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The band should not be confused with the strange Deutschrock band Endgegner.
This is also not Deutschrock. Rather, the Deutschrock band couldn't come up with a name of their own. And perhaps they wanted to benefit from the reputation of DER ENDGEGNER. Strange thoughts from a strange band.
With the double CD “Showdown“, the band from Berlin is now releasing their sixth publication. A release that already evokes memories of long gaming nights in front of the PC from the cover. That was back in the days when there were still CGA, EGA graphics and later, something really great, VGA graphics. Everything was still very pixelated. And those who didn't have a PC played on the Atari or the C64. A time from my youth. So anyone who earns sympathy points with me just from the cover can't be bad.
Listening to the first songs confirms the impression that the band is not bad.
Fat production, loud (sometimes too loud) guitar, a driving drum set, and vocals that always come through clearly and powerfully from the speakers. This is how powerful punk rock sounds.
Stylistically, for those who don't know the band yet, DER ENDGEGNER has something of Die Skeptiker (especially in the vocals, which strongly resemble the singing style of Eugen) and Knorkator. Generally, one can also mention the old-school Deutschpunk as a reference, as influences occasionally shine through. Normahl comes to mind first, although the sound here is fatter and harder.
In general, the guitar, which strongly leans towards metal with its aggressive sound, is convincing. Together with the fatly recorded drums, they form the beat of DER ENDGEGNER and are the driving force behind the songs.
Lyrically, DER ENDGEGNER is quite demanding and manages to make the listener identify with the often personal lyrics. However, the band also critiques, namely the people who don't go out (“Die Wand“), society as a whole (“Straight Ex“), and societal norms (“Die Reise“).
The songs are, as mentioned, powerful but also melodic, so that even after multiple listens, there are no signs of wear. Rather, the songs unfold even more. The lyrics gain more depth. The lyrics and music fit well together. A lot of value was placed on songwriting here. It pays off!
On the second CD, which bears the beautiful name “Endartung!“, there are four more songs. Only four songs? Why? The four songs could have fit on the first CD in terms of playtime. Is DER ENDGEGNER deliberately trying to waste resources, or why did they do it this way?
DER ENDGEGNER does not just follow a formula, but is a varied chameleon, so that one can enjoy it for as long as possible.
The four songs on the second CD indeed stand out a bit. Both stylistically and lyrically. More experimentation is done musically here. The songs are longer. The sound has more metal influences. Stoner influences can also be heard. It almost gives the impression that the band really wanted to let loose with these four songs. So it might be quite good to separate the four songs “Wozu?!?“, “Warum nicht?!?“, “Schaff dich Ab!“, “Schalt sie aus!“ from the first CD, from the actual album. Only “Warum nicht?!?“ has the potential for the first CD. The song strongly leans towards Die Skeptiker.
With “Showdown“, DER ENDGEGNER delivers 15 songs to the world. Songs that are enjoyable both lyrically and musically, and can really excite one for the band. With “Showdown“, the band can outplay several other bands and shake up the scene with their songs.
DER ENDGEGNER is (still) a hidden gem. It is to be hoped that the band will achieve the success and recognition they deserve with this album.
