Opus Dei

I begun the album sipping coffee when a strange feeling came from my bowels. I rushed to the restroom, sat down and what felt like a hot soup can came rushing out of me. For a moment I felt relief. Just then a yawn followed by what sounded like an angry German came from the bowl. I was launched off the toilet and knocked to the ground from an uppercut to the anus followed by a mid air roundhouse the face. I was half naked and stunned as he appeared. A brown demon shit stood before me. I had spawned a demon poo. He tied me up gagged me and left me in the bedroom closet. I was left in sheer horror as I knew my darling Betty would be home soon. But instead of harming her all I could hear is soft German being spoken to her. For the next 24 hours all I could see, smell and hear was love makin. The nasty German kind. Once it was over a knife was held to my neck and I was unbound with a simple "shhhhhhh" coming from the angry turd demon. My dear Betty asleep he left the room, the house and what I now know the state. I found him on linked in a year later. Happy and married working as some sort of lobbyist for Pfizer. Fuck you Opus Day. You spawned a demon turd right out of me. Betty still calls his name and the skid marks remain on the sheets.

JA, JA, JA, JA! GET ME A LIGHT BEER. derbysieger. pros; 1- one of the best album covers i've ever seen 2- that voice. 3- turning europop into a rally. 4- Yogoslavian avant garde. cons; 1- you have to be in to medieval trumpets to get the most out of this album. 2 -realistically its a 3 track album and some fuck around arty shit. from now on if anyone asks me what music i am in to it will be 'Nationalistic avante garde industrial music created by yugoslavian dissidents'.

Next time I am Conjuring up holy holy demons this is the album I'll listen to

Finally, something with a personality, with a distinct atmosphere. I was surprised how much better is their version of Life is life and the rest could be a perfect soundtrack for a dystopian movie.

80s Rammstein w/cookie monster singing

Ironic fascism but questionable how much irony.

Completely different from anything we've listened to so far. I wasn't completely unfamiliar with Laibach but, if I'd ever listened to this whole album, it was thirty years ago and I didn't remember all of it. I found it compelling, frightening, and funny, and spent the day falling down a Laibach rabbit hole. This is exactly the kind of thing I'm here for.

he sounds like kermit the frog

The last 4 or 5 songs were really a drag to get though, but I found the A side to be more enjoyable. As a novice German-speaker, he's pretty easy to understand, found I could understand a good deal of it. So that was enjoyable. Not sure what I think of them though after reading about the group. Usage of Nazi iconography is pretty questionable, though I guess they were using it kind of subversively to point on the problems with state power under communism? Not sure that wears as well in 2021 post-Trump/alt-right era as it might have in 1987 behind the steel curtain.

This is a joke, right? It sounds like a homemade backtrack, in the style of the Princess Bride soundtrack, for a recruitment VHS for the secret society of neckbearded katana enthusiasts. It evokes mental images of quick cuts between scenes of swords slicing halfway through 2-liter bottles of mountain dew, and dudes with fedoras bowing. Honestly, the music itself doesn't have much to offer and I can't really think of what impact this band had on the history of music that would merit suggesting this is something that anyone has to hear in their lifetime. If anything, I'd suggest it's quite the opposite.

Uhhhhh… what am I listening to? More importantly, why am I enjoying it so much? This is utterly wackadoodle and I’m loving it! “Leben heißt Leben” seemed vaguely familiar. I did not expect the guitar solo, but it works well. The discordant ending is incredible! When “Geburt einer Nation” and “Opus Dei” came on I definitely knew the songs. Turns out a friend shared them with me on a mix tape many decades ago. I never followed up on the whole album. Queen’s “One Vision” works incredibly well sung by a Muppets-Animal sound-alike to a martial beat. The vocal delivery is delightful and the song quite danceable! Is this something I’ll listen to often? Who cares?! It’s unique. Crazy. Dramatic. Lumbering. Cinematic. Dark. It was strangely suited for listening to while I work… I really love this album!

For the first three songs I thought this would be a nailed on five. There’s something stirring about the combination of a relentless marching beat and campy synths overseen by what can only be described as the voice of a coalmine turned animate. It’s surprisingly catchy and surprisingly playful and exactly the sort of album that should be here because it’s so cocobananas that you have to listen to it. It definitely loses some oomph as the doom/authoritarian cosplay wears thin. Still, worth the journey.

I had to look up the translation for Opus Dei. Apparently, it’s latin for “two stars”.

