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1. KMFDM - Many people have overlooked the fact that KMFDM have not and never will make the same album over and over like other bands. The whole idea behind KMFDM is change. Change in musical styles. Change in personnel. Change in our world and its political climate. Change and growth is essential to KMFDMs whole point: You are your master; don't let anyone tread on you and make you the same as everyone else, never letting you think for yourself. If you think there is a KMFDM "sound" (other than Sascha's and Raymond's voices or kickass songs), then you probably shouldn't be listening to KMFDM in the first place. Go listen to the Murderdolls or some other crap like that, which really does sound exactly the same on EVERY track.

2. SKOLD - Love him or hate him, Skold's gone for now, so get over either the nostalgia or the hate.

3. EN ESCH/GÜNTER SCHULZ- OK, this is a FACT that any sane person finds true: KMFDM have grown very much since their departure, in a very good way. Have you listened to Slick Idiot? Yeah, the guitar and Esch's vocals make it sound almost identical to KMFDM songs where Esch sang/growled/grunted/whatever and Schulz played with the same sound all of the time. That sure shows the growth that those two have gone through....

4. PIG - Who the hell cares whether the whole PIG band is part of KMFDM now? Is there something wrong with it? Personally, I like Jules Hodgson's playing. He is very versatile and doesn't use the same damn sound every damn time. Steve White is a good player, too, and Andy Selway is....well......odd.

5. WATTS - Raymond Watts is the Man. Oh and to whoever was waiting for the PIG album, there is no PIG anymore. Raymond Watts is calling his project WATTS now, and it should be out sometime within the next year.

6. DUBYA - If anyone writes anything more about the politics of the album, I am going to scream. I really am irritated with those of you who said that they're "bashing the Prez on every song." First of all, George "Dubya" Bush is NOT our President. He is the Presidential Stand-In Appointed by the Supreme Court of the United States of Stupidity. These are the United States of America, and our whole existence as a country is based on the people, not the buraucracy. Somewhere along the line, the lines between the two were blurred and then carefully erased by those in power, passing idiotic laws to fulfill their own agendas. Second of all, the "Prez" is NOT bashed on every track. I count him being bashed on "WWIII" and "Moron", and barely even mentioned on "Last Things" and "Stars and Stripes."

7. WWIII IS A KICKASS ALBUM WORTH EVERY PENNY.

I really am disappointed in the people who are so obviously ignorant to KMFDM that they add uninformed reviews to the real ones, lowering the average star level. I applaud those who give it 5 stars (4 stars even), because they know good KMFDM and good music when they hear it. If you like KMFDM, you should also give Razed In Black a listen. Romell Regulacion has combined the musical stylings of KMFDM and Nine Inch Nails, along with others, to create an insane mix of Electronica, Goth, Industrial, and even Metal. Funker Vogt is also worth a listen. RIP THE SYSTEM, CONTINUE THE ULTRA-HEAVY BEAT, NEVER GIVE IN, AND NEVER GIVE UP.


It makes me sad to say it...   November 17, 2003
 22 out of 35 found this review helpful

I've been listening to KMFDM for eleven years, and I loved pretty much every album they put out before the break-up. I'll admit, I didn't entirely enjoy all of Skold's influences on the band, but he was decent and things were fine. MDFMK's album was also pretty good. However, both Attak and this album are really lacking. Everything feels hollow and pointless. Of course, if you like straight up heavy metal this might be okay, but for industrial fans this album doesn't work. They've lost their way, I think, and in the process lost a lot of what made KMFDM exciting and unique.

