ToMiK – “Mit offenen Augen” – TunedLoud Hit Radio

It is in these times, that bands like ToMiK is needed more than ever. They deliver music that electrifies and pulsates, that’s complex and guitar driven, along with lyrics that narrate socio-political topics which go close to the bone, and are insightful and informative. To be fair, ToMIk is actually an award-winning duo from Halle Germany, made up of Mike Pape and Thomas Spieß. They won awards in the categories “Best Rock Band”, “Best Rock Song 2021” and “Best Rock Album”, at the 39th German Rock & Pop Prize Awards 2021.

Currently signed to management Newcomer Music Management, ToMiK has released their brand new album “Mit offenen Augen – With Open Eyes”. Mike Pape and Thomas Spieß have created an album of ingenuity and, quite honestly, a record blistering in its execution.

This is probably ToMiK’s finest moment since their brilliant debut. Although there is raucous bombast within, there are moments when absolute refinement flows through, cooling down the tension. It is when ToMIK show their genius, and musical know how so well, that it is difficult not to notice.

Opening with the rhythmic and blistering fury of the title track “Mit offenen Augen”, the album kicks off on an explosive note with suspenseful buildups. Driving intro and verse aside, the chorus on “Rücken an der Wand REMASTERED” is simply incredible, with the singer belting at the top of his vocal range.

Crushing guitars bring in “Auf die Reise” which switches to an upbeat and mellifluous arrangement. It’s worth noting that the guitar tones across the record are carefully curated to demonstrate a distinct sound.

“10000 Wünsche” rides on a slow and steady groove before exploding into a full-blooded anthem with fiery guitar interludes. The track sees ToMiK expertly play with soft and heavy dynamics. As the album continues forward, it sees the duo continue to dig deeper into their sound.

“Schmutziges Geld REMASTERED” and “Sturm am Horizont REMASTERED”, blend alternative textures and ToMiK’s use of melody set against waves of crushing distortion and rock nostalgia.

“Adrenalin” and “Alles was man braucht”, is a pair of tracks that sound as if they were meant to be epic arrangements of highs and lows, led by gritty riffs, ambient verses, and massive choruses, accented by ripping solos. Instead, neither reach a duration of 4 minutes. That’s how much music ToMik pack into their tracks.

Next up is the grinding rhythm of “Nie genug”, followed by the sweeping airiness of “Lass mich frei”. ToMiK is a project that has been pushing boundaries from the very start, and they continue to break new ground within the context of their own sound.

“Wieder nach Haus” carves a compelling emotive edge with catchy, soaring melodies, before ToMiK add the radio edits of 3 songs previously heard on the album, namely, “Mit offenen Augen”, “Rücken an der Wand”, and “Sturm am Horizont”.

Overall, “Mit offenen Augen” is a fascinating album. It distills everything that makes ToMiK such an incredible duo. It balances propulsive bombast with captivating melody. This is a mature, focused and multifaceted recording, which was also, superbly arranged, engineered and produced.