No idea where I actually land on this one. Things I like, things I don't, so rating right in the middle.

Feels at first like a very silly parody of a german metal album, but under the surface it's actually much more meaningful that you'd think. In perspective to how long they've come today, it's pretty amazing I've never heard of them before. Also the wagnerian influences are amazing. Actually a 4...

My first album from the bottom ten. An album with such a status naturally generates apprehension, a fear that one is due for an hour of the absolutely unlistenable. It also naturally generates some pre-emptive affection, some desire to look kindly upon the underdog. Me, I like to think I've a steely spine and resilient eardrums, so I'm not phased by an album purporting to be tricky. Laibach are a Slovenian group associated with the Neue Slowenische Kunst, a Slovenian art collective formed in 1980 in what was Yugoslavia during the Cold War. Tending towards industrial and neoclassical music, Laibach frequently employs authoritarian, mechanistic and militaristic themes and imagery. This in turn has led to accusations of bad taste and dodgy political sentiments (it's not at all hard to find Laibach wearing ersatz SS uniforms minus the swastikas). I would say that it's pretty clear that Laibach belong with the firm left rather than anything right-wing (they have occasionally used works by the anti-Nazi dadaist John Heartfield on their record sleeves). I shall also mention that Laibach, as part of NSK, has formed their own country without borders, and issues passports to whoever requests them; during the breakup of Yugoslavia, some people managed to use these unofficial passports to escape the region and the violence. Anyway, on to Opus Dei. From the off, one can detect a dadaist leaning in their choice of songs they choose to adapt: Opus' Live is Life and Queen's One Vision (in Geburt einer Nation). Live is Life, that persistently naff 80s package holiday anthem beloved by mulleted Teutons and lobster-red tourists, occurs twice on the album as a harsh marching anthem with collectivist, dominative lyrics, but both times it just comes off as a comical cover of Live is Life, akin to a thrash metal take on Baby One More Time. Likewise, Geburt einer Nation just seems a suitably camp metal version of One Vision, despite the implications of an unsympathetic lyrical reading of the Queen song (one may draw an unpleasant parallel between "one man, one soul, one mission" and "Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer"). The rest of the album (or rather, the rest of the vinyl edition of the album, more on that later) maintains this humorous, theatrical air and, for all its purported harshness, can be easily treated as an elaborate gag. Thus, your appreciation of the album may depend on how funny you find it. Personally, whereas it's not quite that I found the joke wearing thin, I wasn't bent double, gasping for air through the spasmic laughter. The CD version of Opus Dei featured a bonus of 4 tracks from their soundtrack album Baptism, and that's what I came here for. Devoid of Opus Dei's attempted satire, the uncompromising stamp of the last four mesmerises, successfully demonstrating the morbid, noisome allure of the despotic and warlike. With the bonus material, it appears that Laibach remembered that if you're going to be an industrial band, you shouldn't be coy about it. So, three stars for the album in total, the full five for the last four.

Well this is really not an album I was expecting from this list. Am I glad to have heard it? Yes. Can I see where it might have been influential? Also yes. Does it hold up as good music? Kinda. Sometimes. There are some highly repetitive noise tracks in this and they properly start to grate after a while. Not having read any user reviews yet, I'm almost entirely sure that there will be a swathe of 1-star "terrible"s, but there something here. The militarism is difficult to get past. I don't know if it's genuine or a pisstake, and am almost reluctant to look into it. Will I be listening to this again? Heck no. Though I do reserve the right to play people German language Queen covers from time to time.

Sounds like music you play in an 80s movie when the Soviet’s are up to no good. Interesting if not really my thing. Enjoyed the queen cover. 2/5

Thank God this is over.

No thanks.

Truly awful.

Like a soundtrack to 1984. Utterly bizarre but yet fantastic.

I'm having a hard time taking the lyrics seriously. I don't understand German, though, so I'm aware that my inclination to giggle over them could be deeply innappropriate. He really does sound like Cookie Monster and I envision him looking/performing like Animal the Muppet (my favorite muppet!). Removing the lyrics, I can see the music being the soundtrack to a fairly intense action movie. I'll have to check out their newer stuff, especially the take on Bach's Fugue. Could do without Herz-Felde's loops. Not likely to listen again, but I doesn't make me want to peel my ears off, so, yeah.

Because I am a purist, I only listened through track 8 (The Great Seal) because that was where the original 1987 LP ended. As far as I am concerned, there is no longer any other music. This is the only music I will listen to forever and ever. This isn't sarcasm. It is a speech impediment. Especially when you read it out loud.

WTF

Everyone's favourite avant-garde Slovenian art rock band, right? Honestly, this fucking rules. Taking the dumbest dogshit song by Austrian no-hopers Opus and covering it - twice? Turning Queen's 'One Vision' into a mock blood-and-soil military march? Finishing up with a quote from Churchill? Superb. Wish more bands had the guts to do something quite as cerebral and satirical as this. Maybe Devo, maybe the Residents. Points the way towards what popular music could be.

Il s'agira sans doute de ma note la plus étonnante au sein de cette escroquerie de générateur, mais j'ai bel et bien passé un moment d'anthologie en compagnie de ces Slovènes germanophones. De l'arrivée des chars d'assaut à la plantation du drapeau sur le territoire ennemi, je me suis tout simplement régalé bien qu'étant de nature non-belligérante. La seule personne que j'avais tabassé dans ma vie jusqu'alors était Robert. Or, depuis cet album, je ne compte même plus le nombre de personnes laissées en knock-out sur ma route. Comme quoi…

The tracks "Opus Dei" and "Geburt einer Nation" were in heavy rotation on my friends' and my college-era mixtapes. I loved the subversive take on pop music. There may have been some very exuberant sing-alongs with the former. Listening to this album for the first time, I was a bit surprised to hear "Leben Heißt Leben" since it's an entirely different version of the song I'd known. (By the way, I knew neither of those previously mentioned songs by their proper titles. Not everyone was good about writing proper song titles and artists on their mixtapes in the 80s, which was a pet peeve of mine.) But it was delightful, and the "proper" version of "Life is Life" was thankfully still there as well. I'd love to write a proper review of this and more specifically why I love it. Suffice it to say that I think it's magnificent. We needed this desperately in 1987.

I was intimidated by the looks of this album, but I had a great time listening. I wonder if I missed the point, though, because I had a difficult time taking it seriously. Nonetheless, I totally dug it!

This one's kind of out there, but I'm going back to listen to it again. It went well with yard work, so I'm going to see how it holds up when I'm paying attention.

I have no idea why I enjoyed this. But I did.

Truly ridiculous, but I think knowingly. I had a blast listening to this and laughed out loud multiple times. Now, is it GOOD? Tough to say.

kind of enjoyed tbh

That was a weird one. Do I love it or hate it? I don't even know, but it was certainly different.

Well-constructed, clearly in good faith, but industrial is not my jam: the rhythm is too redolent of a man trying to cross a road discretely after catastrophically filling his trousers. Expect it sounds better in a bierkeller.

I do, as it happens, appreciate melodramatic rock tropes harshly intonated at me in German (see Die Toten Hosen, and, likely, Rammstein whom I figure I would probably like although have not yet had the pleasure). So it goes here, although if I were to pick a 1985 Eurotrash one-hit-wonder as the basis of a quasi-fascist song cycle, I would have gone with Baltimora's "Tarzan Boy". This is a bit one-note, but fun enough to pass the time. As Slovenian exports go, it's infinitely preferable to the execrable Melania Trump.

Haha wtf

This is definitely one of the strangest albums on this list. We start with the almost military (or perhaps sea-shanty) Leben heist Leben, with a dramatic, artificial drumbeat and a team of bellowing male vocalists. The guitar solo is pretty cool, incorporating some staple 80s elements like slow, post-psychedelia-esque guitar picking and blurry, interweaving guitar in the background. The atonal organ and backing guitars create a weird doomy atmosphere that isn't quite synchronous with the rest of the song. Many of the following tracks are similar. Also common to most tracks is a strange half-brass-half-synth sound that makes me more uncomfortable than anything else. It's incredibly weird. Like an army of nationalist cyborgs is approaching and spewing propaganda. Geburt einer Nation, the second track, is incredibly similar to Queen's One Vision – as I'm sure was intended – but it's not nearly as good as the work of Her Majesty. The interacting gravelly and nasally vocals are goofy, but they're worse than goshdarn Freddie Mercury's voice. The synths are comparatively lower in the mix, and the very simple drumming is pushed to the forefront (not ideal). I did enjoy this track, though, if only because the original Queen material was so strong. The track F.I.A.T. takes the album's artificial feel to the extreme, even placing a robotic filter over the monotone vocals and using some kind of string-keyboard. It isn't exactly bad, but it feels like it's trying to be alienating. Something something dictatorship nationalism. Opus Dei, the title track, does the whole "fascism rock" gig best. All of the tracks after Opus Dei are confused and not very memorable. Herz-Felde, with its annoying tape-looped vocals, is essentially the end of Another Brick In The Wall Part 2, but for nearly five minutes. It's the weakest track on the album. Jagerspiel isn't much better, essentially being a sound collage with a fast tape-looped 6/8 rhythm on repeat for more than 7 minutes. That album cover, though? Badass. 2/5 Key tracks: Geburt einer Nation, Opus Dei

