click and go!Sielwolf interview; Blackout: Electronic Bands Drain Long Island's Power Resources; Corpus, Syn:drom; Margot Day; KMFDM, MDFMK cd single; Songs From the Wasteland: A Tribute to the Mission UK; Noxious Emotion, Count Zero; TriAna, The Color of Sound; Tribes of Neurot;Static Migration Bob Xark's Gargoyle Wings
Blackout: Electronic Bands Drain Long Island's Power Resources
Don't be put off by the ridiculously long-winded title and the weird cover, if you like electro, you need this, especially since none of your silly little friends have heard most of these bands, and you know it's your mission to enlighten them. Some, like The Aggression's Airlily are firmly entrenched in old-school EBM, while others, like Blind's 21st Century Slave mix in metal and electronica elements. Then some belong in the experimental (or to some, true industrial) genre, like Controlled Bleeding's Poisoner Excerpt. And then some get into the realm of the ultra freaky, like Deep Fried Clams, The Life and Death of Chris Cage (what do you want to call this, red-neck industrial?), and of course, the world reknown Dystopia One's touching, head-banging ode to actor, director, writer Steve Buscemi, Steve Buscemi. There's even "goth" oriented music, like F.I.L. (Unpaid Bills), and it's good! And then there's the stuff we all know and love, industrial dance, provided happily by Mindframe (Makeshift), Nefarius (O.B.I.T.), NeoCyberChrist (Syntax), Polymorph 3.1 (psychOphySioloGicaLneurAlmasTerbationN), Psycho Horror (Expulsion), Side 3 (Afflictive) (it's odd how all the industrial dance comes in this one big chunk towards the end, but lemme, tell ya, it's all good. Not a clinker in the bunch). Then there's some phunky stuph from VD, featuring Murder One called Check Up From the Neck Up, which I think completely destroys FatBoy Slim (with whom I am disappointed: all the songs start out good, but degenerate into bad disco). It all ends up with (vaginal) clensing ritual, What Barbara Like Most About the Bahamas, which begins with samples from a porn film over an ambient soundtrack and then becomes something even weirder.I think this disk is divinely inspired. I had no idea that there was so much talent on the island just to the east of me. I'm impressed. I'm humbled. Now go buy this damn thing before Dystopia One comes and kicks my ass.
None of the Above Music email:info@noneoftheabove.com
Songs From the Wasteland: A Tribute to the Mission UK
Gotta admit right here, all I know about The Mission UK fits in the cup of a training bra (well, I do know that they were the better part of Sisters of Mercy before they split off). And most of these bands doing the songs are considered "gothic," so I know very little about them too. I'm not going to quote from the press release. But you know what? I like it. Maybe I'm getting older. I've noticed this odd propensity among some formerly very hard core people I know to get into "goth" stuff as they get older, as the youthful anger settles into an unsettling and ever-present depression I guess. Regardless, historically, traditional, goth is certainly more melodic than the majority of stuff I listen to, so I can certainly see its appeal.It's good. You're gonna like it. Very powerful stuff, strong and pretty (but you already know that). I like Hotbox's, Wake (RSV) (dag, that girl sounds like Siouxsie) and Tungsten Coil's version of Serpents Kiss, but I guess that just goes along with my head-banging tendencies.
For the savvier than I, the lineup is as follows: Society Burning, Naked and Savage, The Last Dance, Deliverance, Christ Analogue, Garden of Delight, Wreckage, Tower of Strength, Stone 588, Spider and the Fly, Fahrenheit 451, Wasteland, The Shroud, Severina, Purr Machine, Butterfly on a Wheel, Cruciform, The Grapes of Wrath, Desmo Donte, Raising Cain, Ex-Voto, Blood Brother, Human Drama, Kingdom Come, and Eva O. with Stun Gun, Love Me to Death. Wrap yourself in velvet, light some incense, curl with with a good cat and listen.
