"Chaos Compilation" is a strong collection featuring 16 different aggressive electronic bands. Most are COP International acts, but material has been licensed from such other top electronic labels as Zoth Ommog and 21st Circuitry. Because of their similar traits, the songs fit together well. The music is generally heavy without being too noisy, is highly structured, and guitars often play a role but remain in the background. Of course, the beats are danceable and there's also plenty of weird electronic sounds. One of the stronger, and most unusual tracks, is Deathline Int'l's cover of "Tainted Love." Unlike Soft Cell's minimalistic version, this one layers the synths and guitars into a sonic onslaught. Another highlight is Index's "Static Sky," which has a rough, yet energetic feel that brings to mind the lower-tech industrial music of the 80's. Battery's "Never More (Zen Mix)" stands out because it has more of an ethereal electronic sound than the other tracks. This compilation is particularly good because with the bigger bands (like BiGod 20), it doesn't include the obvious choices (the hit single or extremely obscure track). "Chaos Compilation" succeeds at the most important things - bringing together good music, both well-known and more underground. For any electronic music fan looking to expand their horizons, it is a must-have.
The music of Scorn is best described as ambient, but in a very different way than that of artists usually given that label (The Orb, Aphex Twin, etc.) Scorn's sound is very gothic and dark, but at the same time has a warm, organic feel to it. Many of the tracks are instrumentals that have spoken samples weaving in and out, though a few have more traditional sung vocals. The music is particularly interesting because the band manages to incorporate dub baselines into the mix, which is unexpected but extremely effective. The tribal rhythms work well with the eerie synthesized orchestral sounds. Scorn don't really sound like anyone else. The overall mood of their music brings to mind In The Nursery, but Scorn focus much more on rhythms than melody. While they are highly unusual, Scorn do create music that is very accessible, so "Evanescence" should appeal to dance and gothic fans as well as anyone else looking for something a bit different.
With electronics opening up so many musical possibilities, it's unfortunate to hear bands like Informatik so blatantly ripping off other people. On much of "Direct Memory Access" it's as if the group set out trying to make their MIDI equipment duplicate their favorite bands' sounds without ever once thinking about what else it could do. "At Your Command" could pass for a Skinny Puppy outtake, while "Autonomous" combines Front Line Assembly's percussion with Front 242 sequences. "Peril Eyes" could be KMFDM if the vocals showed any sign of singing ability behind the distortion, and the list goes on and on. The sad thing is that there are actually a few great tracks here. "I Confess" is well-crafted and combines dreamy synths with dancy beats and creative use of spoken samples. Not many bands combine techno and industrial this well, so it's really a shame Informatik couldn't make a whole album like this. A cover of "Immigrant Song" is also interesting and effective. The overall production of "Direct Memory Access" is very good, so it's too bad the band didn't present more interesting material.
Eat Static truly represent techno music at its best. "Implant" is full pounding bass lines and heavy beats topped with creatively manipulated samples and synth sounds. It represents a style of music that was somewhat overshadowed by ambient and other genres before it had come close to running its course. "Implant" builds upon the early rave music; highly repetitive but with parts creatively weaving in and out, beats that you can't help want to dance to despite their simplicity, and a highly improvisational use of the technology. But Eat Static are by no means living in the past; "Implant" features a much more diverse array of sounds than similar releases. A few tracks also show Eat Static incorporating elements of ambient while still remaining highly danceable.
The latest release from Battery presents a nice mix of electronic music ranging from 80's-sounding synth pop ("Shame") to Skinny Puppy-style industrial (Electric Motor Burn). The trio seems more interested in experimenting with the technology than fitting into any one pre-conceived category. While many tracks are reminiscent of other bands, Battery always introduce their own touches and their overall sound is very unique. The songs featuring the voice of Maria Azevedo on lead rather than Evan Sornstein are generally better, as she is a stronger singer. Overall, "NV" is very creative sounding. There's quite a range of styles present, and even those tracks that don't really work as songs are still fascinating to listen too.
Boston's You Shriek have released several demo cassettes, but "Grim," their debut CD, features all-new material. "Grim" features three different songs, with two extra, radically remixed versions of the title tracks. There's still a gothic edge and slightly dark mood, but the industrial elements of their older material have been downplayed in favor of a cleaner electronic sounds. The only really weak track is "Singularity (gently falling), a techno-oriented song that lacks the depth to make up for its highly repetitive nature. The main version of "Grim" sounds the most like You Shriek's older material, with an aggressive synth bass line and sweeping vocal parts that provide a good showcase for Raziel Panic's singing ability. "First Cut" is quite a bit quieter and sounds a bit like a Peter Murphy song. Remixed by Robotkid from Institute of Technology, "Grim (reality)" bears little resemblence to the original version. It starts out with a very trancy feel before getting into Aphex Twin-style percussion and then going back again. "Grim (shadow)" doesn't stray quite as far but is much more dance-oriented that the original. (Deactiv Entertainment, 90 Wareham St., Boston, MA, 02118).
