The Machinists of Joy

The Machinists of Joy is the eighth studio album by German Industrial/EBM band Die Krupps. The album was released on 25 October 2013 in four formats: normal digipak CD, limited two-CD digipak, a fan box and as a limited LP/CD combo.^[3] It was released though German record label Synthetic Symphony.^[4]

The Machinists of Joy
Studio album by Die Krupps
Released	25 October 2013
Recorded	Atom H Studios, Austin, Texas
Genre	Industrial, EBM
Length	49:26
Label	Synthetic Symphony
Producer	Jürgen Engler, Chris Lietz
Die Krupps chronology
Als wären wir für immer (2010) The Machinists of Joy (2013) V - Metal Machine Music (2015)
Singles from The Machinists of Joy
"Industrie-Mädchen" Released: April 23, 2012^[1] "Risikofaktor" Released: January 28, 2013^[2] "Nazis Auf Speed" Released: December 20, 2013 "Robo Sapien" Released: June 00, 2014

The album is a tribute to the band's past. It harkens back to the Düsseldorf Punk scene before their first release Stahlwerksynfonie, abandoning the metal sound of their 90s work.^[5] The album derives its name from one of the band's earlier tracks 'Machineries of Joy', a cover of Wahre Arbeit Wahrer Lohn done by Ralf Dörper and Nitzer Ebb in 1989.^[6]

The album includes collaboration with Métal Urbain and Dernière Volonté. Its album cover is a homage to the album Metal Machine Music.

Promotion

The single Risikofaktor was accompanied by a music video which was released on January 23, 2013.^[7] On December 20, 2013 the band followed up with a video for limited edition track Nazis auf Speed, which was directed by Philipp Virus.^[8][9] The band announced a fan director video contest for the track Schmutzfabrik.^[10][11] Also other fan videos were published on official Die Krupps online resources. An official music video - sporting cyberpunk dystopian design - also supported the last single off the album, Robo Sapien, which presented The Red Line, a track to be included on the follow-up studio album one year later. A live version of Robo Sapien was also released on Sonic Seducer magazines M'era Luna Festival 2014 DVD in autumn.

In 2014 the band went on tour in Europe with Vigilante and Chant.^[12] Preceding the tour, die Krupps let their fans participate in a vote on which songs from The Machinists of Joy they should play on tour.^[13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
COMA	Favorable^[14]
Head Full of Noise	^[15]
I Die: You Die	Favorable^[16]
Intravenous	Favorable^[17]
Reflections of Darkness	9/10^[6]
Release	8/10^[18]
Santa Sangre	Favorable^[19]
Side-Line	8/10^[20]

Fredrik Schlatta Wik of Release Magazine noted the band's change of style compared to the previous album Paradise Now and said, "'The Machinists of Joy' is aptly named; the main theme of the album is industrial old-school EBM, with fantastic melodic basslines and poses a return to the Die Krupps' roots and form."^[18] "The Metal days are definitely over, even though there are still a lot of guitars on many tracks of the new album", wrote J. Niggels Uhlenbruch of Reflections of Darkness, "But guitarist Marcel Zuercher takes rather a back seat and allows his riffs and licks to support the compositions and rhythms where necessary instead of steamrolling entire songs."^[6] Uhlenbruch added, "This path goes back to the roots, and this is not only true for the music but also for the lyrics and the imagery Die Krupps use."^[6]

The Machinists of Joy received favorable reviews. Grant V. Ziegler of COMA Music Magazine wrote, "For its driving force, perfect execution of synths and balanced lyrical and vocal attacks, The Machinists of Joy is a must own for all Industrial music fans."^[14] Dominic Lynch of Intravenous Magazine called the album "an achievement".^[17]

However, Release Magazine's Fredrik Schlatta Wik thought The Machinists of Joy would not win Die Krupps many new fans: "So is this album going to appeal to a new audience? Doubtful. Are the old fans [...] going to like it? Undoubtedly yes."^[18]

