It’s the last day of August, the 31st, and that means there are a whole bunch of incredible new albums being released in Germany today. As you’ve read over the past few weeks, hopefully you saw some you might like. Let’s just take a quick look back to remember what albums are out today…

• Joachim Witt - Auf Ewig-Meisterwerke
  Witt is wrapping up the Bayreuth Trilogy with his magnum opus, Auf Ewig. This album features all the greatest songs from his 25+ year music career, remade in a more modern sound. This is sure to be one of the highlights of the year.
• Emigrate - Emigrate
  After many years as a guitarist with Rammstein, Richard Kruspe found the need for a new outlet to release the songs he had stuck in his mind that didn’t match Rammstein’s direction. He formed the band Emigrate, recorded his songs, and now they’re out on CD. A definite must-have for Rammstein fans.
• mind.in.a.box - Crossroads
  mind.in.a.box is a successful Austrian electronic group and Crossroads is their new album. The European version is out today, but the CD will be released in America on September 25th on Metropolis Records.
• Schallfaktor - End of Love
  This latest EP from Schallfaktor includes several new songs plus a slew of remixes by other great harsh electro groups like Suicide Commando and Grendel. With 12 songs, it’s basically an entire album.
• Saltatio Mortis - Aus Der Asche
  Saltatio Mortis continues the trend of combining medieval instruments with modern day rock music. Fans have waited 3 years for this new album, but it has been well worth it. Check it out, if only for the awesome album cover.

Combining the old sounds of instruments from the Middle Ages like bagpipes and the lute with more modern rock elements has been a popular trend in Germany for many years. Bands like In Extremo and Subway To Sally are the bigs names in this eclectic genre, but there are many other bands worth listening to. Saltatio Mortis is just one of these incredibly creative bands.

Saltatio Mortis has been hard at work for a long time writing and recording songs for their new album Aus der Asche, which will finally be released on August 31st. The album has 13 new songs plus an extra, the song “Falsche Freunde” from a few years ago. This is the band’s first studio album release since 2004, but it has been worth the wait. The new music is as good as ever. But you don’t have to take my word for it, you can download samples (about 1 minute each) of every song on the album on this page and listen to them for yourself. Let me know what you think.

One of the most awesome things about this album, whether you like the music or not, is the album cover. I know it’s hard to see in the little picture here, but take a closer look. The bird on the cover is actually made from fire! Now that’s cool.

One last note… This Saturday, Saltatio Mortis will be playing the Wuppertal Festival which will kick off their tour which will go on until December. If you’re in Germany any time in the next few months, maybe you might want to check them out..

Aus der Asche
1. Prometheus
2. Spielmannsschwur
3. Uns gehört die Welt
4. Sieben Raben
5. Varulfen
6. Irgendwo in meinem Geiste
7. Koma
8. Wirf den ersten Stein
9. Tod und Teufel
10. Choix des Dames
11. Worte
12. Kelch des Lebens
13. Nichts bleibt mehr
14. Falsche Freunde (Bonus Song)