El Dopa features former Think Tree member Krishna Venkatesh on vocals and electronics, but the music is a far cry from his former bands. It's more straight-forward rock with elements of funk. Most of the tracks start off with weird samples and sound collages, but then the guitar, bass and drums take over. The musicianship is tight, though the songs are often undistinctive. The fact that the samples weren't given a bigger part within the framework of the songs comes as a big disappointment, because it would give the album the added edge it desperately needs. Instead, they seem to be added as an after thought. The two songs that stand out are the hip-hop tinged "Sammy" and "People We Trust," a track that brings to mind Oingo Boingo. (Boggieman Records, PO Box 391144, Cambridge, MA, 02139)
Though it includes only four tracks, don't be fooled into thinking "A Day On Our Planet" is an EP. Clocking in at 72:21 minutes, the CD doesn't contain a song shorter than 16 minutes. SpiceLab is one of Oliver Lieb's many projects, which is highly evident in the sound. Combining ambient sounds with dance beats, but the music has just enough melodic elements to rise above being background music without adopting traditional song structure. The tracks are long, but they are constantly changing and introducing new elements. Though not as good as Lieb's last album as Ambush, "A Day On Our Planet" is still top-notch.
Acumen are sometimes reminiscent of Chem Lab, but their sound is generally less polished and more punk. Hip-hop style percussion loops are combined with rock drums and samples to create an interesting foundation for the songs, which are driven by melodic metal guitars and the occasional sustained synth. While none of the tracks particularly stand out, they all have good hooks and show some originality. Those who like to hear electronics and guitars mixing but are sick of the Ministry clones will undoubtably appreciate Acumen's more melodic approach.
Auteurs fans may not appreciate these radically altered versions of 4 songs from the "Now IÕm a Cowboy Album," but fans of electronic music will. The hard analog noises work surprisingly well with the melodic parts that µ-Ziq has chosen to keep. Unlike many similar projects, no vocals are kept from the original recordings. µ-Ziq has releases 2 albums on Richard James' Rephlex Records, and there are many musical similarities between the two musicians. As expected, the music is altered to the point that fans of the original songs may not immediately recognize them here.
On "Journey To The Planet Pod," Holmes D. Ives delivers an impressive collection of highly melodic electronic tracks. Falling somewhere between acid house and ambient, the mid-tempo compositions feature a very creative use of sounds. "Hinge" takes a repeating sample of a squeaking hinge and wraps it in a dreamy web of electronic noise, while several tracks use highly treated vocal samples as instrument sounds. The tracks give all the individual parts room to breath, showcasing Ive's compositional skills. The mood in generally dark, and at times brings to mind Delerium's more digital sounding work.
The smooth, highly melodic compositions and extensive use of piano sounds on "Chill Out Sector" make the album something that would probably also work in the New Age Market. A nice minimalist feel is evident throughout. "Sad Sequence," for example, is driven by a simple synth bass line whose timbre slowly changes as the track progresses. "Chill Out Sector" has a warm, highly digital sound that brings together obviously electronic noise with more natural, orchestral ones. Though only 8 tracks are listed, letting the CD play will bring you to an additional song even more dominated by piano sounds.
Not enough artists are combining the intensity of industrial with the sounds of techno, but Cubanate show how good the result can be. The beats are very heavy, and pitchbending plays a big role, but most of the tracks on "Antimatter" also feature angry distorted vocals. The song structures are very much in the techno vein, with pulsing basslines that are repetitive rather than progressive. Guitar sounds play a role in the music, but they are so radically altered they blend in perfectly with the electronics.
On "Five Man Job," Penal Colony have enlisted 5 different bands to mix the tracks. Front Line Assembly are featured most prominently, working on the first five tracks. Sonically, these songs fall somewhere between their "Caustic Grip" and MillenniumÓ albums. Laether Strip's two mixes are less dense, and the songs themselves feature much more of a range in the vocals. Spahn Ranch's mix of "Blue Nine (Sin)" has a bouncy, techno flavor to it. Psychic TV's 3 contributions are the most interesting, as they have a less synthetic sound than the others and bring the vocals more to the forefront. The album is rounded out by a T.H.D. mix of "Extremist" with a hip-hop edge that makes it very different from the PTV mix of the same song. Penal Colony themselves add a mix of "Reconciled (No Remorse)." While it is interesting to hear various artists adding their style to Penal Colony songs, the material itself isn't really very strong. The group is obviously influenced by many of these bands, and their songs often sound like out takes from them.
