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Big Electric Metal Bass Face
Studio album by Die Warzau
Released	October 1, 1991 (1991-10-01)
Studio	Various Chicago Trax (Chicago, IL) D&D Studios (New York City, NY) Streeterville (Chicago, IL)
Genre	EBM industrial rock
Length	63:20
Label	Atlantic/Fiction
Producer	Van Christie Jim Marcus
Die Warzau chronology
Disco Rigido (1989) Big Electric Metal Bass Face (1991) Engine (1995)
Singles from Big Electric Metal Bass Face
"Funkopolis" Released: 1991 "Never Again" Released: 1992

Big Electric Metal Bass Face is the second studio album by Die Warzau, released on October 1, 1991 by Atlantic and Fiction Records. The band introduced elements of funk music and the speeches of American politicians into their sample library to musically articulate topics concerning race relations such as "Funkopolis". Percussionist Chris Vrenna, who had performed on Nine Inch Nails' 1989 debut Pretty Hate Machine, joined the band to collaborate on tour and to record in studio.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

Tim Griggs of AllMusic gave Big Electric Metal Bass Face a mostly negative review and called the songs "not as heavy as other industrial recordings; in fact, considering the name of the band and album title, some are wimpier than they should be." Ben Thompson of The Wire was also critical of the album and said "the single 'Funkopolis' is something of a toe-tapper but much of the rest steers perilously close to the little-lamented early 80s college-educated tribal funk essays of Shriekback et al."

A critic at Keyboard was more positive in their review, identifying the band's strength at rhythm arrangements and saying "their mixes are unusually bright: Samples punch, synth saxes honk, Moogish bass lines go yowp-yowp, drums thump, unidentified noises circle and take off, all of them clear and sharp." Mondo 2000 praised the band for developing a jazzy and more quiet and kinetic energy, describing the album as "a dance – till – it – hurts mutant blend of industrial, rap, funk, and house." Similarly, CMJ claimed that the album "not only avoids cliché but manages to evoke a fluid R&B feel throughout."

In comparing the album to Disco Rigido, Tony Fletcher of Trouser Press called "stronger and smarter, a worthy blending of funky rock, chanted vocals, spoken-word samples and proto-electronica" and compared the band favorably to Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Van Christie and Jim Marcus, except "Head" by James Woolley

Personnel

Adapted from the Big Electric Metal Bass Face liner notes.

Die Warzau

• Van Christie (as The Atomic Cowboy) – guitar, keyboards, sampler, programming, production, engineering, mixing
• Jim Marcus – lead vocals, drums, percussion, electronics, horns, production, mixing, design

Additional performers

• Dave Andrew (as The White Guy) – additional percussion
• Burle Avant (as DJ (Durpilicious)) – turntables, additional vocals, backing vocals
• Chris Bruce – bass guitar
• Jim Romano (as Cheese) – additional vocals
• Tom Stranich (as Wolverine) – additional vocals
• Tim Titsworth (as Happy Titsworth) – additional vocals
• Chris Vrenna (as Pooboy) – additional percussion
• Jennifer Wilcox (as Levi) – additional vocals
• James Woolley (as Bear) – percussion, additional keyboards, backing vocals

Production and design

• Tom Coyne – mastering
• Steve Manno – mixing
• Mike Rogers – mixing
• Steve Spapperi – additional engineering

Release history

References

1. Barnhart, Becky (2000). "Schwann Spectrum". Schwann Spectrum. 7 (1). Stereophile, Incorporated: 39. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
2. "Die Warzau: Big Electric Metal Bass Face". R.E.D. MusicMaster ... Deletions. Retail Entertainment Data Publishing. 2001. ISBN 9781900105217. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
3. Huey, Steve. "Die Warzau > Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
4. Christian, Chris (July 15, 1995). "Interview With Die Warzau at Club Soda in Kalamazoo, MI". Sonic Boom. 3 (5). Retrieved August 4, 2020.
5. Górnisiewicz, Katarzyna NINa (December 24, 2005). "Die Warzau – Interview". Fabryka Industrial Rock & Metal Encyclopedia. Fabryka Music Magazine. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
6. Yücel, Ilker (May 1, 2012). "Jim Marcus InterView: Go, Going, Gone, Go Fight!". ReGen. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
7. "Other Current Hits". Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World. 11. Bloomsbury Academic: 411. October 5, 2017. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
8. Wiederhorn, Jon (January 7, 2020). Raising Hell: Backstage Tales from the Lives of Metal Legends. Diversion Books. ISBN 9781635766486. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
9. ^ Griggs, Tim. "Die Warzau: Big Electric Metal Bass Face > Review". AllMusic. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
10. Thompson, Ben (1994). "Die Warzau: Big Electric Metal Bass Face". CD Review Digest. 7 (4). Peri Press: 65. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
11. "Die Warzau: Big Electric Metal Bass Face". Keyboard. 18 (1–6). GPI Publications: 25. 1992. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
12. "Die Warzau: Big Electric Metal Bass Face". Mondo 2000 (11–13). Fun City MegaMedia: 115. 1993. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
13. Glaser, Mark, ed. (11 October 1991). "Jackpot!" (PDF). CMJ New Music Report. 28 (256). Great Neck, NY: College Media, Inc.: 10. ISSN 0890-0795. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
14. Fletcher, Tony; Robbins, Ira (1991). "Die Warzau". Trouser Press. Collier Books: 191. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
15. Big Electric Metal Bass Face (booklet). Die Warzau. New York City/Willesden, London: Atlantic/Fiction. 1991.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

External links

• Big Electric Metal Bass Face at Discogs (list of releases)

• 1991 albums
• Die Warzau albums
• Atlantic Records albums
• Fiction Records albums