Angst and Nihil, and even Xtort, were really heavy albums, but they still had the other sounds and influences. On this album, almost everything sounds the same, and it is generally on the boring side. The two best tracks are "From Here on Out" and "Last Things," and I think it's because they showcase Lucia's vocals, which manages to soften things up a bit. Also, her lyrics are pretty good, as opposed to the rest of the album. Sascha is really hung up on bashing George W. Bush. I'm not a fan of his either, but it seems like a waste to be so specific and insulting on an album. Previous albums have featured political rants and commentary which seemed more intelligent and inspiring because it was more of a general statement about society. It allowed you to fill in the blanks and make it your own. With this style, it alienates. As for Raymond Watts, I'm getting tired of him talking about sludge and sweat and blood and the barrel of a gun and funky ... acts. It was entertaining for a while but it's gotten old.

KMFDM just isn't the same without En Esch in my opinion, and this album confirms the suspicions I had after Attak. It also shows that Skold was not the problem. Sascha is the problem. Finally, I will still probably buy the next album, just in case something miraculous happens in the meantime, but I'm not going to KMFDM shows anymore. Buy any KMFDM album from the 1990s and you'll be much happier than with faux renuion stuff.


still got the ultra heavy beat   October 2, 2003
 18 out of 25 found this review helpful

I was skeptical about buying this album. I was worried that the new KMFDM line up wouldn't work out. The new lineup for "Attak" was interesting, good (but not as good without En Esch or Shultz) but nothing amazing. And now, with the loss of another KMFDM member, Skold (loved and hated), I wasn't sure KMFDM could keep it's strength and the "ultra heavy beat". Wow, was I wrong.

"WWIII" is definitly one of the hardest rocking KMFDM albums ever. No, I'm not just sucking up to KMFDM, it really is that good. It ranks well up there with the other top KMFDM albums (Money, Angst, Nihil, Symbols) and is far greater than the later KMFDM albums. What makes it better?
-There are no bad, or "skipper", tracks on this album
-A fantastic blend of metal guitar riffs and industrial beats
-A clear and definitive point and theme to the album
-No bad vocals(like some Skold tracks)
-A cool cover
Here's a closer look at the tracks:
1. WWIII (World War Three) - beginning with a redneck "Deliverance"-like banjo/guitar it leads into a fast paced guitar riff much like "A Drug Against War". Great lyrics, not too thrilled with Lucia's vocals on the chorus. 8/10
2. From Here on Out - a Lucia song, great vocals, catchy 7/10
3. Blackball - an amazing techno intro followed by some stellar Pig vocals and great German parts added in. Standout track. 10/10
4. Jihad - obvious reference, but your average loud, political KMFDM song. Nice drums. 6/10
5. Last Things - another great Lucia song, much better than most MDFMK songs that she sings in. Another great example of the combination of industrial and rock. 7/10
6. Pity for the Pious - a slower tempo, but Watts (aka Pig) makes this song great with his bassy vocals and "dirty" feeling. 8/10
7. Stars and Stripes - fantastic song. Great combo of industrial and rock, fabulous guitar riff, and great political feeling. Standout track. 10/10
8. Bullets, Bombs & Bigotry - fast paced hard rock song, pretty good, not my favorite 7/10
9. Moron - obvious reference, very catch 8/10
10. Revenge - another great Pig song, nice guiar riff, songs heightens as it goes along. 9/10
11. Intro - extremely funny. Sascha goes around and introduces the band, with awesome lyrics and music. Best part is when he introduces himself. Supposively an "Intro" to their next (!) album. Standout track. 11/10

If you like KMFDM or any other hard rock/industrial music, BUY THIS!!!!


Is this KMFDM now?   June 7, 2004
 18 out of 38 found this review helpful

I love KMFDM. I have all their albums. I have loved every one of them... until Attack and WW3. What happened? Many of their albums in the past have rocked. These last two... eh... none of the tracks grabbed me like they did on their other albums. The amount of political ranting was a bit of a turn off too. I don't mind politics in my music mind you, but when everything is about politics it gets stale very fast. Mix it up. KMFDM has always been much more creative than this. They had their serious songs, but had "fun" songs as well, even poking fun at themselves. These past two albums have been bland. Give me back the real KMFDM, not this poor shadow of it's former self. These two are going on the shelf and will never be listened to again. I can only hope their next outing will re-inspire my confidence in them.


