By Keith Walsh
In a strangely attractive song with odd lyrics and a catchy beat, “I Believe In Gnomes” from FleischKrieg is a special something I’ve never heard before.
First of all the unlikely blend of bright synthpop arpeggios with hard industrial, is a tough act to pull off. But it works, in large part thanks to the wild charisma of frontman Richard Cranor and his energetic supporting band. The weird and humorous subject matter also calls for a different soundscape–the whimsy of the synth bubbles make you laugh while the distorted beats and riffs bring out the darker themes suggested by the implications of magical beings with questionable intent who travel between dimensions.

This excellent tune is produced and mastered by Logan Mader (Fear Factory, Five Finger Death Punch, Divine Heresy). Not since 1981, when I first heard David Bowie‘s pastiche “The Laughing Gnome” (from 1967) have I enjoyed a song about mythical little people so much. The video is hilarious, mixing sly humor with dark omens and expert musicianship. In addition to Cranor on synths and vocals, there’s Thomas Crawford on guitar, Eric Bergen on bass, Kaylie Cortez (the electro artist Nuda — and I’m sure she’s the synth-wielding gnome on the video) on synths, and Nick Mason on drums. (Wait a second, that’s the name of the drummer from Pink Floyd. In world of magic, anything’s possible, I guess).

And that band name? From German, FleischKrieg translates to English as “Meat War,” which in some way is a commentary on the sad conflicts that sometimes happen in the course of human events. The band is from Las Vegas, that weird place where conspiracy theories, materialism and spirituality all coexist in magnificent harmony.

Kingdom Of Gnome
FleischKrieg Dot Com
FleischKrieg On Facebook
FleischKrieg On Instagram
FleischKrieg On Bandcamp
FleischKrieg On YouTube

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