Track list

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Ein Blick zurück im Zorn"	Ralf Dörper, Engler	Jürgen Engler, Marcel Zürcher	4:09
2.	"Schmutzfabrik"	Dörper, Engler	Engler	4:18
3.	"Risikofaktor"	Engler, Dörper	Engler, Chris Lietz	3:34
4.	"Robo Sapien"	Engler, Dörper	Engler, Lietz	5:12
5.	"The Machinist of Joy"	Dörper, Engler	Engler	4:40
6.	"Essenbeck"	Dörper	Engler, Lietz	4:06
7.	"Im falschen Land"	Dörper	Engler, Zürcher	3:37
8.	"Part of the Machine"	Dörper	Engler	4:32
9.	"Eiskalter Engel"	Engler	Engler	4:34
10.	"Nocebo"	Dörper	Engler, Zürcher	4:10
11.	"Im Schatten der Ringe"	Dörper, Engler	Engler	6:34

Limited edition additional tracks

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Nazis auf Speed"	Dörper	Engler, Zürcher	5:31
2.	"Panik" (Métal Urbain cover feat. Eric Débris of Métal Urbain)	Eric Débris	Rikky Darling	2:19
3.	"Sans Fin" (Feat. Geoffroy D of Dernière Volonté)	Geoffroy D, Engler	Engler, Lietz	4:23
4.	"Neue Helden" (Remixed by Claus Larsen of Leather Strip)	Dörper	Engler	4:40
5.	"Industrie-Mädchen" (S.Y.P.H. cover)	Thomas Schwebel	Uwe Jahnke	4:04
Total length:				20:57

Personnel

• Jürgen Engler – vocals, keyboards, metal percussion, guitars
• Ralf Dörper – samples
• Marcel Zürcher – guitars, keyboards
• Sascha Osterland – artwork

Charts

Chart (2013)	Peak position
Deutsche Alternative Chart^[21]	1

References

1. "Die Krupps release first track of new album: 'Industrie-Mädchen'". Side-line.com. April 20, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
2. "Die Krupps - Risikofaktor". SPV. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
3. "Die Krupps - The Machinists of Joy". SPV. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
4. "Die Krupps - The Machinists of Joy - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives". www.metal-archives.com. Retrieved 2023-12-02.
5. "Die Krupps return with brand new album: 'The Machinists of Joy' - Die Krupps news at". Side-line.com. 1999-02-22. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
6. Uhlenbruch, J. Niggels (October 15, 2013). "CD Review: Die Krupps - The Machinists Of Joy". Reflections of Darkness Music Magazine. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
7. Vaudo, Zak (January 26, 2013). "Die Krupps releases new single video". ReGen Magazine. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
8. "Enjoy the new Die Krupps worldwide video premiere in HD". Die Krupps. December 20, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
9. Kahrle, Mikael (December 30, 2013). "Die Krupps' "Nazis auf Speed" video and tour schedule". Release Music Magazine. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
10. "Die Krupps fan director video contest". Die Krupps. November 25, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
11. Vaudo, Zak (November 25, 2013). "Die Krupps announces video contest". Retrieved February 24, 2014.
12. "Die Krupps "The Machinists of Joy" Tour 2014". Die Krupps. February 14, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
13. "Die Krupps needs your input". Die Krupps. January 4, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
14. Ziegler, Grant V. (February 21, 2014). . COMA Music Magazine. Archived from the original on July 30, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
15. Lee, Rocki (December 21, 2013). "Review: Die Krupps – The Machinists of Joy". Head Full of Noise. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
16. Alex (November 27, 2013). "Die Krupps, "The Machinists of Joy"". I Die: You Die. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
17. Lynch, Dominic (November 13, 2013). "Review: Die Krupps - 'The Machinists of Joy'". Intravenous Magazine. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
18. Wik, Fredrik Schlatta (November 18, 2013). "The Machinists of Joy". Release Musik & Media. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
19. Marks, Peter (October 13, 2013). "Die Krupps – The Machinists of Joy". Santa Sangre Magazine. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
20. H., W. (November 10, 2013). "Die Krupps - The Machinists Of Joy (CD Album - Synthetic Symphony/SPV Records)". Side-Line. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
21. "For the 5th consecutive week, 'The Machinists of Joy' is still No.1 in the German DAC Charts". Die Krupps official Facebook page. December 16, 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2014.