Maybe it's time to give up...   November 1, 2003
 9 out of 17 found this review helpful

Let's compare Attak (2002) and WWIII (2003), side by side.

Attak, first of all, suffered from :

-The guitars. Instead of focusing on the strengths of the remaining band members and writing a synth-based album, KMFDM highlighted their real weakness in attempting to write a guitar driven album - an experiment gone terribly awry. The skills of Sascha and Skold in guitar and bass leave much to be desired, especially as this was a band once boasted the best guitarist in industrial rock - Gunter Schulz.

- Skold. Skold's music and vocals have always been way too weak for KMFDM; his songs on the album, for the most part, were a lame goth whinefest.

- Recycling. Many of the songs on Attak are blatant ripoffs - either of earlier KMFDM songs or the songs of other bands. I can appreciate the effort that goes into songwriting (even if the results are poor) but I have zero respect for bands that are so desperate for ideas that they don't even write half their material.

- Hype. Attak promised to be the "best" and "hardest" KMFDM album ever. In the stale industrial scene, it is not surprising that listeners eagerly bought into this idea. When the album finally came out, it dissapointed many and hence received a good bashing.

- Lucia. On Attak we see Lucia singing by herself, watered down pop drivel. Traditionally, female vocalists in KMFDM sang backup, accompaning the lead male vocalist(s). For the second time in KMFDM history, a female vocalist sings solo. In theory this is a fine idea, but in reality Lucia is the worst female vocalist ever to sing for KMFDM. It worked with Dorona Alberti ten years ago on Angst's "The Problem," but lets face it: Lucia Cifarelli is no Dorona Alberti.

How does WWIII compare?

- WWIII is a guitar driven album as well, but it is Pig's Jules Hodgson playing - not Sascha or Skold. And okay. Jules Hodgson is not exactly Gunter Schulz, but there is no better replacement than Hodgson to fill his shoes.

- Skold has dumped KMFDM for Marilyn Manson, so he is no longer a musical annoyance.

- The songs on WWIII certainly don't push the band into a new direction, and I could have sworn that I've heard some of these lyrics before. Still, even though WWIII shows no real progression, I give them credit for coming up with original compositions, despite the total lack of evolution.

- WWIII had little hype, and its not hard to see why. Sascha and Co realized that they couldn't sell WWIII as the "best" KMFDM album this time. Many of the fans, having been burnt so badly by Attak, expected little from WWIII. They expected so little from WWIII that the fact that it wasn't as bad as Attak earned it points from some of the biggest skeptics - including myself.

- And well, Lucia is atrocious as always.

In short, there is certainly no doubt that WWIII is by far superior to Attak. The songs are fresher, catchier and more fun to listen to. Yet as one of the listeners who lost faith in KMFDM with Attak, I do not find myself "eating my words" with WWIII as another reviewer suggested. Here's why.

There is a popular misconception that KMFDM was in a slump with Attak and "got their act together" with WWIII. This is not true. If the KMFDM lineup had remained frozen in its Attak state, WWIII would have been just as bad, if not worse, than Attak. WWIII presents more than a casual line up change; it presents the departure of a recent central member (Skold) and the addition of a whole band (Pig). If this album had been released under the Attak lineup, I would have been somewhat impressed, but as a collaboration between KMFDM and Pig, WWIII is weak. Raymond Watts of Pig is one of the most talented individuals in today's industrial-rock scene, and I find it disheartening that this is the best that his whole band can come up with. In other words, I am not impressed with the fact that KMFDM needs Pig to be listenable. For this reason, I can't justify giving this album any more than two stars. If the new Pig ever sees the light, it is likely that I will give it a more positive review, but it's been four years since Genuine American Monster and I'm not holding my breath that it will come out any time soon.