Neue Deutsche Todeskunst

Musical genre that developed in Germany in the late 1980s

Neue Deutsche Todeskunst

Stylistic origins|

* Dark wave[1]
* gothic rock
* neoclassical dark wave[1]
* German philosophy

Cultural origins| Late 1980s, Germany
Typical instruments|

* Guitar
* bass
* synthesizer
* drums

Other topics

* Neue Deutsche Welle
* Music of Germany

Neue Deutsche Todeskunst (NDT, lit. "New German Death Art") is a musical genre that developed in Germany in the late 1980s. It is credited with establishing the German language in the dark wave movement, although there were already such German bands as Xmal Deutschland, Geisterfahrer [de], and Malaria!.[1]

## History

[edit]

In the late 1980s, a number of German musicians combined music in neo-classical, gothic rock, and darkwave styles with German philosophical texts and a highly theatrical stage show.[2][3] The music was based on post-punk, cold wave, and gothic rock of bands such as Joy Division, The Cure, and Siouxsie and the Banshees, and the synthesizer-based new wave sound of bands like Depeche Mode. The words often paid deep homage to German philosophers like Andreas Gryphius, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Nietzsche and Gottfried Benn, as well as international poets such as Georg Trakl,[3] Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Baudelaire, and Jean-Paul Sartre. The concerts of these groups put a great emphasis on costumes, lights and pyrotechnics. The performances were designed to stimulate all the senses and convey an overall dark, brooding atmosphere. Lyrical themes include transience, evil, nihilism, surrealism, expressionism, existential philosophy, criticism of religion, violence, madness, isolation, depression, and especially death.[3][4] As part of this movement, a number of bands use classical Latin for their lyrics and album names.

The greatest Neue Deutsche Todeskunst hits include "Gottes Tod" by Das Ich (1990), "Verflucht" by Relatives Menschsein (1991), "Der Ketzer" by Lacrimosa (1991), "Das Ende" by Goethes Erben (1992) and "Regentanz" by Endraum (1992). Many NDT artists gravitated to the Danse Macabre record label.[5]

## Origin

[edit]

The expression "Neue Deutsche Todeskunst" was first used in 1991 by Danse Macabre's label magazine MagazinOphon.[6] It was picked up by Sven Freuen, a journalist for the Zillo magazine, who used it to classify bands like Relatives Menschsein, Das Ich and Goethes Erben.[7]

## See also

[edit]

* Neue Deutsche Welle
* Neue Deutsche Härte

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Matzke, Peter; Seeliger, Tobias (2002). Das Gothic-und Dark-Wave-Lexikon (in German). Lexikon. p. 311\. ISBN 978-3-89602-277-6.
2. ^ Farin, Klaus; Wallraff, Kirsten (2001). Die Gothics (in German). Thomas Tilsner Verlag. p. 50\. ISBN 3-933773-09-1.
3. ^ a b c Nym, Alexander: Schillerndes Dunkel. Geschichte, Entwicklung und Themen der Gothic-Szene, Plöttner Verlag 2010, ISBN 3-862-11006-0, p. 173
4. ^ Hartmann, Andreas (10 August 2007). "Ach, diese Tieftraurigkeit". Die Tageszeitung (in German). "..."Neuen Deutschen Todeskunst" gezählt, deren Kennzeichen ein Hang zu nihilistischen Texten, übertriebener Todessehnsucht und die Verwendung deutscher Texte war [..."New German Death Art" is characterized by nihilistic lyrics, excessive glorification of death, and the use of German texts]"
5. ^ Matzke, Peter; Seeliger, Tobias; Stieg, Ecki (2002). Gothic: die Szene in Deutschland aus der Sicht ihrer Macher (in German). Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf. p. 220\. ISBN 978-3-89602-332-2.
6. ^ "Studioreport, Interviews, Szenebericht, Plattenbesprechungen, Hörspiel". MagazinOphon (in German) (1). 1991.
7. ^ Freuen, Sven (1991). "Kassettenbestellmarkt". Zillo Musikmagazin (in German) (12): 6.

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Goth subculture

Associated music|

* Gothic rock
* Gothabilly
* Gothic country
* Deathrock
* Cold wave
* Dark wave
* Ethereal wave

Notable bands|

* The Cure
* Christian Death
* Bauhaus
* Siouxsie and the Banshees
* Joy Division
* The Sisters of Mercy
* The Damned
* Alien Sex Fiend
* Dead Can Dance
* Cocteau Twins
* Fields of the Nephilim
* List of gothic rock artists

Notable figures|

* Robert Smith
* Peter Murphy
* Siouxsie Sioux
* Ian Curtis
* Andrew Eldritch
* Nick Cave
* Cassandra Peterson/Elvira
* Eva O
* Dinah Cancer
* Monica Richards
* Lisa Hammer
* Rozz Williams
* Gitane DeMone
* Patricia Morrison
* Carl McCoy
* Elizabeth Fraser
* Doc Hammer
* Lisa Gerrard
* Brendan Perry
* Bethany Black
* Wednesday Mourning

Regional scenes|

* Camden Town
* Chicago
* Cleveland
* Singapore Dark Alternative Movement
* Toronto

Notable club nights|

* F Club (1977–1982)
* Le Phonographique (1979–2005)
* Batcave (1982–1985)
* Slimelight (1987–)
* Death Guild (1993–)
* Xmortis (2004–)

Notable events|

* Wave-Gotik-Treffen
* M'era Luna Festival
* Drop Dead Festival
* Lumous Gothic Festival
* Whitby Goth Weekend
* Convergence (goth festival)
* Bats Day in the Fun Park
* World Goth Day
* List of gothic festivals

Art and fashion|

* Art
* Fashion
* Lip Service
* Gothic Beauty
* Rose Mortem
* Edward Gorey
* Big hair
* Deathhawk
* Backcombing
* Winklepickers

Film and literature|

* Film
* Literature
* Tim Burton
* Edgar Allan Poe
* The Addams Family
* Triana Orpheus
* The Crow
* The Goodbye Family
* The Munsters
* The Sandman

See also|

* Gother Than Thou
* Suicide of Nicola Ann Raphael
* Murder of Sophie Lancaster
* Post-punk
* Vampirefreaks.com

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