Felsenreich release their sixth studio album, “Motiv und Tempo”, on CD via Danse Macabre Records on 17 July 2026. The German dark rock band, active since 1998, moves toward straightforward song structures on the record, with parts of the album recalling post-punk and wave.

The album’s core lineup is Mathias Sohn, Carsten Schaller and Renato Wesely, the same trio that founded the band in Chemnitz in 1998. For “Motiv und Tempo,” Felsenreich again worked with musicians from Escape With Romeo as guests, recording at the Highline Studio in Munich under producer Frenzy Erl, the stage name of Escape With Romeo drummer Franz Erl. It is the second time Erl has produced a Felsenreich album, after the band’s 2017 acoustic record “Blumen.”

Felsenreich pairs expansive guitars and floating keyboards with cool, restrained vocals on “Motiv und Tempo,” continuing the melodic, dual-vocal style that has run through the band’s catalog since its early albums. Danse Macabre Records describes the album’s recurring theme as the strength that comes from “looking back at the past” to make “the present bearable, despite all hardship.” The label lists “Nightboundtrain,” “I Will Tell You” and “Glorious Solution” as its picks from the record.

Inside Felsenreich’s ‘Motiv und Tempo’

“Motiv und Tempo” is Felsenreich’s sixth studio album, following “Am Ende der Zeit” (2001), “Tiefe” (2004), “Unschuld” (2008), “Tanz auf dem Bilderberg” (2012) and “Blumen” (2017). Where the band’s earlier albums built out with fuller arrangements, “Motiv und Tempo” pares the songwriting back to more direct structures, a shift the band describes as remaining true to its core sound while adding a new musical facet. The album is out now on CD through Danse Macabre Records, the label Felsenreich has released through since 2008.

About Felsenreich

Felsenreich formed in Chemnitz, Germany, in 1998. Mathias Sohn (vocals, keyboard, trumpet), previously of the band Trysticia, met Renato Wesely (vocals, acoustic guitar) and Denis Hartzsch (keyboard), both formerly of the studio project Graves in Moonlight, at a concert. Together with guitarist Carsten Schaller, the three founded Felsenreich, building songs mainly from Sohn’s compositions and Wesely’s lyrics. Schaller left soon after the band’s debut EP, “The Death Is Behind You” (Sohnate, 1999), and guitarist Sören Bräuer took his place.

Felsenreich released two studio albums in this line-up: “Am Ende der Zeit” (Black Rain / Triton / Expander Rec., 2001), recorded at the Musicpark Studios in Wuppertal, and “Tiefe” (Black Rain / Nova Media / Empire of Rocks, 2004), produced by Bräuer. “Tiefe” topped the charts of the French scene magazine Orpheus and the Greek magazine Avopolis, and the band performed both albums at the Wave-Gotik-Treffen in 2002 and 2004.

Musical differences led Hartzsch and Bräuer to leave the band in 2005, the same year vocalist Romy Unger joined. Felsenreich issued “Unschuld” as a download-only release in 2007 (Sohnate / Euronen) before putting it out on CD in 2008 through Bruno Kramm’s Danse Macabre label (Danse Macabre / Al!ve), starting a partnership that continues on “Motiv und Tempo.” Schaller returned to the band in 2009 and also joined the related Felsenreich Akustik Projekt, which released the “Felsenreich Akustik” EP (Sohnate) in 2011.

The band’s fourth studio album, “Tanz auf dem Bilderberg” (Danse Macabre, 2012), pushed the guitars into the background in favor of more danceable song structures across 15 tracks. In June 2017, Felsenreich released “Blumen” (BSC Music / Rough Trade), its first album in an acoustic version, recorded at the Highline Studio in Munich under Franz Erl of Escape With Romeo, who also played drums on the record. Felsenreich has returned to the Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig repeatedly over the years, including in 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2018.

“Motiv und Tempo,” released on CD via Danse Macabre Records on 17 July 2026, is Felsenreich’s sixth studio album. It brings the band back to the Highline Studio and to Franz Erl as producer, again with guest musicians from Escape With Romeo, continuing the collaboration first established on “Blumen.”

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Genre/Influences: Ethereal, neo-folk, cinematographic.

Background/Info: The Chemnitz based collective Felsenreich has already released a number of albums on labels such as Expander Records, Black Rain and Danse Macabre. The goth-rock formation breaks the silence with this new and somewhat conceptual opus, which has been announced as ‘Akustik Projekt’.

Content: The rock approach is still noticeable, but the acoustic composition awakens different influences. “Blumen” became an evasive piece of music, pretty relaxing and revealing a kind of beautiful melancholia. The songs are carried by acoustic guitar playing and impressive piano/keyboard parts. The male- and especially female vocals inject an extra ethereal dimension to the album.

+ + + : “Blumen” definitely stands for the most intimate- and authentic work of Felsenreich. I don’t know if it’s just a kind of ‘one shot’ release, but the band definitely reveals great composing skills in this kind of music. The vocals also have a great impact on the global production, sometimes creating an elevating effect. This album is a delicate composition featuring a few outstanding songs, but I especially want to tip “Tales Of The Night”.

– – – : A few cuts are less inspired, but that’s often happening on most releases. I think this album could have been even more authentic by the addition of extra acoustic instruments.

Conclusion: “Blumen” sounds like an invitation to join a world of sonic reverie and magic; just listen to the music, which sounds as a sweet dream.

Best songs: “Tales Of The Night”, “Im Licht”, “Übern Berg”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Felsenreich–official-289324647789576

Label: www.bscmusic.com / www.facebook.com/BSCMusicWorld

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I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

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