Description
CALLEJON is a successful rock/metal/hardcore five piece from Düsseldorf who started in 2002 and quickly gained popularity in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. By now they are firmly established in the heavier German rock scene. Their last three albums secured top 10 positions in the German album charts, “Blitzkreuz“ #9 (2012), “Man spricht deutsch“ #7 (2013) and “Wir sind Angst“ #5 (2015), which helped gaining mainstream attention. Not only do they play highly successful headlining tours, but also headlining or at least high up positions on German rock, hardcore and mainstream festivals. Vocalist Bastian „BastiBasti“ Sobtzick creates all artworks and video clips for the band which gives CALLEJON a unique, yet constantly evolving corporate identity. In the past he has also worked for bands like Heaven Shall Burn, Caliban, K.I.Z. and even Rammstein, but nowadays he is concentrating on CALLEJON as well as his BastiBasti Apparel which is dedicated to fair-trade and vegan streetwear. However, CALLEJON doesn’t just mean a trademark look, but also sound that is always pushing the envelope: After going into extremes with their last album, “Wir sind Angst”, the band didn’t just feel they had outgrown the use of screaming vocals, but they also got a little tired of heavy, crunchy guitars. Instead they kept a dark edge by picking up some of the aesthetics of 80s synth wave and rock. Which doesn’t mean that they completely passed on the use of guitars, because songs like “Monroe” or the brooding, stomping “Powertrauer” as well as the maniacal “Fandigo Umami” offer plenty of riffs. Still, it’s songs like the first single, the electronic rock driven “Utopia” or the bitter-sweet anthem “Noch einmal” that is brimming with the feeling of living in the here and now, which are setting the tone. “Fandigo” comes in various shades of black with flashes of neon lights that show that CALLEJON have undeniably arrived in 2017.