Engine is the third studio album by Die Warzau, released on February 28, 1995 by TVT and Wax Trax! Records. It was the band's first album in over two years and upon release was considered a masterpiece of industrial music.
Reception
William Cooper of AllMusic championed Engine as one of the greatest industrial albums of all times and a marked improvement over the band's previous output in both sonic and stylistic variety. He calling the album "a major leap forward for Die Warzau, as it contains some of its most hard-hitting (and surprisingly pop-friendly) material" and that "the mixture of moods and musical approach shows astonishing artistic depth." Alternative Press praised the Die Warzau's musical craftmanship and careful attention to details, saying "with Engine they've achieved true mastery of the electronic craft" and "the skilled mixings of genres and styles is mere child's play for them." Option lauded the band for complex configuration of funk, free jazz, house and world music in complex configurations but decried the shallowness of the band's message, saying "Engine may be loaded with advanced socialist ideals and sharp commentary on such horrid sins as materialism and oppression, but the only people who are going to stand up and listen are the already techno-converted." Tony Fletcher of Trouser Press said the album "gets busy with crashing beats, distorted vocals and disorienting sonic effects" and "what holds the disparate pieces together is invention and an overriding sense of fun. Even with the air is heavy, the mood stays upbeat."
Track listing
Accolades
Personnel
Adapted from the Engine liner notes.
Die Warzau
Van Christie – guitar, keyboards, noises, production, engineering
Jim Marcus – lead vocals, drums, percussion, bass guitar, production
Jason McNinch – electronics, guitar, production, engineering
Additional performers
Dan Agne – voice
Martin Atkins – additional drums
Nanette Cichon – piano
Jerry – steel drum
Algis Kizys – bass guitar
Jason More – additional percussion
Chris Randall – additional programming
Vincent Signorelli – additional drums
Louis Svitek – additional guitar
Matt Warren – turntables, additional programming
Jennifer Wilcox (as Levi) – bass guitar, additional vocals, Mars Williams – horns
Production and design
Eric Arway – additional engineering
Vanessa Cook – additional engineering
Tom Coyne – mastering
Steve Krason (as Mudhead) – additional engineering
Steve Levy – additional engineering
Scott Ramsayer – additional engineering
Matt Warren – additional engineering, production (9) Stephen Yates – additional engineering