And, oh shit, Chase, I love that cover art.
reconstriction
Bob Xark's Gargoyle Wings
You know, this ain't as goofy as I thought it was going to be. It's sort of like a very harsh electro Joy Division, or an industrial Wall of Voodoo, extremely rhythmic (but don't call this a dance CD, kids), very noisy, very poetic. I like Pesticides Gasoline and Fast Food Stop N Shop; it's sort of like a white trash PiL. But the disk is very varied, so you're bound to find something you like. Lots of guitars, kids. I know some of you don't like that.Bomb Sniffing Dog records
Margot Day
In light of Madonna's newly "gothic" look and feel, I'd like to suggest that at least half of you
more adventurous souls who purchased that little product go out and buy yourself something
artistic and original, like Margot Day. Margot has a lovely lilting voice, the songs are fresh
and inventive... it's all the things new electronic music should be. If you like Nina Hagen or Kate
Bush you're gonna like Margot Day. Besides, you'll never hear a Godzilla sample in a Madonna
song.
Future records, PO Box 47, NE Kingdom, Craftsbury, VT 05826
KMFDM; MDFMK CD single
Talla 2xlc is god. ok? He does 2 remixes of Megalomaniac on this CD single and the beats are so scorching. Even on my little computer cd player they just thump in your chest deeply. TVT is pushing Anarchy with lead vocals by Tim Skold as the single (it's oh-so NIN-dustrial), but I bet you'll hear the Talla remixes in clubs. Regardless, you know you want it. Give into temptationtvt records
Corpus, Syn:drom;
No longer Corpus Delicti, and no longer gothic, the newly harsh Corpus throw themselves into the industrial/metal crossover genre with a fury. I can't imagine how their older fans are going to react to this switch, but I, being a headbanger from way back, welcome it. The sound is very much like what industrial was leaning towards in the early 90-- heavy guitar, syncopated deep rhythms, harsh vocals--but Syn:drom has the luxury of hindsight. Nowhere does this become a metal album, and the overdone hard rock elements that constantly plagued bands like Armageddon Dildoes are replaced with techno. You will be reminded of the Dildoes, and also early 90s KMFDM, and maybe at some points even Megadeth when they were in their speed metal phase, but the sound is original and the beats relentless!Season of Mist; Email: season@worldnet.fr
Noxious Emotion, Count Zero
I definitely gotta give props to Noxious Emotion in erup#4 because I spent that whole rant dissing William Gibson, and judging by the name of this album, they like the guy. Count Zero is a tightly constructed, well-conceived album. It works as a whole, and the songs can stand alone. Noxious Emotion sound a little like a more controlled, less religious Mentallo and the Fixer, especially in their copious use of new-wave style keyboards mixed with harsh vocals and hard beats. Lyrics focus on ditching the diseased body, breaking out of the sack of skin that keeps us contained. But for those of you who just came to dance, you won't be disappointed.ADSR Musicwerks, 1106 E Republica, Seattle, WA 98102
noxious emotion site
TriAna, The Color of Sound;
Think ambient soundscape with vocals, tinged with early Cure. The Color of Sound is moody and introspective, but definitely not darkwave. More like Moroder and Kraftwerk. Highly electronic, but many sweet piano riffs drift in, adding a bit of softness to the digitalness of this disk.TriAna
Tribes of Neurot;Static Migration
Just to briefly explain, Tribes of Neurot is a collective of artists working within the constructs of exploring the concept of neurosis. Upcoming projects include more music, along with performance, ritual, video, film and print (what? No chocolate bars? A little Laibach humor...). On this record, they worked with Walking Time Bombs' Scott Ayers, who added guitar over the ritualistic rhythms. Again, think PiL (especially the Flowers of Romance period, when they were really good). Some of it's tribal, some ambient, but it's all stunning, just breath-takingly good music. And now, let me go off on my little tangent: the CD jacket is so pretty. Stamped silver on this lovely grey mottled paper, a beautifully precise design on the cover, no type... the sound you hear is a well-satisfied sigh... I just get crazy when I see quality jacket design! Also, this particular jacket design gives you a good idea of the product inside, it is precise and metallic, pretty, unbalanced, provocative, all that good stuff.Release Records, PO Box 251, Millersville, PA 17551