Graeme Revell, in late 2025, wrote a new and comprehensive introduction to this much overdue re-release.
His words are were integrated to the cover notes, in order to offer the new and unexperienced SPK listener help to understand this important album, that marked an era!
First released in 1983 on legendary Hamburg-based label “Walter Ulbricht Schallfolien”, Auto-Da-Fé is a collection of SPK’s singles, originally released between 1978 and 1979 + extra tracks from 1981-1982.
The first five tracks, from '78 and '79, are basically a scratchy thrashy punk sound, augmented by synthesizers and samples. Guitars grind, electronics screech, and metal is most thoroughly bashed.
Highlight of these early works, and indeed the album, is the deranged SLOGUN. The intro to the song, a demented echoing clucking and quacking, leads into a pulverising mechanical grind.
Surely a candidate for the most extreme song of the late 70s and early 80s!
On the following 3 tracks (from 1981), a new, more synth-oriented sound has been discovered. "Metal Field" and "Walking on Dead Steps", ever-so-slightly catchy, creepy, with militaristic overtones.
"A Heart that Breaks (In No Time Or Place)", is the stand-out here, a minimalistic, almost EBM-like tune, as an empassioned female voice narrates the amazingly bitter lyrics, while seemingly random percussion bashes quietly in the background.
The final 3 tracks date from 1982 and expose a kind of shamanic quality - a tribal, almost mystical sound has come into effect. Synth-drum beats hold the songs together, as metallic-percussion inject the tracks with a hint of randomness and confusion.
Vocals are no longer shouted, but delivered calmly, and the synth backing is created through drones, rather than beeps and stabs.
Every single one of these 11 tracks is of highest INDUSTRIAL quality, representing the best of a rough sound of that era - from Industrial-Noise textures to Punk-trappings to more danceable Industrial Angst-Pop.
A selection of great SPK hits that made history in Industrial Muzak!
Released March 2026 on Old Europa Cafe.
Track Listing:
01 Kontakt
02 Germanik
03 Mekano
04 Retard
05 Slogun
06 Metall Field
07 Walking on dead Steps
08 A Heart that breaks (In no Time or Place)
09 Another Dark Age
10 Twilight of the Idols
11 Cultureside
English