Thanks to an extremely wide assortment of electronic noises and a highly melodic nature, "The Generation and Motion of A Pulse" is one of the strongest ambient releases ever. The often harsh samples create a very gloomy mood, but the melodic aspects prevent it from becoming too dark sounding. A lot of ambient artists seem to be afraid of melody, but Omicron proved how well it can supplement the mood-creating sound manipulation. The arrangements on the CD are pretty minimal, although a lot goes on in each individual track. The music constantly changes, bringing new and surprising elements into the song. "Metabolic Wave," for example brings in an unexpected techno bass line half way through the track. "Box" is fairly quiet, until the end when a loud, alien sounding synth part takes control. "The Generation and Motion of A Pulse" is a very innovative, futuristic sounding album that grabs your attention rather than serving as back ground music.
The biggest problem with this CD is its muddy production, which is lacking on the high-end sound. This is particularly noticeable on the lyrics and drums. Musically, the album doesn't break any new ground and brings to mind Prayer Tower,. Gracious Shades and Nine Inch Nails (though not at the same time). But the tracks are very song-oriented, and core member dA Sebasstian does shine as a composer and lyricist. The group is definitely on the right track, now they just have to craft their sound a bit more so they truly do justice to their material.
The Cd brings together the hard to find "Ten Ton Pressure" EP and remixes of 4 "Burn Out At The Hydrogen Bar." The remixes, of "Chemical Halo," "21th Century, "Coedine, Glue, and You," and "Filament" are all worth having. They don't stray too far from the original versions, but they do bring the electronics more into the forefront and are well suited to club play. The 3 "Ten Ton Pressure" are generally weaker and less distinctive, but that's expected from older material. By combining old and more recent "Magnetic Field Remixes + 10 Ten Pressure" provides a good introduction to the band and a document of their evolution. If the progression heard on the CD is any indication, the next Chem Lab album will be well worth the wait.
Like Cubanate, Digital Poodle's music has the sounds of techno and the intensity of industrial. But Digital Poodle's music is entirely electronic, and vocal's don't generally take on as important a role. Digital Poodle's songs feature a huge array of interesting electronic noises, and the band knows exactly what to do with them. While avoiding the traditional verse-chorus song structure, Digital Poodle's music is very melodic. As a result, "Noisea" is both highly experimental and accessible.
"Amber" has a warmer, less abrasive sound than Autechre's last album and is often reminiscent of Polygon Window. Eerie synth noises play simple, repetitive melodies and are usually backed by harsh electronic percussion. At times, robotic, Kraftwerk-like sequences make an appearance, but the music generally has a very organic feel. Many of the synth sounds bring to mind Thomas Dolby's "Flat Earth" album, which is a nice change to the over used Roland 303.
"Enchantments" provides a good introduction to the hard electronic acts on Cleopatra. It's particularly interesting because it combines tracks from recent new releases (Penal Colony, Digital Poodle) with songs from re-issues of older material (Laibach, Front Line Assembly). The tracks included aren't necessarily the best from each band, though. The Electric Hellfire Club's "Night Of The Buck Knives," for example, is actually one of their weaker tracks. But the music is extremely varied, from the completely electronic sounds of Digital Poodle and Noise Unit to the more-guitar oriented works of Die Krupps and Noise Box. All of the 16 featured bands are top-notch, and most of the material is strong, so "Enchantments" is perfect for anyone looking to expand their musical horizons.
Because EBN are just as much a multimedia performance group as they are a band, there was some question as to how they would fare in the audio-only format. But the group has succeeded with "Telecommunication Breakdown," their first full-length album. Produced by the band and Jack Dangers, "Telecommunication Breakdown" has a very smooth, unforced feel. Some tracks feature the voice of frontman Josh Pearson, while other just contain the manipulated samples that the group is famous for. One song, "Shoot The Mac 10" features guest rapper Melle Mell (of The Furious Five). The use of samples work particularly well because of the huge number of them and the skillful manipulation. EBN donÕt just take recognizable samples to give their songs a hook, they use them as the raw material. Because of EBN's non traditional approach to music, it takes a few listenings to fully appreciate "Telecommunication Breakdown." But once you do, youÕll marvel at the bands creative manipulation of found sounds.