Only two songs in and I'm resisting the desire to march, march, march away. I just realized I hate industrial music more than I hate zydeco.

That time Yello got totally munted on Scrumpy Jack and PCPs and went to a Nazi bouncy-castle party to have a belching competition with Fasolt and Fafner. This is my just desserts for complaining about stupefyingly boring artists like Green Day and Taylor Swift being on this list. I mean, I asked for it. Funny once, but actually shit.

What a bloated, heaping pile of gravel-filled horse excrement. The anti-fascist/fascist b.s. only masks the pointlessness of this soulless gurgle of acid. This may be the absolute worst album I've ever listened to... and I DID listen to it! The whole wretched thing! I earnestly wanted to discover why it was on this list. I mean, for the sake of it, the metalhead in me wanted to relate to the tone, the ambiance, the themes... but there's no way into this self-serving chamber echoing farts. Negative zero -- and that's being kind.

Vert der ferk?

Nope

Oh hell no

Horrifically bad, sounds like a Slovenian exorcism, and an unsuccessful one.

what the fuck

Hard pass.

Well that was awful

I feel like I just listened to an hour of nazi propaganda

Garbage

Just a slog to get through. Repetitive and uninteresting. Really disappointed in this one.

Incredibly difficult to get through. There are some musical aspects to this, but it sacrifices those moments for the sake of art. That being said, I don't like the art.

Heaviest album ever

strange and wonderful - I loved every strange minute!

Once, when I was young I found a copy of this cassette in the road, while walking, and that was my first exposure to Laibach, and the industrial music genre. This tape blew my mind. The most esoteric thing I had been listening to prior to this discovery was the Swiss Godfathers of Electronica, Yello (whose absence from this list, by the way, is unforgivable). Mind blowing that they managed to make this album while trapped in the Soviet Union (now modern day Slovenia). It broadened my horizons about the notion about what music could be, and urged me on a path to discovering all kinds of bold and adventurous music. It was a path that would lead me over the next few years to Ministry, KMFDM, Die Warzau, Skinny Puppy, Sister Machine Gun and countless other acts that were within the sight of the industrial genre. This is definitely one of the formative acts and albums that impacted not only the industrial genre, but eventually the genres of dance and pop. Their Wagnerian and Kratwerk influences shine through in a completely. new sound.

Ah yes, love this so much, right up my alley. Such a great story behind this band too, love it. Fave: Leben heißt Leben -- it just sets the mood perfectly.

Oh yeah, this was a missing puzzle piece in my musical landscape. I've got a bunch of "martial industrial" music that makes great WH40K background music, and I guess this is where that genre sprang from. I'm guessing this is also what Tool were riffing on with their track "Die Eier Von Satan"... 😆 It's kinda strange I hadn't checked these guys out already as I'm a fan of industrial music generally - I guess the fashy aesthetic put me off giving them a chance. Glad to learn that they're satirizing fascism rather than it being in earnest. Fave tracks - "Geburt Einer Nation" is great - gets the message across loud and clear! "Leben Heißt Leben" and "Opus Dei" work well together. "Trans-national" is cool, and I dig the frenetic "Jägerspiel" too.

This is one of the coolest bands ever and a superb industrial record. „Leben heißt leben“ is still one of my alleine favourites.

Klassiker!

Unexpectedly heavy, Rammsteinish?

Love it

I love it. Who wouldn't love Slovenian, totalitarian industrial music. Losers, that's who! Also, great Queen cover.

Rating it 5 because this is the first album where the music is truly unique and took me off guard. life is life cover killed me

Was not expecting a cover of life is life to go so hard. Super cool album. I need more Slovenian metal.

Holy shit this is amazing. Rammstein + Borat + Art of Noise. Seven stars at least. Might be my new favorite band.

