The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • TOTD
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL FEATURE: BURN – A CONVERSATION WITH JULES MAXWELL OF DEAD CAN DANCE
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: PENTRAL – “AIMING FOR THE SUN”
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: BETTY MOON – “MY ONLY ONE”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: TEDDY AT NIGHT – “LIVE AT THE HIBERNATOR”
SPILL NEWS: LIZ PHAIR ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF NEW ALBUM ‘SOBERISH’ HER FIRST RECORD IN ELEVEN YEARS TO BE RELEASED JUNE 4 VIA CHRYSALIS RECORDS
SPILL TRACK OF THE WEEK: MASSAGE – “HALF A FEELING”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: NEW SINGLE FROM MICK JAGGER “EAZY SLEAZY” FEATURING DAVE GROHL OUT NOW
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: FRIED MONK X BEAUTIFUL-FORTUNE – “PLANET B”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE REDS, PINKS AND PURPLES – UNCOMMON WEATHER
SPILL FEATURE: SOMEBODY HAS TO BE ON MUSHROOMS, RIGHT? – A CONVERSATION WITH DIRTY HONEY’S JOHN NOTTO & JUSTIN SMOLIAN
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS – A VULGAR DISPLAY OF PANTERA (VIRTUAL EVENT)
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: OSHAWA MUSIC WEEK: THIS IS A ROCK SHOW – FEATURING REVIVE THE ROSE, THE JAILBIRDS, CIGAR CLUB, KILLER VIRGINS & MORE @ THE OSHAWA MUSIC HALL CONCERT THEATRE, OSHAWA
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ROBERT COTTER – MISSING YOU
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TWIN TRIBES – ALTARS
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: WE FOUND A LOVEBIRD – “BLOOD AND THE DIRT”
SPILL CANADIAN VIDEO PREMIERE: MARVA VON THEO – “DISSOLVE”
  • MORE
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • TOTD
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • TOTD
    • Track Of The Week
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
104
previous article
SPILL ARTIST PORTRAIT BY DANIEL ADAMS: JUSTICE
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE BLACK CLOUDS - AFTER ALL

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VERENA VON HORSTEN – ALIEN ANGEL SUPER DEATH

Verena von Horsten

Verena von Horsten
Alien Angel Super Death
A Tree In A Field
RATING

Verena von Horsten lives and works in Zürich, Switzerland. She has a quirky, dark-pop vibe that has gained her a substantial loyal following. On January 13, 2017, she released her second full-length album, Alien Angel Super Death. The album is an extremely personal work of art, as it addresses the death of her brother, Hakan. About three years ago, Hakan committed suicide.   Instead of bottling it up, Verena chose to write about it and express it to the world. Her songs have helped her overcome and move past the incident. A real life issue that draws silence out of most has given Verena an outlet for expression and a liberating sense of inspiration.

Written, recorded and produced all by herself, Alien Angel Super Death is 100% a solo endeavor. As a multi-instrumentalist, von Horsten took it upon herself to do it all; she learned how to program drums, play guitar, work with new production software, and how to be critical and constructive with her own work. The album shows both her hardship and frustration, but also       provides the inevitable glorious relief of artistic release.

The first song, “The Hymn”, fittingly begins with a drum roll and a heavy, marching, upbeat groove. von Horsten’s voice wails in a chaotic manner above kooky synth lines and sharp, chiming bells. Moving on, she hits us with the wildly experimental song, “Sakrament Der Buffelherde”. The intro is haunting and eerie, and it sets a mood that might be found in a ‘stoner’ or ‘doom’ album. Then she surprises us with a more driven indie-rock choral arrangement. “The Monster” is a heavy, glooming synth-rock track that reminds me of demons running through someone’s nightmares.

This album is different and definitely experimental. Verena von Horsten is unique and adventurous, and has let down all guards on this album. Depression, anxiety, and sadness are all popular contributors to writing songs. Something so difficult and close to heart for Verena must have made it possible to truly let loose and reveal how she felt through this creative endeavor.  Alien Angel Super Death is part twisted, part silly, and part confusing, but it is kind-hearted and spirited. It is heavy and dark at times, but presents a difficult to explain light and optimism to the fact that hardships are something all of us must endure in life.


Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016 soundcloud_flat_2016 youtube_flat_2016 bandcamp_flat_2016

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VERENA VON HORSTEN – ALIEN ANGEL SUPER DEATH

Author

Andrew Smith

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
—
6.0
Total Spill Rating
—
Total Fan Rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
a tree in a fieldalbum reviewsalien angel super deathsakrament der buffelherdeswitzerlandthe hymnthe monsterverena von horston
a tree in a field, album reviews, alien angel super death, sakrament der buffelherde, switzerland, the hymn, the monster, verena von horston
About the Author
Andrew Smith
Andrew Smith
After majoring in business & entrepreneurship at UCSB and traveling the world, Andrew moved to Los Angeles to pursue music and not give up his love for surfing, hiking and yoga. He is also in a couple really cool, up and coming, indie-rock bands in LA - Mothlight & Lone Kodiak.
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewsswitzerland
 
7.0
The Reds, Pinks & Purples

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE REDS, PINKS AND PURPLES – UNCOMMON WEATHER

by Dan Kennard on April 9, 2021
The Reds, Pinks and Purples Uncommon Weather Slumberland Records For the third year in a row, The Reds, Pinks, and Purples have released another album of gentle, hazy, [...]
 
7.0
Robert Cotter
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ROBERT COTTER – MISSING YOU

by Gerrod Harris on April 9, 2021
Robert Cotter Missing You WeWantSounds Before Chic set the disco world on fire with the quintessential hit, “Le Freak” in 1978, they were The Big Apple Band, fronted by Robert Cotter. [...]
 
9.0
Twin Tribes
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TWIN TRIBES – ALTARS

by Jake Collier on April 9, 2021
Twin Tribes Altars Negative Gain/Young & Cold Records/Manic Depression Records Darkwave duo du jour, Twin Tribes, have released Altars, a remix album that encompasses their first two [...]
 
9.0
Dry Cleaning

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DRY CLEANING – NEW LONG LEG

by Dan Kennard on April 2, 2021
Dry Cleaning New Long Leg 4AD Story has it South London-based Dry Cleaning has its origin in a long-ago karaoke night and a small garage in which guitarist Tom Dowse, drummer Nick [...]
 
6.0
Badfinger
8.7

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BADFINGER – NO MATTER WHAT – REVISITING THE HITS

by Aaron Badgley on March 26, 2021
Badfinger No Matter What – Revisiting The Hits Cleopatra Records I love Badfinger. I maintain that they are one of the most underrated bands of all time, and [...]
Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE REDS, PINKS AND PURPLES – UNCOMMON WE...
7.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ROBERT COTTER – MISSING YOU
7.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TWIN TRIBES – ALTARS
9.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DRY CLEANING – NEW LONG LEG
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BADFINGER – NO MATTER WHAT – REVISI...
6.0
8.7
Latest Live Reviews
View All
 
Philip H. Anselmo

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS – A VULGAR DISPLAY OF PANTERA (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Gerrod Harris on April 9, 2021
55
 
This Is A Rock Show

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: OSHAWA MUSIC WEEK: THIS IS A ROCK SHOW – FEATURING REVIVE THE ROSE, THE JAILBIRDS, CIGAR CLUB, KILLER VIRGINS & MORE @ THE OSHAWA MUSIC HALL CONCERT THEATRE, OSHAWA

by Gerrod Harris on April 9, 2021
3146
 
Lord Huron

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 3 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Robert Defina on March 18, 2021
13
 
Lord Huron

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 2 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Robert Defina on February 18, 2021
247
 
Small Town Titans

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: SMALL TOWN TITANS @ SMT HQ, YORK (PA)

by Gerrod Harris on February 6, 2021
47
Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Track Of The Week
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2020 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NOFX – SINGLE ALBUM
2145
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JON BATISTE – WE ARE
951
 
SPILL CONTEST: MANNEQUIN VANITY RECORDS GIVEAWAY – ENTER TO WIN A GIANT MVR PRIZE PACK!
812
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CHEVELLE – NIRATIAS
801
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL
714
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BLACK PISTOL FIRE – LOOK ALIVE
432
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: STRAWBS – SETTLEMENT
407
 
SPILL NEW MUSIC: “SHAMELESS” STAR WILLIAM H. MACY RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE “WHISKEY DELL” UNDER “WILLIE CREEKS” MONIKER
358
 
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: SEEPEOPLES – “IT FEELS HEAVY”
347
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DANIEL LANOIS – HEAVY SUN
345
 
SPILL FEATURE: HIS STORY RIGHT NOW – A CONVERSATION WITH cEvin Key
317
 
SPILL FEATURE: TRULY ORCHESTRATING HIS OWN LIFE – A CONVERSATION WITH RICK SPRINGFIELD
299
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GRIEVOUS ANGELS – SUMMER BEFORE THE STORM
290
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES