Janus (musical project)
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Janus | |
|---|---|
_010.JPG) Janus, Amphi festival 2014 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Germany |
| Genres | Neue Deutsche Härte, electronic |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | Trisol |
| Members | Dirk "Rig" Riegert Tobias "Toby" Hahn |
| Website | knochenhaus.de |
Janus is a German musical project led by Dirk "Rig" Riegert and Tobias Hahn. The name comes from Roman mythology, specifically the god Janus, who ruled over gates and doors.
From the beginning, Janus consisted of only two members - Dirk "Rig" Riegert, songwriter and vocalist, and Tobias "Toby" Hahn, programmer and piano player. Throughout their albums Janus has used many guest musicians, up to and including an entire orchestra.
Despite positive criticism, the debut album Vater failed to attract much attention. However, with further releases, Janus gained more popularity within the German alternative scene.
Musical characteristics
The music style of Janus is not easy to define. It can be labeled as Neue Deutsche Härte with influences of drum and bass, trip hop, tango and film score elements.
Like the mythological god, Janus has two faces: aggressive electronic pieces, and ballads with acoustic instruments. In their concerts, Janus is often assisted by guest musicians, who can also be found on the albums, although they are not official members of the band.
Janus uses the German language to describe such human emotions as hate, despair, insanity, fear, and loss.
