URBAN ASPIRINES: Nitzer Ebb

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Friday, June 20, 2025

Nitzer Ebb: That Total Age 1987 (Limited Edition 2018)

Douglas John McCarthy (1 September 1966 – 11 June 2025) was an English vocalist whose work covers a range of electronic music genres. He was the lead vocalist of the EBM band Nitzer Ebb

from 1982 until 2024. McCarthy was hospitalized in 2021 during Nitzer Ebb's U.S. tour, prompting a break from performing. He returned to the stage in 2023, but in 2024, the band announced that he was taking a break from performing due to the effects of cirrhosis "after years of alcohol abuse". McCarthy died on 11 June 2025, aged 58.

Nitzer Ebb (/ˈnaɪtsər ɛb, ˈnɪt-/) were an English EBM group formed in 1982 by Essex school friends

Vaughan "Bon" Harris (programming, synthesizers, drums, vocals), Douglas McCarthy (vocals), and David Gooday (drums). The band were originally named La Comédie De La Mort but soon discarded that and chose the name Nitzer Ebb by cutting up words and letters and arranging them randomly to create something Germanic without using actual German words.

The band at the time was inspired by the post-punk scene and specifically acts like "Siouxsie and the Banshees, Killing Joke and Bauhaus who were having a big influence on us, in some ways stylistically

but also in the energy that they gave". Their debut album That Total Age was released in 1987. Depeche Mode invited them to open for the European leg of their successful Music for the Masses Tour in 1987. David Gooday left after the tour and they completed their next album Belief (1989) as a duo. Mark 'Flood' Ellis became their new producer. They recruited Julian Beeston to assist them on their own world tour, and he soon became a regular contributor both on and off stage.

Nitzer Ebb virtually disappeared from active music-making for the next four years, finally reappearing

in 1995 with their fifth (and least industrial-sounding) album, Big Hit. The group became inactive, but McCarthy became a regular collaborator with Alan Wilder's Recoil project, and formed the duo Fixmer/McCarthy with techno producer Terence Fixmer.

THAT TOTAL AGE

If the resultant debut was a bit one-note as an overall release, the duo already showed a bent for making sure their concoctions were instantly memorable and undeniably thrilling. McCarthy's singing is less

supple and more ear-piercingly harsh than Gabi Delgado's, say, but his seemingly odd quaver actually gives the band a unique stamp, delivering the slogan-like lyrics with the force of overwhelming command. Consider "Violent Playground," which could almost be a Soft Cell stomper with all the swooning romance completely pared away to leave nothing but brute homoerotic force (and appropriate volume).

Harris' ear for beats and how to make them really crunch through doesn't let him down -- check out the huge, sudden metal door-slam rhythms on "Smear Body" for a particularly notable example of his

ability. If there's a standout track from That Total Age, it would probably have to be "Join in the Chant," with McCarthy's clipped, elliptical words and delivery perfectly suited for the invigorating storm of drum hits and central bass part. That said, there's plenty of close competition, with the quick, frenetic surge of "Murderous," electronic bass and percussion barely in control as McCarthy roars, "Lift up your hearts!," and the equally impressive "Let Your Body Learn" with its use of vocal echo for maximum impact.

Nitzer Ebb – That Total Age
Label: Pylon Records, Geffen Records – B0025391-02,
Format: CD, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue Oct 19, 2018
Country: US
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic
Style: EBM ("Electronic Body Music")

TRACKS

01. Fitness To Purpose 5:00
02. Warsaw Ghetto 3:47
03. Violent Playground 3:46
04. Murderous 5:40
05. Smear Body 5:40
06. Join In The Chant 6:01
07. Alarm 3:55
08. Let Your Body Learn 2:47
09. Let Beauty Loose 2:24
10. Into The Large Air 4:08
11. Murderous (Instrumental) 5:02
12. Fitness To Purpose (Mix Two) 4:54
13. Join In The Chant (Burn) 5:23
14. Let Your Body Learn (Twelve Inch Mix) 6:26
15. Join In The Chant (Metal Mix) 5:13
16. Warsaw Ghetto (Original 12" Mix) 7:04

FORMER MEMBERS

Douglas McCarthy – vocals, guitars (1982–2025; his death; not touring during 2024–2025)
Duc Nhan Nguyen – drums (1987–1988)
Julian Beeston – drums (1989–1992)
Jason Payne – drums (1992–1995, 2007–2019)
Bon Harris – programming, synthesizers, drums, vocals, bass (1982–present)

NOTES

Expanded Collectors Edition - Released in an embossed tri-fold card sleeve.
Contains 4 Bonus tracks, including the 12” mixes of “Join In The Chant”, “ Let Your Body Learn”, “ Warsaw Ghetto” and rare instrumental version of “Murderous”.

Flac Size: 575 MB

Nitzer Ebb: Showtime 1990 on Urban Aspirines HERE

Friday, October 20, 2017

Nitzer Ebb - Showtime 1990

Nitzer Ebb produced hard-hitting electronic music with the Teutonic bent and abrasive edge of early industrial music, plus the vocal chanting and beat-heavy flavor of the late-'80s alternative and Balearic dance scene. Formed in Chelmsford, Essex, in 1982 by vocalist Douglas McCarthy, drummer Bon Harris, and keyboard player David Gooday, the group began experimenting with synthesizers and drum pads, fusing the

bandmembers' affinity for dark goth and punk rock with the emerging technology.

After the release of That Total Age, Nitzer Ebb toured Europe with Depeche Mode, and the latter band's pop sensibilities appeared to inspire them. By the time of their second album,

The following year's Ebbhead further consolidated their position with alternative audiences, with at least two well-known singles, "I Give to You" and "Godhead." As a whole, though, the album showed Nitzer Ebb a bit confused as to where industrial music was going. Nitzer Ebb virtually disappeared from active music-making for the next four years,

Having arguably perfected their original formula on Belief -- as well as reaching its limitations -- Douglas McCarthy and Bon Harris started to experiment in a variety of different directions on Showtime, resulting in their best album.

Showtime is the third album of the British EBM group Nitzer Ebb. It featured two successful singles, "Lightning Man" and "Fun to be Had," the latter of which was later remixed by George Clinton. "Getting Closer" was also released as a single.

Showtime doesn't waste a note (it's not even 40 minutes long) and aims for full attack on all fronts. It doesn't hurt that the album is bookended by two of the band's best-ever singles. "Getting Closer" captures an atmosphere of impending, imminent doom better than just about anything outside of prime Killing Joke, while the heavy synth distortion makes the track rock, all without using guitars.

The off-kilter cabaret influence crops up throughout the album, with worthy examples including "Nobody Knows," a slow bluesy crawl, while "One Man's Burden" in particular is a highlight of Harris' expanding musical reach, with subtle rhythm shifts and orchestrations showing how soft can work for impact just as well as loud.