KMFDM's Lucia Cifarelli releases 'No God Here' - a brilliant modern post-punk, synth-pop dreamscape
Front woman for the iconic industrial rock band, KMFDM, Lucia Cifarelli, releases her third solo effort, 'No God Here.’ Here is a full review and interview — a Goldmine exclusive.
The musical story of Lucia Cifarelli is an accomplished yet complex one. Her professional journey, intertwined through the ins and outs of opportunities, through tiresome and un-trackable hours of recording studio time, sometimes playing smoke-filled clubs, sometimes peering out into a sea of innumerable faces — the swarming and cluttered crowds of music festival fans — has mirrored her life's peaks & valleys, that of which many accomplished recording artists must traverse at one time or other. Some might consider all of these scenarios a blessing. Others might chalk them up as a curse. Cifarelli has, in almost 30 years of professional retrospect, come to conclude that, to her, they have been both. From her earliest major label experiences, to her eventually co-leading vocals for one of the most legendary industrial rock bands in the history of the genre, and moreover, her handful of efforts towards solo recognition, Lucia Cifarelli has experienced music — the highs and the lows — in ways that many aspiring women-musicians around the world, would trade their current lives for.
For Cifarelli, the mid '90s would bring hope that a bona fide professional career in music was more than just a possibility. The biggest hurdle that most aspiring professional musicians tend to anticipate is the all so elusive 'record deal,' of which for most, unfortunately, remains a pipe dream. In 1995 that hurdle would seemingly be cleared for the artist, when her band Drill (formed in 1993) was signed to the A&M Records imprint, DV8 Records — a label that was devised between the A&M Records/Polygram conglomerate and legendary music producer, Rick Wake. Wake would retain chief control over the imprint and as well be commissioned to produce all of its recording acts. The debut self-titled album by Drill would be recorded, mixed and mastered, and receive its official release, later that year. Though Wake would executive produce the project, the album production itself would be lead by recording engineer and music producer, Rick Kerr, and as a bonus, mastered by the world renowned, Bob Ludwig (of Led Zeppelin fame). Moreover, the rocket fuel was ignited in late '95/early '96, as the album launched with its first and eventually second singles respectively — "Go to Hell," the slightly pop punk/heavy alternative introduction by the band, and "Innuendo," a grunge-styled alternative rock powerhouse 'punch in the face' that resonated all the period-correct-properties of a hit record.
The band, Drill / Lucia Cifarelli. Images courtesy of band and DV8 / A&M Records
Though the album nor the singles ever significantly charted, it afforded the band to tour in support of acts such as Marilyn Manson, Gang of Four, MC5 and others, and as well, the album gained enough traction with the band's label to commission a sophomore studio effort. In 1997, the band's anticipated second release, White Elephant (recorded, mixed and 'in the can'), was halted by the naturally wavering instability of the recording industry, when the Polygram Music Group was merged with Universal Music, causing many of its major labels to liquidate a hand full of imprints and subsidiaries. This untimely corporate merger inevitably brought DV8 Records to its knees, ultimately forcing Wake and his label to take shelter under the Sony Music umbrella, with one of the unfortunate results being that White Elephant would never see the light of day, influencing Drill to permanently disband and never regain their foothold.
Lucia Cifarelli could be characterized as an artist who was able to do these things flawlessly: she could write songs like the wind, she knew how to make records, and she could use her exquisite vocals, her seasoned performance skills and her stunning looks to bring her music to life.
