Hermann Kopp

Hermann Kopp biography

Hermann Kopp (born in , currently living in Spain), who in the eighties was member of the Industrial electro band Keine Ahnung, has made himself a name primarily for his soundtracks to Jörg Buttgereit’s groundbreaking horror films “Nekromantik” (1987), “Der Todesking” (1989) and “Nekromantik II” (1990). After 15 years of silence, he released two albums on Vinyl-On-Demand. In 2008 Hermann joined the German cult label Galakthorrö which up to now published two LPs and one EP by this artist. From the Galakthorrö website: Hermann Kopp's trademark is his violin playing. He intonates his instrument with healthy doses of dissonance – always enough for the frail basic character of his music, but definitively not enough to torture the listener with cacophony. Hermann Kopp plays Angst melodies of godlike beauty. The sounds of horror to perfection: Not just on the violin – alongside mallets, and all sorts of unusual instruments – electronics play a great role in Hermann Kopp's musical happenings. Synthesizer, vocoder, theremin, loops and sound design – genially combined with the transporting rhythms of delicately clattering metal percussion. Mixed all together, sometimes also with vocals, it becomes a form of industrial-music which stands on its own merits. Imperfection is seldom so perfectly performed. So catchy, so direct, so minimal: Hermann Kopp is one of those privileged artistes that are able, with a few meaningful notes, to penetrate to the emotional core of the listener. Hermann Kopp has the universal emotional key to our collective souls, into which he plants his fragile seedling. Once there, it puts down roots, whether one wants it to or not. In other words, hear him once, and you're hooked on Hermann Kopp. The Buttgereit films especially, benefit from this, and without Hermann Kopp's sublime violin-playing, and without his semi-electronic sound creations, they would be only half so beautiful. In fact it is Hermann Kopp's music that opens the door to their inner sanctums. It is the music which lays bare the core so that the pictures can do their work. Whether it is Nekromantik I, Nekromantik II or Todesking – Hermann Kopp's music is all ever-present. The success of these films without his music is inconceivable, so strongly does it permeate the atmosphere. Hermann Kopp carries on from his nekrodramatic past. All the good virtues of his unique music come together on his new album "Under A Demon's Mask", proudly presented by Galakthorrö. Here he is: more melodious than ever, more morbid than ever, more lofi than ever. A fascinating variety of predominantly instrumental industrial music, not as is often the case defined through sterile drone and scapes. It remains, in its own special way, true to the raw, authentic naturalness of early industrial.