(c) Max Dufner
Angry. Angry. Pauline Burns. One of Germany’s rowdiest bands is back with new material. The name relaxes the girl from Struwwelpeter who is on fire, the sound could hardly be noisier and more chaotic with a clear emphasis on screamo, mathcore and other exuberant samples of anger. „Mache“ breaks down the ear canals in eight short chapters with growing enthusiasm.
“Travis” opens in media res and makes it clear relatively quickly that the trio, who are now spread across Leipzig, Nuremberg and Schweinfurt, have lost absolutely nothing of their broken madness. It burns from the first second as Daniel Schmitt pukes his guts out. The vocal cords bleed finely, the instrumental substructure simulates manic seething and is heading towards an unspecified catastrophic escalation with math undertones that has actually been taking place the whole time. However, you only notice this afterwards, when “Norman”, although also rough, comes across as almost rock-like in terms of riffing. Of course, this observation has to be seen in perspective, because what seems almost tolerable to Paulinchen Brennt is still crazy.
The rest of the record shows something similar. The first video release “Midas” has almost a conventional main part, while the strange verses around it are reminiscent of various experimental Mike Patton projects, including the joint EP with The Dillinger Escape Plan. “Pooter”, another harbinger, discharges itself sparingly and consistently, repeatedly launching precise attacks, while proggy-tinged post-hardcore approaches appear all around – very strange, anti-melodic and yet almost cuddly. The wholesome darkness of “Hauser” also puts you in a good mood, riding on an oversized powder keg and skillfully exploding again and again.
This hussar ride only lasts 24 minutes, but in the end that is more than enough. “Mache” drains you and leaves you exhausted. The almost constant operation at the limit of what is audible and bearable is detrimental to the substance, but upon closer inspection it is rich in exciting details and little surprises. Between all the eruptions and frontal attacks there is a progressive energy, driven by a certain darkness, uncomfortable and wonderfully ominous. Paulinchen Brennt tear everything down and have great fun with it – an exciting, not always easy record that fascinates again and again.
Rating: 8/10
Available from: November 10, 2023
Available via: Krakenduft Records (Broken Silence)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/paulinchenbrennt
Category: Magazin, Reviews