The music on "Dear Valued Customer" is a bit less focused than that on their last CD ("Lies Inc."), something that causes the monotone vocals to be more of a drawback. But it does have a harder, more experimental electronic sound, so at least it doesnÕt sound like a rehash of the last album. Again, the music is very dark and political, but Snog come across more sincere than many bands because their songs are consistent (and not each trying to force a different message upon listeners). Though not quite as good as "Lies Inc.," Snog's latest effort is still a strong collection of mid-tempo, purely electronic industrial music.
"Nihil" is a nice surprise because it shows the band moving away from the metal-sound of "Angst" in favor of a better electronic/guitar balance. The guitars still play a prominent role, but the overall sound is similar to that of Sascha's last Excessive Force album. The smooth production allows the melodic aspects of the songs to shine through, and a female vocalist provides the perfect complement to the harsh, distorted singing of Sascha and En Esch. Expertly crafted sequences provide a strong foundation for the songs, and the guitars are powerful yet restrained. One word of warning - you might want to turn down your stereo for the final track, which is driven by loud, grinding guitar and starts unexpectedly after a period of silence.
The first two tracks of this 3 song EP,"Mind Machine" and "Manna" are pretty generic industrial-thrash. The beats are heavy and effective, and the samples counter the guitars well, but the material itself isn't particularly interesting. The vocals sound like distorted whispers and a complete lack of hooks makes it difficult to differentiate between the two tracks. Remixed by BiGod 20's Zip Campisi, "Future Automatic {Proton mix]" fares much better. Most of the guitars are stripped away, and a dancy electronic soundscape is formed around the vocals. (COP International, 981 Aileen St., Oakland, CA, 94608.)
Lots of bands are combining thrash and industrial these days, but few are bringing heavy electronics together with more melodic rock music. The four songs on "deus ex machina" could easily be performed with a standard guitar/bass/drums set-up, but instead DIRTUNDERgOD have chosen in incorporate seuqencers and samplers. Because the music is hard but not particularly noisy, it's easy to hear that the group obviously put a lot of thought into their sound. The "real" drums are perfect compliments to the electronics ones, and the synth lines counter the guitars well (especially on "New Death"). Throughout, the vocals are strong and show more range than one would expect from semi-electronic music. With so many industrial metal groups around, it's nice to see a band using electronics on slower, grungier rock music. (World Wide Propaganda, 15 Catherwood St. Suite #202, Ithaca, New York, 14850.)
While Test DeptÕs recent techno-oriented music is easier to listen to their noisy earlier work, their skills at percussion and rhythm remain intact. Some of the tracks with vocals, such as "Pax Americans" and "A Bird Or A Bullet" in some ways sound similar to Nitzer Ebb but are vastly superior. Test DeptÕs music is deceptive because while it features many, many layers of sound, it is extremely focused. The tracks feature the hooks needed to be instantly likable, but repeated listening reveals quite a bit of depth. The tracks on "Legacy" range from industrial to techno to dub, often combining these styles with unexpected results. Test Dept manage to make their music highly experimental, without forgetting to write "songs."
Occasionally reminiscent of Controlled Bleeding's more guitar-oriented work, Thorn play an appealing style of slightly grungy gothic music. The guitars are forceful, but there are no unnecessary thrash riffs here, and the percussion is a nice blend "real" drums and robotic sequences. Vocalist Jon Jesse yells most of the time, but quieter songs like "Desire" prove that he can sing melodically when he wants to. In general, "Bitter Potion" has a very harsh, yet organic sound. Thorn, a trio, creates fairly minimal music, but it is extremely powerful. This album will appeal to rock and industrial fans alike.
"New Words Machine" is truly a unique listening experience. The CD features six dark, twisted soundscapes that fuse together elements of ambient and industrial. Dead Voices On AirÕs soundtrack-style music is similar in some ways to that of Delerium, but the songs are quite a bit more rhythmic. Melody is non-existent, but the songs are surprisingly focused and the noise loops are able to carry them well. Most of the tracks are pretty quiet, with rhythms and samples weaving in and out unexpectedly. The actual noises are completely bizarre and alien sounding, but the overall musical tone is warm and entrancing (though extremely eerie). Dead Voices On Air consists of ex-Zoviet France member Mark Spybey, and three of the songs feature Skinny Puppy's cEvin Key.
