A Life Divided – Human (Album Review)

a live divded promo

The definition Synth/Electro-Metal-Rock for some may sound like a contradiction in terms. In case of the South-German band A Life Divided, it is the exact description of the Munich based band’s sound, consisting of frontman/singer Jürgen Plangger, who is also known as guitarist of German Electro-Rock chart breakers Eisbrecher, Lacrimas Profundere’s Tony Berger (guitars), Tobi Egger (bass), and formerly of Lacrimas Profundere, Korl Fuhrmann (drums). Founded in 2003, releasing the self-distributed albums Virtualized (2003) and Far (2006), A Life Divided has proved a good intuition in writing hits on a chain of pearls. The band released the third album Passenger in 2011 and lifted two successful singles, titled “Heart on Fire” and “Doesn’t Count,” which roughed up the genre clubs as well as the German mainstream-radio-landscape. Following this successful formula, A Life Divided spit out one hit-single after another by releasing the 2013 effort The Great Escape and fleshed out their special position in the Electro-Rock genre with the support and airplay of the German major radio stations, along with their extraordinary mixture of simple electronics as well as danceable melodies. Garnished with heavy guitars, hard grooving drums, and the incomparable voice with earworm hook lines of Plangger, bestows the band a unique feature. All ingredients, which worked perfect in live shows supporting the likes of Eisbrecher, Apocalyptica, or Mono Inc., worked as well as appearances on the biggest German festivals where A Life Divided could acquire an equivalent reputation.

Now A Life Divided are ready to take the next step on their career-ladder by releasing the fifth album, Human, via AFM-Records. With Human, the band delivers to fans what they have expected from their heroes. The growling vocals of the album The Great Escape are yielded in the benefit of even more Pop-driven melodies and sounds, that fit always to the band’s sound, and now brings everything close to perfection. The opening track “Burst” offers well-known balanced fare and one could imagine it on The Great Escape where Electro-Synth melodies meet heavy riffing and a stamping chorus. The following, “The Most Beautiful Blackm” implements in its entirety what A Life Divided is all about. Without embellishment, the song has everything to satisfy Pop-Rock fans without being gooey. This continues without restriction on the first single “Inside You,” and one has to marvel how the band comes up with all these memorized melodies seemingly so easily. While “Own Mistake” is a more exchangeable first up-tempo track, Plangger and company are treading the brake again with the wonderful and simple, but captivating melody in “Right Where I Belong.” Then, “Could You” is yet another Electro-Rock, catchy stamper which will work perfect in live shows.

It is difficult to point out one, or even a handful of special songs on Human due to the concentration and high frequency of hits. The second single “Apology” follows the way of older hits like “Feel” and suggests the supposition A Life Divided could supersede and fill German band Unheilig’s mega-big shoes when those make their last exit after their now happening farewell tour. Closing the album, A Life Divided deliver two killer tracks off the cuff with “Lay Me Down” and “Beautiful One.”

Thematically, Human conveys a message to always strive for more and better. Effortlessly, the band managed to up the ante in comparison to the previous albums, even if Human has to get along without big surprises. In spite of all trendy elements in the sound of the band, it remains to be asserted, that the main and fundamental detail of A Life Divided is timeless Rock-Music presented in a modern and contemporary robe, which is difficult to get detracted by the masses. CrypticRock gives Human 4.5 out of 5 stars.

AFM Records

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