KMFDM – Kunst

Let's get this out of the way – KMFDM have basically become a covers band. The only band they cover is KMFDM. On title track Kunst, they recycle lyrics from their back catalogue in a cut-and-paste fashion, including an exhortation for us to Kill Motherfucking Depeche Mode. It's a lyrical Jive Bunny megamix of their greatest hits, set to a pounding kick drum and chugging guitars. Although devoid of inspiration, its laurel-resting has the comforting familiarity of a well-worn jacket.

Unfortunately, the rest of the album is let down by sub-par production values, predictable industrial drum and guitar patterns, and a flattened, monotonous set of vocal filters. True, you do always know what you're getting with KMFDM – they haven't switched up the formula in years despite multiple lineup changes, and it doesn't look like they're about to. But even forgiving mainstay Sascha Konietzko's latter day lack of experimentation, Kunst still feels a little phoned in . [Bram E. Gieben]