Birmingham 6's aggressive rave-style music is reminiscent of Lords of Acid, only much darker. The vocals are industrial-sounding distorted yells, but the beats are pure techno. The track "Birmingham 6" is the groups strongest, but the entire album is decent. Though Birmingham 6 don't break any new ground, their music is very energetic and danceable. Like Lords of Acid and Messiah, Birmingham 6 take elements of early (and fun) commercial techno music (LA Style, Apotheosis) and twist it into their own style. The result is one of the few albums that will appeal equally to industrial/gothic fans and ravers.
Opium DenÕs second album shows them into a less noisy, more dreamy direction. Annette Kramer's soaring ethereal vocals are backed by simple yet unusual arrangements, creating a slightly eerie tone. The songs on "Secret Sky" are generally pretty quiet and mid-tempo, so the individual parts all come across well. The use of recorder and flute provides an interesting contrast to the guitar, bass, and ultra-clean percussion sounds. Much of the time, the drum parts of comprised of almost tribal sounding rhythms. Opium Den don't really sound like anyone else out there, but anyone who likes dark, odd-yet-accessible pop songs should find them appealing.
Vintage analog sounds are commonplace in todays dance music, but no one pushes them as far as Prototype 909. The trio creates highly original electronic compositions that truly take advantages of the nuances of the old equipment. Rather than just sampling their sounds, Prototype 909 build their compositions around rhythmic and melodic loops coming straight from the machines primitive sequencers. Prototype 909 are masters at manipulating the equipment and coming up with captivating, constantly changing electronic tracks. The beats make most of "Transistor Rhythm" highly danceable, but the highly experimental nature makes it stand up on its own outside of the club environment. Sampling plays a bigger role this time around, with vocal and noise samples appearing throughout the album. If you listen to "Transistor Rhythm" while working on a Mac, don't be surprised when you suddenly hear a system beep for no reason - Prototype 909 have sample it. While the electronic sounds could never be mistaken for "real" instruments, Prototype 909 succeed at the difficult task of using them while maintaining a human, improvisational feel.
Licensed from London's Kickin Music, "King Of The Jungle" provides a good introduction to Jungle music. The tracks are reminiscent of early acid house in many ways. Arrangements are pretty minimal, but the repetitive synth of percussion loops are manipulated very creatively, weaving in and out and complimenting each other well. Also like acid house, most of the tracks don't have anything resembling traditional vocals. The vocal samples aren't meant to carry the songs like a live singer would, they are just another sound in the mix. What separates Jungle from acid house is a much warmer sound, heard particularly in the beats. "King Of The Jungle" is a solid collection that for the most part avoids overly-commercial sounding tracks. Among the highlights are "You Don't Know" by The Invisible Man, an unusual track that combines eerie synth lines and ragga-style drums, and Area 39's "Twisted Brain" features ethereal vocals but is otherwise driven almost exclusively by percussion.
This four song demo is enjoyable, but it has too much of a generic goth/industrial sound. The lyrics are dark and sometimes morbid, pounding beats are topped by hard sequences and distorted guitars, and harsh samples pop up every once in a while. But the material is fairly strong, and the production is very polished and professional sounding. Once Pain Station achieve more of an identity and a sound of their own, they will have a good future ahead for them. (Pain Station, PO Box 140096, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45250-0096.)
A companion to the audio boxed set, this collection is even more valuable to fans because many of the videos are very difficult to see elsewhere. Combined, these collections feature 34 videos band ranging from current Wax Trax! artists (KMFDM, Sister Machine Gun) to those who have gone on to other labels (Front Line Assembly, Psychic TV). Highlights include KMFDM's "More and Faster" (featuring En Esch with hair!) and Coil's haunting rendition of Soft Cell's "Tainted Love." In terms of production values, some of the videos are very slick (such as the Front Line Assembly clips) while others look very low budget (like Chris Connelly's "Stowaway"). Anyone remotely interested in industrial music should check out this collection right away.
Canister's gothic/industrial rock sound isn't very interesting at all, and neither is their material. In a lot of ways, Canister sounds like a bad Joy Division clone, particularly when it comes to the bass lines. The guitars just seem to wander about aimlessly, and the obviously programmed drums are painfully uncreatively sequenced. Occasionally synth sounds will come in and liven things up a bit, but they sound like presets and are never given anything interesting to do. It would be possible to look beyond these things if the songs were remotely interesting, but they are not. The vocals are horrible, lacking any kind of range or power, and the lyrics sound like they were made up as the songs were being recorded. The songs contain any type of memorable hooks what so ever, and CanisterÕs sound itself certainly isn't memorable. (Apostrophe Records, 17 Marcy Street, Southbridge, MA 01550-1819.)
