Review by E.C.McMullen Jr.

KMFDM: ADIOS Wax Trax Records/TVT Records Good Website, put together by Sascha Konietzo himself.

THE IGNORANT ELDER EMPOWERS THE YOUTH . . .

Its now official. KMFDM has closed shop and ADIOS is their final album. Gone are most of the crew that have been built into KMFDM over the years.

This album was largely written by founding member Sascha Konietzko and writer /singer/programmer/musician Tim Skold. Nina Hagen makes a guest appearance. En Esch weighs in on only two songs, Ogre on two, and William Rieflin on just one.

This entire album is about saying goodbye. With the song ADIOS, Konietzko sings
"I DON'T WANT NO PART IN THIS / I DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO SCORE / BURNT ALL BRIDGES / CLOSED MY HEART / I DON'T WANT TO BE A PART NO MORE.

While the third track D.I.Y. promises that "KMFDM WILL NEVER STOP", they mean in spirit only. We can say goodbye to their wonderful line up of Sascha Konietzko, En Esch, Gunter Schulz, Cheryl Wilson, Ogre, Tim Skold, and William Rieflin. There have been many more excellent musicians that have contributed their talents to KMFDM over the years. Check out the KMFDM website for more info.

Konietzko's plan is to reform (and break all previous contractual obligations) as MDFMK.

ADIOS is the starkest piece I've ever heard from KMFDM. Gone is the humor that is wove into every song. This is the downward continuation of KMFDM: (SYMBOLS). The music is still as good as ever, still as danceable, but something has died in the group.

KMFDM: ADIOS is not their best, but it is a somber final note to a great and largely unrecognized band.

3 Perplex Skulls

This review copyright 1999 E.C.McMullen Jr.

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