German electronic and industrial rock pioneers KMFDM have never been a band to take the easy road, and their albums tend to reflect that. With society in a shambles and fascism in fashion, they return with their latest album, Enemy.
The album opens with the politically scathing title track “Enemy”, which features thunderous guitars and catchy hooks, really setting the tone. Switching back to gothic electro, “Oubliette” is not only my favourite style of theirs due to the sped-up tone, but there is also a melodicism to it. When the spoken word narrative enters, it adds another dynamic which makes the overall presentation more impactful.
Twenty-four albums in, yet some things stay the same, and that is the hyperbolic industrial metal which sees “L’etat” delivered with a level of theatrics wrapped in barbed-wire vocals. This is followed by the starkly different “Vampyr”, which has more of a modern spin but still manages to keep the spirit of the ’90s very much alive.
Electro soundscapes flood the speakers with “You”, which is noteworthy as it marks Annabella Konietzko’s songwriting debut with the group. It’s both punchy and catchy, the kind of thing that would go down well on any dancefloor where smoke machines are used in abundance. This is followed by a pure shot of fast-paced nostalgia with “Outernational Intervention”. Out of all the tracks on this album, this was certainly one that I had on repeat more than once.
Moving to “A Okay”, there is a vibe of Republica that I certainly wasn’t expecting, and it most definitely has elements that will make it a live favourite along with the album’s title track. Really, with a band possessing such a wealth of musical tastes and influences, the delivery and heavy bassline of “Stray Bullet 2.0” is just something else. Its reggae-infused tones really shine through and, honestly, this part of the album served as a great palette cleanser. It has been my favourite passage of the album to listen to, and their message certainly hasn’t been lost in these tracks.
“Catch & Kill” lingers hypnotically, whilst “Gun Quarter Sue” presses that distortion level to an even heavier place. As the band’s only instrumental track, it shows off their diversity and serves as a nice introduction to the album’s final track, “The Second Coming”. At just under four and a half minutes, it is actually the album’s longest in duration. The track as a whole is laden with brooding electro tones and a distorted spoken word narrative that leaves the listener under no doubt that the band have no time for hypocrisy, discrimination, and injustice. They have certainly delivered something in Enemy that will leave a lasting impression.
Fast-charged and politically poignant.
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
Enemy is out on February 6th
Check out all the bands we review in 2026 on our Spotify and YouTube
KMFDM: official | facebook | instagram | threads | spotify | bandcamp | tiktok | youtube
