Body of Work 1984-1997

Album Review

Nitzer Ebb's first true compilation — with only one album and some singles to pull from, 1988's So Bright, So Strong barely counts — features the hits and important album cuts on one disc, then presents a selection of remixes on the second disc. The first complaint one might have is that both the discs are chronological, and seeing how Nitzer Ebb lost their way toward the end of their career, the gradual decline in quality on each disc is noticeable. Shuffling the tracks makes more sense, but it is interesting to hear how such a primal band evolved. Nitzer Ebb introduced "muscle and hate" to dancefloors and opened up the door for industrial dance music, electronic body music, and all the heavy dance music to follow. They couldn't grow old and continue chanting and shouting, so they grew into something more ambitious and complex, something close to Depeche Mode. It just didn't work as often and the track list here verifies it with only four selections — two regular, two remixes — representing the dismal Big Hit era. The disc of remixes misses some fan favorites by allowing only one mix per song and the informative liner notes are nearly impossible to read since they are shoved onto one page, but this is still a suitable introduction to the band and fills a big hole in its discography.