Post-split of Drill, Cifarelli admits struggling with the dilemma of 'what to do next,' and according to the artist, it was a time where she had been lost in the shuffle of the industries shenanigans and was in limbo with her career, and "fighting for her life." It was a time of searching for opportunities, whether it was to turn left, to turn right, to back peddle, to push forward, or give up altogether. Fate is a wonderous thing, is it not? As fate would have it, and as her short-lived but predominant reputation as a front-woman preceded her, in early 2000 she received a call from Sascha Konietzko, founding member and front-man for the iconic industrial rock band, MDFMK (the temporary reversed moniker of the legendary KMFDM). Cifarelli recalls, "It was just divine intervention that I got this call from Sascha, that the band was looking for a singer, and he asked me if I would be willing to fly out to Seattle and sing on a couple of tracks and write on some stuff. He sent me a couple of things, I worked on them, I flew out to Seattle, got into the studio with them, and immediately blew up a $5000.00 microphone with my ‘scream.' (laughs) Then they said 'you're hired!' So I grabbed onto the opportunity with both hands, and the rest is history." The band (MDFMK) with Cifarelli on vocals, released one self-titled studio album (2000, Republic/Universal) before eventually reverting back to the band's original legendary moniker, perpetuating forward as KMFDM with Cifarelli on co-lead vocals ever since.
(Left) KMFDM line-up, Lucia Cifarelli, Andy Selway, Andee Blacksugar, Sascha Konietzko. (Right) Lucia Cifarelli on stage during KMFDM tour. Images courtesy of band.
It would be three years subsequent to joining the band that Lucia Cifarelli — under the stage name 'Lucia’— would be given the opportunity to record her debut solo effort, From the Land of Volcanos (2003, Universal). Produced by Ian Stanley (Tears For Fears), the album diverted heavily from the style of music that the artist was previously associated with, exemplifying a more mainstream pop rock/alternative sonic signature. However, it included Cifarelli, more than ever, showcasing herself as a bona fide songstress, collaborating on the majority of the writing in conjunction with a plethora of outside established songwriters. Nevertheless, in unfortunate but ever so often major label fashion, the album was never fully supported by Universal, and was eventually given over to major conglomerate ignorance, until it was officially re-released and supported by the independent label, Suki Swift International, the same year, but to no substantial successful avail. The artist would continue performing as a bona fide member of the KMFDM lineup for over a decade and a half, as a mainstay on all the band's studio releases, when eventually a second solo effort was attempted in 2021. Cifarelli would sign a one-off deal with the U.S.-based independent label, Metropolis — whose focus is Industrial Rock, Synth-pop and the like — and release her sophomore effort, I Am Eye, a move more towards the artist's core musical character than was her debut. With a much heavier synth-pop overtone, electronic and slight rock production, the album fit her sonic persona like a tight leather suit, and once again displayed her true ability as a vocalist.
Lucia Cifarelli's original cover of 2003 debut album, 'From the Land of Volcano's' (left), and her 2021 sophomore release, 'I Am Eye' (right)
The entire track-listing of I Am Eye was inundated with extremely well-written songs, supported by the only released single from the album, "Girls Like Me”— an overtly high energy electro synth-pop track which exemplified the album's synergy 'to a T,' but was unfortunately the only marketed element outside of the album as a whole.
While her label and the artist put more than anyone's fair share into fantastic writing and production qualities, Metropolis failed to promote and publicize the album to the point of more wide-spread recognition, and the life that it took on was soon after brought to its ceiling, and though it was critically acclaimed, it did not gain its expected notoriety too far beyond the artist's dedicated fanbase. Now, two solo projects in — regardless of their success (or lack there of) — she had revealed to the world of music fandom and the industry that 'Lucia Cifarelli' could be characterized as an artist who was able to do these things flawlessly: she could write songs like the wind, she knew how to make records, and she could use her exquisite vocals, her seasoned performance skills and her stunning looks to bring her music to life. As she continued as a voice and an iconic figure of KMFDM — the band recording and releasing two more full-length albums in the interim — 2024 would bring to great light another solo opportunity for Cifarelli, one that is by far her creative magnum opus, her most prolific and profound solo effort to date. With months of contemplation built up, and a cornucopia of written material — a collection of her most personal and private thoughts, personal opinions and experiences translated into song — she would move to harness a slew of top musicians and a production team (of which she was one) to record a brand new studio album, and on October 12, 2024, self-released her third and by far most monumental and groundbreaking body of work out of her 30 year tenure — No God Here. Goldmine is beyond pleased to have sat with the artist in conversation about this journey and this album, and to provide you with a well rounded overview of what could possibly be one of the best music releases of 2024.
