DEATH IN JUNE PRESENTS KAPO - Kapo! - CD - 14 tracks - 2003 - NER/Tesco Distribution

'Kapo!' is one of the latest reissues of DIJ's out of print back catalogue. As all the previous reissues, this release comes in a lavish digipack with embossed metallic-foil blocked titles and debossed images, that is completed with a booklet containing the lyrics.

Although not technically speaking a fully-fledged DIJ album, 'Kapo!' is a collaboration between Douglas P. and Richard Leviathan (Strength Through Joy, at the time) and is probably one of the best DIJ collaborations to date. This album reveals a perfect harmony between Douglas and Richard's different, yet complementary styles. The whispered vocals, lush guitar playing, soft percussions and classical arrangements are the hallmark of these eight tracks, amongst which feature timeless classics such as 'Wolf Wind', 'Only Europa Knows', 'Lullaby To A Ghetto' and 'The Rat And The Eucharist', that formed the original album, which was initially released in 1996.

The addition of six bonus tracks recorded during the same session, make this new version of 'Kapo!' more than just a simple remasterised repressing of the original album. These songs are different versions of songs featuring on the original album and apart from 'Kopfjaeger', a German vocal version of 'Headhunter' that was originally featured on the VAWS compilation dedicated to Leni Riefenstahl, they were previously unreleased. The neo versions of 'Only Europa Knows' and 'Wolf Wind' see the two songs stripped of their orchestral backing and percussions to reveal the stark beauty of the acoustic guitars. In a similar vein to 'Headhunter', 'Ein Trauriger Ort, Der Einen Schatten Wirst' is a reprise of 'A Sad Place To Make A Shadow' with vocals in Germans. The opposite treatment has been applied to 'The Marble Cliffs', which is an instrumental version (although more lush and orchestral) of 'The Rat And The Eucharist'. The mantra version of 'Only Europa Knows' is according to Douglas a prayer that he hopes will be very effective... Needless to say, these songs will be of particular interest to the long-term fans, even if they already possess the original recording.

All in all, these extra tracks fit in perfectly with the original tracks and the album now sounds more substantial and complete. This new, definite, version of 'Kapo!' is obviously a must-have for the new and older fans alike...

Ian C.
Autumn 2003

Death In June : www.deathinjune.net
Tesco Organisation : www.tesco-germany.com