Review by Matt Miller
Das Scheit delivers a solid hard rock/industrial performance despite some lyrical and vocal shortcomings in Superbitch. Although the third release by the German-based, English-singing quartet can seem contrived at times with lyrics like Come around suck my dick, girl and It’s all about killing in the neighborhood, wincing listeners may be soothed by catchy melodies and musical variety.
Following a straightforward industrial rock sounding introductory track, which by the way boasts the first lascivious request for a fellatrice, Superbitch carries listeners into an engaging series of songs with “Coming Up Roses.” The track contains a relatively simple juxtaposition of quiet, soothing synth melodies and heavy guitar and synth. It actually begins with a hard, driving melody, giving off a mood of anxiety that stretches throughout the softer parts.
Das Scheit adopts a bit of an emotional hip-hop/metal sound with “Much Deeper.” The music blends well and the song is catchy enough, but the vocals uphold rigidity from previous songs that seems inappropriate in this context. If Clint lost the hoarseness and sang the verses, it might enhance the rest of the song. It just feels like he’s holding onto the gravelly tone out of habit rather than to make the song better. In any event, it remains one of the better songs on the album.
With droning guitars and much slower rhythm, “Splinters” shows that Das Scheit can utilize electronic and synth as instrumentation rather than accessory. Although a catchy electronic melody appears early in the song, the placement is sporadic and deliberate, showing that a great amount of thought was put into the song. The vocals are less restricted than previous tracks as well, which brings Superbitch out of bit of a vocal chasm. Two tracks later, “Earth Stands Still” reflects this tenacity without repeating it. These two songs should ultimately represent Das Scheit.
Succeeding a track called “Catpiss,” which in a moment of spontaneity reiterates the fellatio motif, “Hardbody” demonstrates Das Scheit’s prowess for achieving the same musical integrity as revealed in swooping tunes like “Splinters” and “Earth Stands Still” with a faster and heavier rhythm. Drums and bass guitar carry this song with almost a punk rock vibe, highlighted with a few brilliantly placed electronic elements.
The final three songs bring listeners back down into a soft and slow finish, giving Superbitch a sense of movement. The songs weren’t simply hurled into a musical muddle. Although some of the lyrics are straight-up goofy at times, and the hip-hop melodies may provoke an impulsive recital of EMF’s “Unbelievable,” Superbitch offers more quality than qualms.