INTERVIEW
GOLDMINE: Lucia, thank you immensely for sitting with us. Just to get up to speed, you and the band [KMFDM] are on the last leg of your 40th Anniversary tour. How is that going and how long will you be on the road?
LUCIA CIFARELI: This is a short tour, it's the shortest tour we've ever done. We've got like five more shows, and it's been going really well, I love being onstage. There's loads of young people out there [in the audience] this tour, which is surprising. Lot's of young ladies in the front row which is a breath of fresh air for me, because I love to inspire, and seeing them out there, feeling strong and fierce and singing the songs, it's so amazing. I've also been performing the song, "The Creeps," from my new album, which has gone over really well by the way, people love it.
GM: That is absolutely one of my go-to songs on the album! What additional ways are you supporting your new album on tour?
LC: Well, we're selling the merch, the vinyl and the compact discs at the venues, and I've been doing as much social media promotion and publicity as I can, but it's been hard because this has been such a grueling tour, ya know, it's busier than ever, so basically just selling the album at the shows and playing "The Creeps," and that's all I can manage right now. The most important thing I can do to sell the records and support the album is embody 'the artist' and show them who I am. Loads of people are talking to me after the shows, and I have encountered some with tears in their eyes, telling me how much they love the album, and I'm signing it for them and connecting with them. The people that are hearing, ya know, and buying it, they f**king love it, dude, and it's the greatest feeling in the world, I could not be prouder.
GM: How does it feel to have accomplished what everyone is calling your most magnanimous solo effort to date, one that you fully wrote by yourself and co-produced for the very first time?
LC: It's unexpected. It's the most beautiful surprise. If you were to talk to anybody who knew me from the very beginning, they will all tell you the same thing, that I was the worst singer in the world, and that this is the most unlikely outcome that anyone would have ever predicted. I was a terrible singer, I wasn't a very good writer, I was very insecure and I had no confidence. I have worked so hard at my craft and loved every minute of it. To reach this point, and to have actually done this, it has absolutely blown my mind. It's like my 54-year-old self is looking at my 14-year-old self, and is like, "Little girl, you have come so far," and to reach a point where I feel I've graduated, it feels so good.
GM: What was the catalyst that pushed you to say "I really need to make this record, I really need to try this again, no matter what it takes."?
LC: Once I had made the decision to make the record, once I had said that if I make a record I'm going to write it myself, and the Kickstarter thing actually happened, I was like, "Holy shit, this is really happening." I wrote a lot of the songs before the crowd funding actually started, but when it finally came through, it became more important to me to finish writing myself. There were people that wanted to write with me, but I felt that I needed to prove to myself that I could do it, because I didn't know if I'd ever have another chance to make a record, so if I only made one more, I wanted it to be one that I wrote myself and co-produced, and did the artwork for. I wanted to be able to show people who perhaps had some questions in their mind about what I'm capable of and what I can actually do. I wanted to be able say, "Let me show you . . . have a look." It was important to me to do it myself, but also important for me to show people who may have doubted me.
GM: Tell us a little bit about the album's title, 'No God Here', as it may be a bit misconstrued by some people.
LC: Well, because, I truly believe that people use organized religion as a weapon, and as a tool in order to control and suppress, and generally make people's lives miserable, and I don't believe there is any God in that. I believe God is everywhere, I believe that we as humans are an expression of God. So when I say, 'No God Here', it's a play on words — God is in the actions of us, even with the smallest acts of kindness. When you see what's going on in the world, it seems that what Man has painted God to be is all bullsh*t in my mind, most of the sociopolitical ideas today come from Man's ideas of who God is. The universe is far greater than anybody's understanding and nobody knows what is out there until we die. So the greatest interpretation of God, in my mind, is that we are expressions of whoever God is, right here. So, 'No God Here' means that God is not here in 'these rules,' in 'these wars,' in the crappy world that we've created, and people use God as a scapegoat for why 'this and that' isn't being done, etc., ya know, there's no God in that. I brought someone to tears last night talking about just this, and I hope that I can be an expression of the universe and an expression of God, and bring light into dark places. In my music I go to deep, dark places because I want to shed light in the darkness, and I do that in a way that is lyrically . . . pointed, but I'm just direct. (laughs)
GM: What was the most accomplished feeling that you had while making and then finishing the record, and what is your favorite song on the album?
