Der Blutharsch And The Infinite Church Of The Leading Hand
Retriggerred

THE REVIEW

Retrigerred is the remixed version of Cosmic Trigger (originally released in 2013) by Der Blutharsch And The Infinite Church Of The Leading Hand. At that time, Albin Julius was transforming the traditional martial and dark sound of Blutharsch towards increasingly psychedelic shores. Currently, Blutharsch sounds like a dark psychedelic and space-rock band, and all the old Nazi-based ideological apparatus and symbolism have disappeared. However, in Cosmic Trigger, the old martial sound was still peeking through, as can be heard in this revisited edition of the album. We are no longer faced with dark military-pop, but the atmospheres remain dark and akin to new wave. The psychedelic tracks are the title track, expansive and electronic with hints of kraut-rock, and "Cosmic Trigger mk2" with Marthynna’s voice taking center stage. "Terrible Place" sounds minimal and obsessive with Albin Julius in the role of a shaman from some forgotten cult. But the real driving pieces are "Desire," very post-punk, and the initial "Follow Us Instead," truly compelling with its sinuous progression. "Walking In Straight Lines" also captivates us with its danceable electronic spirals. Compared to the original edition, this new Cosmic Trigger sounds much more electronic and less psychedelic. I don’t know what the idea behind this choice was, but I must say I like the new arrangements, and the effect is hypnotic. I find the new versions to be more enjoyable and less heavy than the old ones. Perhaps at the time, Blutharsch hadn't fully digested the musical transformation towards psychedelia, and Albin Julius must have realized the album needed a refresh. The result is surprising, and Cosmic Trigger: Retrigerred sounds like it was played by Kraftwerk on acid. Available on Bandcamp: https://derblutharsch.bandcamp.com/.