5/5

Not perfect, but weird, interesting, and well done. Amazing music. The only thing lacking was some of the vocals. 4 1/2 🌟

1987 - German. Trumpets! Industrial music; Martial industrial; Neoclassical Dark Wave

I was first introduced to this band when they released Kapital, an album that I quite liked and have listened to many times since. The rest of their discovery has always been a bit of a mixed bag for me, but I might have found a new favourite with Opus Dei. The two versions of Life Is Life were familiar of course, as well as a couple of other songs, but this sounded very impressive overall.

Definitely heard of laibach before, but never listened. Really cool industrial music similar to rammstein. Read up on them a little bit and their history and concepts are also quite interesting. Some of the songs are bit too repetitive for my taste but overall I enjoyed it. Feel like child laborer in during the industrial revolution listening to this. 😋 Will listen again. 8/10

Early industrial fun! 4.5 rounded up

Felt like Rammstein vocals but with 80s NBA game intro audio on network tv

hilariously moving, perfectly constructed, heavier than heaven

This is an album and band that's MEANT to make you feel uncomfortable. Not sure why this is marked as metal/hardrock though. Have you ever wondered how much Queen's "One Vision" seemingly shares a lot of similarities to certain 1930 speeches when translated into German? (Ein Mensch, Ein Ziel, Eine Erde und ein Volk!) Have you ever thought what would happen if you REALLY listen to the lyrics of Opus' 'Life is Life' and put it into a Nietzschean / Wagner type style, complete with a campy totalitarian aesthetic? Laibach is disturbing, thought-provoking and unsettling. And it's supposed to be. And a band that's worth listening more of. Albums like Spectre, Kapital or Wir Sind Das Volk are fully worth it.

Rating this a five, not because I think every song on it is great but because I really the vibe the whole album puts out.

the exact type of band (and album) which makes me really happy we started this project — dadaist yugoslavian industrial music including a queen cover (and they also did a full album that’s just industrial covers of the beatles’ let it be???? more please). just incredible all around. viewed as an art piece, it’s one of the best i’ve ever seen. it’s also pretty listenable!

These guys rock so hard. The album has industrial; it has art, all with an underneath of satire.

There have been just a very small handful amount of albums that has jarred me so hard in a good way. This was one of those albums. This album is so unique and very engaging. This gives me hope that one day Rammstein will pop up on this list. Laibach is fantastic and I am now a fan. 5! TBz 1. Leben Heist Leben 2. Opus Dei 3. Gebert Einer Nation 4. Leben - Tod 5. Herz-Felde

Incredibly cinematic. I think this album is vital after listening to it, and I would argue that this obviously inspired several other projects (Rammstein feels like an obvious one, but stuff like Sigur Rós and other atmospheric projects definitely seem to have similar lineage musically). Either way, this is an album that I think everyone should digest at some point.

Different - and crucially fun - it's almost like a pop record rather than the metal it's presented as. 4.6

I used to like this when I was younger. Haven't listened to it in a while, but I'm happy to say I still like it.

An interesting album, very different from what I usually listen to but I enjoyed it. I liked the songs Leben Heist Leben, F.I.A.T and Opus Dei the most.

WTF was that?? It was surprisingly interresting and I rather enjoyed it. Put it on favorites to listen to again in the near future. For the moment rated at 4 stars.

Woah. This is fun. My only gripe is that each song is one good idea on a loop throughout with no variation. But I really liked this.

Yo, I don't even know what this is, but I gotta say that it has a kind of charm to it. It helps that I tend to enjoy industrial music, and this album seems like it was influential in the advancement of the genre into the 90s. I don't love the weird military and nationalism stuff, but that was also common in industrial music in the 80s, and it all seems pretty tongue in cheek. 4/5 It's not the most pleasant listening experience, but it's certainly interesting

i tried to read up on it and i think i get the picture but tentatively i dont want to either fully praise or condemn the band's satirical fascist image cuz that would require a lot more hard-earned understanding of both their art and its surrounding context then i can get based on a few strong opinions. i am innately annoyed at parodic fascism because i dont think whatever point u want to make ever justifies indulging in bigotry, but to be fair to laibach from what ive seen their imagery avoids grotesque depictions of the enemy and is more about the self-glorification and self-mythologization within authoritarian ideology, which is a lot harder to object to obviously. plus it makes for an interesting active indulgence...embracing the strength of expression that comes from fascism's hyper-idealism to a couple interesting ends. a lot of this is equally ugly and masochistically euphoric, and the allusions to pop music further expand the scope of the satire towards the hidden and respectable fascism of western "democracy" and capitalism. honestly overtly satirical/deconstructive things On The Whole are increasingly not for me personally, but im glad this one pulls out a vivid and tbh kind of unforgettable aesthetic experience along the way, and that that experience is meaningfully intertwined with The Point rather than being ignored in favor of it. probably the best band to have an extremely long and fucking annoying žižek quote on their wikipedia page