LC: I think the greatest feeling was when I was able to listen to the mastered album, with the complete track-listing and song sequence book-ended, front to end, when you have your story, and I was able to listen to it unfold like a story, and I'm looking at the artwork, and that was the greatest feeling. Because you of all people understand how many things can go wrong during the process. And the mixes, I could not have hoped for them to be better, and we worked on them painstakingly.. When we mixed these records we were fine tuning everything, down the dB [decibel]. It's so important because that's the real critical stage where things can go pear-shaped. So when I had the mastered record and I could listen to it, I was so happy and I just felt such accomplishment, I still can't believe it. It's a real gratifying feeling, and it's out there, it's out there and it will reach somebody that really needs it. And my favorite song? It changes all the time. If you would asked me months ago, I would have said, "No God Here," but right now it's "Paper Tiger."
GM: That's my favorite song too. Not by far, but only because they're all immaculate.
REVIEW
Lucia Cifarelli — No God Here
(2024, Suki Swift International)
Lucia Cifarelli - No God here coverart
In order to give you, the reader, a full encompassing analysis of the true overall sonic character of the magnificent, No God Here, Goldmine has gathered a handful of selections from the album to create an entire audio image of what you will experience when immersing yourself in this brilliant recording.
The album commences with "Paper Tiger," immediately one of the more anthemic, and hook-driven mid-tempo selections over the 10-track song sequence. The artist's approach to the verses are sparse but full of articulate storytelling, surrounded by drawling and droned out instrumentation, thick, heavy and convincing. Sascha Konietzko's constant deep resonating bass guitar perpetuates throughout the entirety of the track without breaking pulse, so thick and you can cut it with a knife. Lead guitarist, Andee Blacksugar, rides his fretboard with an underlying accenting accompaniment, almost as if he was participating with Andy Selway's light and steadily appropriate drumming as part of the rhythm section. The non-intrusive but full verse instrumentation is complimentary to Cifarelli's sparse lyrics and melody, all leading up to a chorus where the artist and the musicians go into full frontal expression, forcing you to experience a feeling of freedom in exhaling confidence. It's difficult not to find yourself wanting to sing in unison with Cifarelli's vocals. As a bonus, Blacksugar's twangy and wailing bridge lead guitar solo is melodic icing on the cake.
"Dark Horse" follows, finding itself in absolute perfect placement in the song sequence. Opening with a hooky synth-bass riff, establishing the premise of this pulsating synthetic pop offering, it is a slight cool-down from the big energy of the previous song. The perpetuating steady cadence of the song — overlaid with Cifarelli's (once again) unique lyrical phrasing, semi-sparce and not overtly inundating as to not hide the music — is 'the life' of the song, as she uses her trademark 'picture painting' with cleverly metaphoric, jutting lyrical content and vocal delivery. The song is seemingly descriptive of her life's musical journey, her struggles to position herself, tastes of success with bands, but solo efforts that really never manifested, continuing through these dark halls yet still seeing light at the end of her tunnel, as her God-gifted relentlessness brought her to the place that she is now.
The album's namesake maybe a controversial, or misunderstood at least, especially if you are unbeknownst to its genuine context (to understand fully, read the interview if you haven't already). "No God Here," represents a calling out of all the Godlessness that exists, more often than not purported by the world's faculties who claim to represent the Spirit of God. It is a denouncing of the control and divisiveness of organized religion, governments and factions whose premise is to corrupt the true fruits of God (freedom, love and kindness) in order to restrain our natural rights given to us under Divine authority. The song presents itself in lower, mid-tempo fashion, resonating in sonic ethereality, both vocally and musically through the verses. The ending of the verses ushers-in a build up of sound, which then crescendos into a massive cluster of sonics in the chorus section, coming from both from the musicians and the artist. It is the perfect example of utilizing 'peaks and valleys' in songwriting. The addition of the haunting and ethereal application of guest musician Katya Murafa's acoustic violin, finished off the production of this track, coloring-in the sweetest essence in support of the songs subject matter.
