Name: Falk Kollmannsperger
Email address: hawkk (at) metal-observer (dot) com
Functions: Reviews
Compatible styles: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Speed/Thrash, Death Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal
Incompatible styles: Nu-Metal, Grunge, Neo-Thrash
Thoughts on the main Metal genres:
Black Metal: I like the wide spectrum of this genre. From Seventies Rock a la BLACK WIDOW over  melodic Eighties Metal a la WITCHFYNDE and MERCYFUL FATE, pure madness like old IMPALED NAZARENE, IMPIETY etc. etc, technically very profound combos such as BEHEMOTH or MORBID ANGEL up to bombastic bands of the DIMMU BORGIR and CRYPTIC WINTERMOON kind. As long as the lyrics are occult, it all is Black Metal. Because no matter, if well formulated or cheap propaganda (even though the lyrics of most bands really are unimportant anyway). I hate, though, just as in AOR, the inbreeding of many musicians and their countless side projects.
Death Metal: The music has to grip me, make me headbang and go nuts. Variety is an absolute must. I totally hate total fuddling, but from dumb blasting a la HELLHAMMER over slow, hateful Death Metal like ASPHYX to technical sounds of the DEATH and BROKEN HOPE category I know no boundaries. But an acceptable sound is a must.
Thrash Metal: Where are the border lines between Speed and Thrash. Anyway, besides the speed there also has to be melody or accessibility, otherwise the music doesn’t give me anything. From highly melodic such as SAVAGE GRACE to dumb thrashing a la old SEPULTURA and the music always has to remain aggressive.
Progressive Metal: From THRESHOLD to the debuts of WATCHTOWER and MEKONG DELTA I like almost everything, from super long, epic parts with spheric sounds, foreign instruments and intricate song fragments up to short solo escapades everything is in there. Just a song has to be recognisable as a song. Ego trips of musicians of wild instrument showing off I cannot stand, though.
Doom Metal: The most underrated sub-genre of Metal. I like the honesty and the feeling as well as the heaviness of this style. Who plays Doom Metal has to be in it with heart and soul, because commercial thoughts have no place, meaning that you cannot make money with Doom. From puristic such as ST.VITUS over theatrical like CANDLEMASS or rocking like CATHEDRAL up to super melodic stuff such as WHILE HEAVEN WEPT or hippie-like (TROUBLE) or harsh such as ORODRUIN, even experimental like the really old BLACK SABBATH (there’s nothing that isn’t there).
Gothic Metal: I like the darkness, the mystery, the morbid feeling. The super sad moods of some bands. What I do not like, though, is the thin wailing of many wanna be singers. From poppy sounds a la HAVAYOTH to orchestral beauty, as in the case of ELEND, this is my realm.
Melodic/Heavy/Power Metal: I like the full cliche, leather, bolts, chains, death and devil. The guitars have to smoke, the bass has to pump, the drums have to thunder across the plains and the vocals have to grip me by the balls, the shriller the better. Here, too, I need a certain accessibility and comprehensible melody lines.
Nicknames: Motzky, Arschloch, Hawk
Time at TMO: October 2001
How came at TMO: Via colleague Henn
The best thing as a TMO writer: To write reviews about albums unjustly forgotten
The worst thing as a TMO writer: Nothing
Statistics:
Reviews 658
Underground 65
Interviews 2
Live reviews 1
Articles 0
Specials 0

Birthday: August 4, 1972
Birth town: Enkenbach-Alsenborn, Germany
Present location: Kirchheim-Bolanden, Germany
Job: Landscape-designer
Languages: German and broken English
Hobbies: Fuck and "you know what", drinking
Pet peeves: People, who talk trash, ass-kissers, animal-tormentors
Phobia(s): KREATOR - Outcast?
I, about myself: Short-haired, weighing 110 kg (242 lbs), irascible, willing to help (gets used too often), honest, direct (often to disadvantage), Die Hard-fan, wear glasses.
Funny childhood story: nothing that would be half way funny

How I came into Heavy Metal: Over EUROPE’s „The Final Countdown“ and the „Hard’n’Heavy“-show on HR3 (local station)

First Metal CD ever bought:

Most embarrassing CD in your collection: Faithful Breath – „Fading Beauty“
First Metal concert: Status Quo

What did Metal teach me about life: Absolutely nothing.
Band & previous band experiences: None
Instrumental talents: None
Favourite bands: Saxon, U.D.O., King Diamond, Fifth Angel, Cirith Ungol, Razor, Vow Wow, Gravestone, Lanfear, Trance, Manilla Road, Grim Reaper, Cryptic Wintermoon, Dead Kennedys, Attitude, Broken Bones, Bloodgood, Nasty Savage, Vanden Plas, The Brandos, Bal-Sagoth, Saint Vitus, Wargasm, Status Quo...
Least favourite bands: Blind Guardian
Sound you'd like to have banned: None
Most overrated bands: Edguy, newer Savatage
Most underrated bands: Lefay, Avalanch(e), Bal-Sagoth
Favourite musician: Chuck Schuldiner, Biff Byford
Favourite album cover: Manilla Road - Mystification
10 favourite albums:
Death - Scream Bloody Gore
Best Death Metal-album of all times!

Accept - Balls To The Wall
No comment!

Motörhead - Rock'n'Roll
My first MOTÖRHEAD-album, memories of my youth

May-Linn - May-Linn
Under-produced, dark Melodic Metal-album with great vocals and great songs

Living Death - Metal Revolution
Catchy, odd Thrash Metal-gem, shrill vocals

Exciter - Dark Command
Best album since "HM Maniac", a power that breaks chains, an incredible singer, murderous guitars, this piece kills everything in a diameter of 10 km.

Seasons Of The Wolf - Nocturnal Revelation
US-Power Metal, which easily can live up to the genre-greats, like e.g. CIRITH UNGOL, MANILLA ROAD, METAL CHURCH; dark, catchy, monumental.

Magnum - Vigilante
Bombast Hard Rock, great arrangements, the best melodies of all times, great cover, perfect!!!

Manilla Road - Open The Gates
The masters of Epic Fantasy Metal, an album full of hymns for eternity, the songs ooze of atmosphere, which you just have to experience for yourself! Unique and brilliant!

Razor - Exhumed
Very rare best of-DCD of the Canadian Thrash-bedrock, who doesn't know songs like "Evil Invaders", "Cross Me Fool", "Take This Torch", "Edge Of The Razor"... may not call himself Metalhead. At least as great as old SLAYER, KREATOR, EXODUS, but without copying them, because RAZOR have their own style.

Favourite films: Braveheart, Good Will Hunting, The Green Mile
Favourite books: The Firm, Lord of the Rings, Everything of Karl May
Favourite food: Everything, that makes fat and is not healthy
Favourite drink: Beer and Jack Daniels
Favourite smokes: Goldfield
Which song should be played at your funeral: Exciter - HM Maniac, says it all, right?
Idol(s): Billy
Person you'd like to meet: Noone, this way I won't get disappointed
Catchphrase:
Biggest thrill in life (so far): The second Sex
Goal in life: Walk upright
Secret: If I said that, it would be no secret anymore.