Bielefeld doesn’t exist? Think again – and it’s loud!
Hailing from Bielefeld (a city in Germany, often the subject of a long-running national joke claiming it doesn’t exist) are Punk band Gehimratszecken. Yes, that Bielefeld. The joke has circulated for years: a satirical “conspiracy theory” suggesting the city is purely fictional, and anyone claiming to have been there must be part of the cover-up.
With their third album, ‘Mein Bester Trick‘, Gehimratszecken deliver the musical counterproof. If these 30 minutes didn’t exist, nothing would. Perhaps that’s their best trick: from a supposedly non-existent city comes an album that feels entirely real – painful, honest, funny, uncomfortable, and bursting with energy.
These 12 songs in 30 minutes are no coincidence, it’s a statement – ‘Mein Bester Trick‘ wastes no time. The guitars are sharp and direct, the drums push relentlessly forward, and the bass drives each track with solid force. This is melodic German punk in the spirit of the 1990s – straightforward, sincere, and full of conviction. At the same time, the album doesn’t feel nostalgic or outdated. The production is modern, powerful, and clear. Every chord lands with intent, every chorus hits hard. You can hear that this is a band who understands exactly how to combine catchy melodies with raw, unfiltered energy.
The sound feels rough but not unfinished – more like a sweaty youth club show amplified with contemporary punch. Between speed and defiance, choruses emerge that you’ll find yourself shouting along to after the first listen. ‘Brutal schneller Lärm‘ (Brutally Fast Noise), the closing track, is almost programmatic: the album sounds exactly like its title – direct, loud, and uncompromising.
Track-by-Track Deep Dive:
1. ‘Von Dosenschwanz und Hummerpfand‘
A title like a pub sign glowing in half-darkness. Right from the start, the band shows its flair for absurdity and sharp wordplay. The album opens with brash, unfiltered energy – you’re thrown straight into the middle of it.
2. ‘Internetionale‘
“Freedom on a leash” – rarely has the digital present been captured so precisely. Likes replace intimacy, opinions disappear into the void, and the internet becomes a stage without a real audience. The biting line, “that would be 1,000 likes (for sure) if you hanged yourself here,” is deliberately uncomfortable, exposing the indifference of a hyperconnected world. A bold and socially relevant statement.
3. ‘Außer Gefahr‘
Emotionally restrained yet deeply affecting. “No thoughts, no feelings” repeats like a monotone mantra. The image of the “best friend iPhone” feels painfully accurate. Instead of dramatizing isolation, the band presents it in a sober, almost detached way – which makes it even more powerful.
4. ‘Lass uns da nicht drüber reden‘
A relationship crisis unfolding in slow motion. Swollen neck veins, overflowing ashtrays, silence louder than any argument. Musically and emotionally, the band shows a keen sense of dynamics and tension.
5. ‘Egalegalegal‘
Self-irony meets resignation. “Sweatpants, no job” – a chorus that sticks instantly. Despite the apparent lethargy, there’s humor here. This isn’t surrender; it’s sharp self-observation with a wink.
6. ‘I got you, Babe‘
Pig catapult, horse catapult – absurd, grotesque, almost Dadaist. And precisely because of that, it works. The track adds a layer of dark humor and proves that Gehimratszecken never take themselves too seriously.
7. ‘Wurmloch‘
A journey through time and identity. Between sci-fi imagery and emotional reflection, this becomes one of the album’s most atmospheric and introspective moments.
8. ‘Kapitalismus und Feierabend‘
Driving rhythms meet sharp social commentary. “Love everything that yields profit / and drive the car into the wall” – a striking metaphor for collective self-destruction.
9. ‘Nur ein Wort‘
Love reduced to an empty phrase. “Like red cabbage or drone warfare” – the comparison hits hard. The track feels resigned, yet never completely hopeless.
10. ‘Idioten‘
A pressure valve. Frustration, overload, the feeling of being surrounded by barriers. But beneath the anger lies vulnerability rather than hatred – and that makes the song relatable.
11. ‘Gebührensöhne‘
Bureaucracy as the ultimate antagonist. A song about small-scale helplessness that feels concrete and painfully familiar.
12. ‘Brutal schneller Lärm‘
The finale is pure release. Loud, direct, uncompromising – as if the band is letting everything out one last time before the lights come on.
‘Mein Bester Trick‘ is more than just the third album from a German punk band from East Westphalia. It’s a sharp time capsule balancing digital overstimulation, political disillusionment, and personal self-reflection. Despite its critical edge, the album remains accessible, melodic, and surprisingly dynamic.
And perhaps this thought lingers most: If a band from a city that supposedly doesn’t exist can release something this tangible, honest, and alive – how many other truths are we overlooking simply because we assume they aren’t there?
Get your copy on digital download from HERE and on vinyl from the band at their shows.
- Von Dosenschwanz und Hummerpfand
- Internetionale
- Außer Gefahr
- Lass uns da nicht drüber reden
- Egalegalegal
I got you, Babe - Wurmloch
- Kapitalismus und Feierabend
- Nur ein Wort
- Idioten
- Gebührensöhne
- Brutal schneller Lärm
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I’m Florian “Flo” Reith, based in Düsseldorf, Germany. Since 2009, I’ve been living for live music – over 1000 shows, 200+ cities, 30+ countries. The camera was there from the very beginning: I tried to capture every gig I went to. Over time, things became more professional and more structured and somewhere along the way, I discovered writing too. I love supporting new and unknown bands. Whether it’s behind the merch stand, working as a roadie, helping organize shows, or sometimes co-promoting them myself – I’m always down to jump in where I’m needed. But let’s be honest: my favourite place will always be the pit – front row, dust, sweat, and pure mosh pit chaos!
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