Kinda cool

This is so goofy (complimentary)

I was a little put off at first but as this album went on it grew on me. It's actually pretty epic. Creative. Well written. I've no idea what they're saying, but could totally listen again.

Really enjoyed this one for some reason. It had a nationalistic feel to it that was very powerful. 3.5/5

THIS is why i have embarked on this project!!!! i would have never heard of this band or album or even style of music but this was super cool. i know it was Slovenian but it sounded like it could’ve been from an alien planet in the best way possible

4.0

It’s completely outside my comfort zone, but I thought it was really cool! I could do without the Queen covers, though

From the onset, this seemed like an album I would not really enjoy. I mean, "martial industrial?" The "military industrial-music complex," as I call it. That just sounded like... Not a very fun time at all. Even before this year's U.S. election I would've thought, but living in the aftermath of who actually won? "Solvenians yelling at me in German over dark, military-inspired industrial beats sounds" like the last thing I would have wanted. Which makes it all the funnier, then, that I actually did kind of enjoy this a lot. Like, one more thing to begin with, you also gotta understand my conception of industrial music. Whenever I hear the term, I always imagine music that's loud and harsh. Music that's abrasive for the sake of it, though not enough to actually cross over into noise. Now, don't ask me where I got that perception from, I have no idea. But if I don't imagine that, usually I picture something just... Like, clanky and boring. In short, I have a bit of a predisposition to disliking industrial music. And that's not even to get into what I feel about the military. Let's not even get into it, for the sake of keeping things focused if nothing else. So color me surprised that this album isn't loud, harsh or abrasive. It's actually a lot of trumpets (I imagine trumpet synths) over these marching beats. I'd had this assumption they'd be slower than they are, and maybe they are still slow, but they're not so slow as to be a boring crawl to my ears. And with a little mix of guitar in there sometimes... Honestly, this sound kind of kicks ass? I would have never seeked this out on my own if not for this Randomizer, not in a million years, but... Yeah, no. I can really dig this. That title track and "The Great Seal" especially — oh, gawd, those triumphant horns. Oh, I love it. I absolutely love it. It actually reminds me a lot of RAMMSTEIN. Sure, yeah, it's partially just because these guys are largely singing/speaking in German, but I feel like if you added some heavier guitar riffs and sped up the tempo a little it wouldn't be too far off. I don't think you'd even need to change the lyrics. (For the record, by the way, I didn't translate. That's bad practice, I know, but besides the fact that it's been, like, a decade since my last high school German class... I'unno, I haven't translated any other foreign-language album my group has gotten, so why would I start now, y'know?) Y'know, besides the optics of getting this album when my group did, my biggest worry, honestly, would be that I'd hafta give this album a 2 or, goodness forbid, a 1 and plunge Metal right out of my top three genres. Like, I'd finally gotten it back in there after stupid DEVIL WITHOUT A CAUSE caused it to be out of there for so long... And I wouldn't even actually call it "Metal," but regardless, it makes me really happy to give this thing a 4. I even almost wanna give it a 5 just for how surprised I was that I actually liked it as much as I did, though let's not get **too** excited here. And, yeah, still, the optics of my group getting this album when we did aren't great. It only could've been worse if we'd gotten this thing yesterday, right after the American election. And, yeah, any "ironic" use of Nazi iconography in the lyrics isn't... Good? I mean, I don't give the Sex Pistols a pass for that shit, so I don't know why I would anyone else. Once again: bad practice that I didn't do my diligence to translate the lyrics and find any of it. But all I know is that from what I **did** understand... Aw, heck, I enjoyed this thing a lot. I'll even give it the highest compliment I can give an industrial album that isn't by Nine Inch Nails: I'll probably listen to some of this stuff again. Goodness, you don't even know how much that means...

