NACH UNS DIE FLUT

With Fred Mühlböck gone after a decade as the enthused voice of NOVALIS, one would have at least expected the group to acknowledge their long life and legacy by bowing out, but they soldiered on for precisely one more album. Ernst Herzner sings on a collection of dispensable pop tunes that sound like MEATLOAF served to MEN WITHOUT HATS and TOTO, and look about as ugly. I had hoped that "Flut" in the title referred to the beloved woodwind and possibly its resurgence at this late date, but alas, it means "flood", which is also a fair description of the end result. The production is much more "modern" as well, even compared with the immediately prior releases.

Being soft-hearted, I can't claim to be entirely unmoved by NOVALIS' reckless abandon and turbocharged new look, but ultimately this is tepid 1980s AOR that takes very few chances. I'm not blaming Herzner who actually acquits himself quite well with the poor material. The hooks are predictable and dramatic in an overwrought sort of way, with "Im Neonlich Der Nacht", "100 Tage Und Nächte Verloren In Altona", ".. Und Wenn Die Gitarren Brennen" and "Heute Oder Nie" being the best/worst examples. "Drachem im Wind" and "Applaus Applaus" don't even that much appeal unless BRYAN ADAMS is your thing, while the title track seems to come out of the "Against All Odds" soundtrack. Probably the best song is "Wohin Willst Du Gehn" which reminds me of some folky turned electric and I can't think of whom.

It is with some trepidation that I demote this waterlogged NOVALIS finale to the lowest rating possible. Perhaps it was "Nach uns die Flut " that Noah and the animals were fleeing.