After a brilliant time during the 80's, when Germany looked as strong as the USA when talking about Metal bands, things became a bit different during the 90's. Maybe the end of commercial success of Metal on USA could be pointed as a factor, and even some documentaries attest this truth. But as time passed by, Rock 'n' Roll, Punk Rock and even Metal bands with a dirty Hard Rock insight appeared there. And UNHERZ is one of them, and their work sounds really good on "Mainstream", their latest release.

Sometimes sounding nasty as a Punk Rock band, on others heavy and melodic as a Metal band, their musical work is based on a set of excellent melodies, sober technical work, and it shows a mastodonic amount of hooking energy. Yes, their work is really very good, with good arrangements and that kind of choruses that are easy to hear and like on earlier hearings on the album. The album's producer (the band 8^th album, to be exact) is Stefan Glass (who mastered and mixed the songs as well). He did a very good work, because the rough aggressiveness of the quartet is the same as always, but tempered with a fine clear aesthetics, allowing their melodic essence to pulse into the songs. And the use of crude instrumental tunes (near the basic effects that can be found) was a wise decision as well.

The crude and melodic energy of "Mainstream" (very good guitar riffs and solos), the bitter aggressive approach of "Beichtstuhl oder Sündenpfuhl", the charming keyboards arrangements presented on "Schreie in der Nacht" (very good traditional Heavy Metal guitar riffs), the deeper introspective melodies of "Leben am Limit", the hooking melodies of "Unsere Art" and of "Hornhaut am Arsch" (this one with a slow insight that is great, because bass and drums shows a solid rhythmic work), the charming ambience of "F.I.F.A.", and the savage "Fluch der Zeit" are the ones to be heard at a first listening. On the second, the album will be easier to be swallowed.

"Mainstream" is really a very good release, and UNHERZ really deserves applause, because their music is really fun and very good!