I’m at a 3.5 that I’m going to cautiously bump up to a 4. I mean, look, of all the albums to get so soon after the 2024 Presidential election, to get this one is the equivalent of rolling a Nat 1 on a D700. It’s not even that it’s necessarily bad – I genuinely really did enjoy this, but the optics and timing are tremendously and uniquely awful. It feels like starting this project on January 1st led to this as a long, long, sick punchline. But regardless of that, like I said – I genuinely enjoyed this. Call it sick irony given the consequences of the election and the incredibly militaristic sound here, but in terms of soundscape and vision, this really does feel like an awkward political rally. It’s discomfiting, uneasy, a little too real at times… and I think that’s the point. This is meant to create that sense of awkwardness, to confront it head on, to feel that way without ever explicitly agreeing to it. Given the social contexts of 1980s Cold War politics that deeply underline this album, it feels like a direct statement against the causes that were more present behind the Iron Curtain at the time. In that sense, I think the production and tone here are basically perfect as a form of satire. Really uncomfortable satire, but satire nonetheless. Where this album falls flat then, for me, is simply in fully committing to its vision and execution – you wanna go down this pathway, and make people awkwardly feel the consequences of something they didn’t sign up for? Make it even less palatable. Make it a little bit screechier, make it a little less clean, make it feel like despair. I know I sound sadistic when I type all of that, but if that’s the point of the album here, I think committing even deeper to the “downfall” of this rally would’ve really nailed this as a home run of a concept album. Because it plays itself relatively safe, I have to judge it a bit more on the musical execution, and in terms of the musical execution… yeah, this thing kinda falls into the “first minute is the whole song” trap a few too many times. The pulsating, militaristic drums and brass sections grow tiring after too long, and slowly start to lose their effect. The political speeches of despair are effective, but without a real shift in the instrumentation to add to the atmosphere, it comes across as kind of hokey. Again, I get it – you can’t be too blatant, otherwise it goes from incredibly pointed and direct satire done in a perfectly uncomfortable way, to just straight up being the real thing, and that’s a truly hard balance to hit on. I think they did about as good as they could given the political environment of the time – they could’ve been in some serious shit if they went too far one way or the other, and the fact that they even crossed the tightrope is a miracle to begin with. So… yeah, I really did like this. I wish it had the guts to be a little more loose, to really drive home how awkward it is, but it doesn’t take away from how oddly engaging those 37 minutes still are. By really leaning into itself, and making it feel so captivating and bombastic, I simply have to wonder… did people really think they were legit? Hell, am I misreading them? I guess I’ll never quite know – the band itself has stayed ambiguous about it for years upon years. Hell, apparently they played North Korea, and I truly don’t know what to make of that. I can only hope I’m right in calling it a deeply biting satire. Hence, the 3.5 that I’m cautiously bumping up to a 4 – heavy emphasis on “cautiously”.

