soul landscape. In a remarkable way, influences find their way into the cosmos of MANTUS that have always been a part of Martin Schindler but have never been felt in this presence before. 'Alles auf Null' spreads a feverish post-punk atmosphere with furious force, songs like 'Keiner' or the hymnic title track remind us of an apocalyptic rock opera with their dark arrangements and Schindler's admonishing vocals, 'Schüsse in der Nacht' is a stirring, gripping goth-punk song against war and violence. We conclude: MANTUS sound more rock, catchy, and disillusioned than ever in 2023. And yet, as good, as important, and as relevant as never before.

MANTUS is still that living being that twists and burns at the flame, that yearns for life and always moves forward determinedly. A lot has happened in the world and in Schindler's life when he presented us with his 'Manifesto' in 2021, nothing less than the distilled essence of MANTUS. It was time for a fresh start, for a courageous look into the fields left and right of this unparalleled band. It's not easy: over 20 years ago, the unforgettable debut 'Liebe und Tod' was released, and since then, MANTUS has made their Gothic vision a reality through countless albums and EPs. A reinvention becomes almost a test of strength.

That's why on 'Verstärker,' there are bittersweet glances back into their own past, combined with a journey into an uncertain future. 'Komm nimm meine Hand,' for example, is performed with a sense of foreboding by Chiara Amberia and stylistically lies somewhere between the lamentations of the early days and overwhelming doom metal heaviness. Perhaps MANTUS has become more worldly in their choice of topics, moving away from the former cemetery elegies; but 'Verstärker' proves precisely because of that, once again, that MANTUS has only become more honest, can be felt more intimately. Exactly what we need in these times.