Lucia Cifarelli Portraets
One of my absolute go-to's is "Hit Where it Hurts." You will immediately recognize that this is where the 'KMFDM' element really kicks in. It is a blatant reflection of industrial rock mayhem mixed brilliantly with the pop appeal of Cifarelli's past musical endeavors, and her ability to mix and cross genres. Aside from the album's co-production partnership with Sascha Konietzko, you can hear Konietzko's isolated production handprint all over this individual piece, but in a way that exemplifies a beautiful true collaborative effort between himself and the artist. The subject matter of the song, while many might call-it-out as borderline cliché (it's a song about the ever so common hardship of relationships), is once AGAIN presented with the far-above-ordinary skill of metaphorically illustrative songwriting that should be expected from the mind and the pen of Lucia Cifarelli.
"Valhalla," the meaning of which is defined as a place of honor, glory or happiness, is where the artist places herself amid uncountable lifelong experiences of criticism, negativity and the hopelessness of gaining widespread support. It is who she is, and who she's always been that she proudly revels in, with nonconformity and no apologies. She professes, that in the midst of all of this, she, herself, has dictated who she reflects as a person, as an artist . . . as a woman, with no regrets and no one or no thing she would accommodate or change. The pure and signature sound of the song is one of the more straight ahead, easy riding rock based productions found on the album. It is clearly on the verge of radio-friendly and single worthy, all while doubling as one of the more predominant 'album cuts' found throughout the track-listing. One of the most notable qualities is Cifarelli's use of vocal production with regard to the the background assists in the hook of the song — simple, yet big, airy and celestial.
The album comes to its ending with the mind-bending and mind-blowing, up-tempo hard alternative rocker, "The Creeps." If this conflagrated fire-breathing ripper doesn't move you, it's probably safe to say you're quadriplegic. Based on a true life tale (as is most of Cifarelli's compositions), it an expression of release from a grudge and maybe even a calling out of her offender, however, it is articulated lyrically with nothing more than light-hearted wit. Konietzko's bass playing not only thumps in support of the rhythm section, but sporadically is left alone to shine with reverberating bass guitar magic. And while Selway's drumming is hammering throughout the song's three-and-a-half minutes, guest guitarist, Jules Hodgson absolutely fills 'Creeps' with progressively massive, hard chorded fretboard fun. Another accolade towards Cifarelli's vocal delivery—if you like quintessential '80s-styled post-punk/power-pop singing, this is without a shadow of a doubt, your song.
Inside Lyrics coverart
No God Here comes in two formats (pictured), as a single-sleeve, 180-gram heavyweight vinyl LP, and a gatefold compact disc album. The vinyl record includes a double-sided, custom color printed insert, which contains all lyrics, album credits and acknowledgements. The compact disc variant does not contain lyrics but contains all the additional information as does the LP — a simple reason that you should own both. The vinyl and the CD media resonate with flawless playback sound quality in regard to the manufacturing. The album, in totality, was mixed to perfection by Sascha Konietzko and Lucia Cifarelli at Kommandozentrale Studios in Hamburg, Germany, Benjamin Lawrenz at Chameleon Studios, also in Hamburg, Veronica Ferraro at French Audio Village in France, and immaculately mastered by Lawrenz, as well. It is with great recommendation that Goldmine urges our readers to reward yourselves with your choice in media format, or a copy of each. This is without a doubt, one of the most prolific albums of the year.
TRACK-LISTING:
01) Paper Tiger 02) Dark Horse 03) No God Here 04) Lights Out 05) Hit Where It Hurts 06) High On You 07) Matches & Gasoline 08) Valhalla 09) Believe 10) The Creeps