## In-Depth Review of *Opus Dei* by Laibach Laibach's *Opus Dei*, released in 1987, stands as a significant work within the realms of martial industrial and neoclassical dark wave music. This album not only showcases the band's unique sound but also encapsulates their provocative artistic philosophy. Here, we will explore the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence while also weighing its pros and cons. ### ****Lyrics The lyrics of *Opus Dei* are a blend of political commentary, cultural critique, and existential reflection. The album features several notable tracks that exemplify Laibach's approach to lyrical content: - **"Leben heißt Leben"**: This track is a German cover of Opus' "Live Is Life." While the original song had an upbeat and celebratory tone, Laibach's version infuses it with a darker, more ironic undertone. The lyrics juxtapose themes of life and death, reflecting on the absurdity of existence. - **"Geburt einer Nation"**: A reworking of Queen's "One Vision," this song employs militaristic imagery to comment on nationalism and collective identity. The lyrics evoke a sense of unity through powerful chants and anthemic phrases, yet they also critique the idea of blind allegiance to a nation. - **"The Great Seal"**: This track incorporates lines from Winston Churchill’s famous speech during World War II. By using historical rhetoric, Laibach emphasizes themes of perseverance and struggle while simultaneously questioning the glorification of war. Overall, Laibach's lyrics are marked by their duality—celebratory yet critical, humorous yet serious—making them ripe for interpretation. The band's use of irony challenges listeners to reconsider their perceptions of patriotism and identity. ### ****Music Musically, *Opus Dei* is characterized by its martial industrial style, which combines elements of classical music with aggressive industrial sounds. Key features include: - **Instrumentation**: The album prominently features orchestral arrangements alongside electronic elements. Strings and brass instruments create a grandiose atmosphere that contrasts with the heavy percussion typical of industrial music. - **Vocal Style**: Milan Fras’s deep, resonant vocals add a commanding presence to the tracks. His delivery ranges from melodic singing to spoken word, enhancing the dramatic effect of the lyrics. - **Production Techniques**: Produced by Rico Conning, *Opus Dei* employs layered soundscapes that create an immersive listening experience. The use of samples—from military marches to classical compositions—further enriches the album's sonic palette. Tracks like "F.I.A.T." showcase Laibach's ability to blend somber themes with powerful instrumentation. The haunting melodies combined with rhythmic intensity make for an engaging experience that captures the listener’s attention. ### ****Production The production quality of *Opus Dei* is noteworthy for its time. Rico Conning’s expertise in sound engineering allowed Laibach to achieve a polished yet raw sound that complements their thematic intent: - **Layering**: The album effectively layers various sounds and samples to create depth. This technique allows for a dynamic listening experience where different elements emerge upon repeated listens. - **Atmosphere**: Conning’s production emphasizes the martial aesthetic through echoing drums and resonant strings, creating an atmosphere that feels both grandiose and oppressive. - **Mixing**: The balance between electronic elements and live instrumentation is handled deftly, ensuring that neither overshadows the other. This careful mixing contributes significantly to the album's overall impact. ### ****Themes *Opus Dei* explores several overarching themes that resonate throughout its tracks: - **Nationalism and Identity**: The album interrogates concepts of national pride and identity through its covers and original compositions. By adopting anthemic structures and militaristic tones, Laibach critiques blind nationalism while simultaneously embracing it in a satirical manner. - **Life and Death**: Many tracks grapple with existential themes—particularly the interplay between life and death. This duality is especially evident in "Leben heißt Leben," which reflects on the absurdity of existence amidst societal pressures. - **Historical Context**: By integrating historical references into their lyrics, Laibach positions themselves within a broader cultural narrative. They challenge listeners to reflect on how history shapes contemporary identities and ideologies. ### ****Influence Laibach has been influential in shaping not only industrial music but also broader cultural conversations around art and politics: - **Artistic Movement**: As part of the Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK) collective, Laibach has pushed boundaries in performance art and music. Their provocative imagery and theatrical performances have inspired numerous artists across genres. - **Cultural Commentary**: The band’s approach to cover songs—transforming pop hits into critiques of societal norms—has paved the way for future artists who seek to challenge mainstream narratives through reinterpretation. - **Legacy**: *Opus Dei* has been included in numerous lists of essential albums within its genre, highlighting its lasting impact on both listeners and musicians alike. Its ability to provoke thought while entertaining has solidified its place in music history. ### ****Pros and Cons #### Pros - **Innovative Sound**: *Opus Dei* blends diverse musical styles effectively, creating a unique sound that stands out in the industrial genre. - **Thought-Provoking Lyrics**: The album’s lyrics invite deep analysis and reflection on complex themes such as nationalism, identity, and existentialism. - **Cultural Significance**: As part of NSK, Laibach's work has contributed significantly to discussions around art as a form of political expression. #### Cons - **Accessibility**: The album’s heavy themes and experimental sound may alienate casual listeners who prefer more mainstream music. - **Repetitive Elements**: Some tracks may feel repetitive or overly long due to their structured nature, which could detract from overall enjoyment for some listeners. - **Polarizing Aesthetic**: Laibach’s provocative imagery and political commentary can be divisive; some may find it off-putting rather than engaging. ### Conclusion *Opus Dei* by Laibach is not merely an album; it is an artistic statement that challenges societal norms through its innovative soundscapes and thought-provoking lyrics. Its exploration of nationalism, identity, life, and death resonates deeply within both musical contexts and broader cultural discussions. While it may not appeal to all listeners due to its experimental nature and heavy themes, its impact on music and art remains undeniable. As Laibach continues to evolve their work through projects like *Opus Dei Revisited*, they reaffirm their position as one of the most intriguing acts in contemporary music history.

I think this album is kind of on the soft side for Industrial, but it still sounds very good. If there were more unique songs on it, it would be an easy stars.

Absolutely brilliant, very nearly a 5

Proto-Rammstein!

This is the album Laibach really started creating their dark, industrial pop songs, and I love it. They made even greater albums later, but this one still holds up, especially with the 2024 remaster. And, of course, it inspired Rammstein and Type O Negative.