I've said it a million times. Sometimes I wish I was an A&R Rep (although I'd probably get ill with the politics and quit within a week). I know I could do a better job at bringing talent to the plate. Watching the parade of so called non deserving bands waddle on Mtv and through the radio waves,  you have to wonder just what in the hell these guys are thinking when they flood the market with sound-alike, non-creative, non-original bands? I read somewhere recently that even Korn has gotten sick of the Nu-Metal copy-cat underlings that have oozed out of no where. There's been numerous articles in the media lately and even Mtv will speculate on the drab culture they're helping to create as if they were completely innocent of any wrong-doing. While high paid makeup artists develop Slipknot's knew "look" all the while trying desperately not to make them appear as clowns with a bad hair day; I listen to old CDs by Soundgarden and Alice In Chains and wonder when the game changed - where did labels lose their insight?

And what's the point of this rant? Well, its because bands like 5 More Dead have been out there, for years, playing original music harder, better and with more talent than anything the label reps are bringing in and I just don't get it. I just don't get why if you were a label, you'd find a mediocre band - or put one together from scratch for that matter, and hire all these people to give them a look and a style and all this fake bunch of bullshit in hopes of selling the kids on it when there's real live rock gods out there ripe for the picking.  Lead singer BaryOnyx of 5 More Dead has more creative energy in the dirt under the nail of his pinky finger than most of the bands on Mtv these days.

So bands need a look? A style? Done. Three years ago when I met Bary in Atlanta I was instantly captivated with his then green neon-colored dreds and his now famous beaded goatee. His mic stand was column of human skulls and from one concert to the next you never knew if he'd be wearing a ripped up dress or a circus announcers jacket. His black and white stripped socks and makeup often reminded me of BeetleJuice - only zombiefied. His hair  color has changed from year to year - I think I saw it bleached white/blonde once and now its black, but either way, he still looks like a fantastic freak. This isn't a show or a facade to make all the kiddies stare... no no, BaryOnyx is every bit the creative soul he looks like he is onstage and off. Besides being a musician he's also an artist - he creates giant 3-D sculptures, usually monsters and has been in a few B-type horror flicks - one of them - Dumpster Babies was released by Troma.

So yeah, they've got a look... but what about the music you say? Well consider this - between all the musicians in the band, they've got over a decade's worth of experience and 5 More Dead itself has existed since 1999. In those 3 years they've toured extensively in the South East. Check out their tour dates here and see for yourself. In 2001 they played at least 28 shows along side bands like The Genitorturers and mdfmk/kmfdm. When they voluntarily played a benefit show for me a couple years ago in Atlanta,  I stood there afterwards, chin on the floor and exclaimed, "you do not belong here playing small gigs like this. You're better than that." And they are. Live they're as tight, on target and as professional as any band I've seen play pounding out powerful beats and earth shattering breaks everything timed and nailed to the tenth of a second. They should be commanding stadiums. You kids who've seen them play for a mere $5 in a 100 person capacity venue should thank your lucky stars.

Socially conscious and ripe with troubled lyrics, their CD To Teach The World A Lesson is a pretty good indicator of their live sound and the force that propels them. There's a plethora of mixed tempos and styles and you'll hear stuff that may remind you of such heavy weights as Jane's Addiction, Soundgarden and (to me especially) Alice In Chains. Other reviews have mentioned 5 More Dead being a modern day Black Sabbath and certainly, at points you can certainly hear an Ozzy-like voice in some of the choruses.

The song "Gray Matter" slinks in on heavy beats and crunching guitars, BaryOnyx's menacing whispers slither through the speakers before exploding in a group powered chorus. Need aggression and angst? He'll serve it up to you on a hardcore platter:

Future years paint us older
And all plastic soldiers
Play follow the leader in time
But fuck you, I don't want to
Judgment for all you lay eyes on
You may criticize wrong
This world's gone
My heart's torn open wide

Track three, "Vindictive Wish" is a dynamic thing. Its heavy and hard as hell to start out with (mosh pits are breaking out everywhere within the sound range of my CD player right now) but half way through it, they pull a surprise punch on you and it gets all jelly-like and psychedelic. It's a bit like "3 Days" by Jane's Addiction at that point. The drumming remains incredibly powerful and confident though and the ease with which they flow through the tempo changes is impressive.

"Anonymous" is dark and filled with gritty, dirty guitar chords and lots of precisely timed breaks. Its a complex song with several different parts to it.  Silence plays a big part of this song and is one of the impressive things about seeing them play live - watching the whole band freeze in mid-motion before continuing their audio assault. One slip of a drum stick or one false start and it could be ruined.... but no, not these guys, they deliver every single time. At the end they venture off in a bit more psychedelic direction again - very atmospheric and even soothing.

"Maybe Tomorrow" is my favorite song as far as lyrics go. Underneath all the aggression and anger there's a hint here of the down to earth musician I've come to know and a bit of sympathizing about the self-doubt that consumes us all sometimes. Melodic and mellow, this is a clear shift in feel and tempo for the band but one I'm sure their fans consume with eager hearts.

My friends
Invitations I turn away
God, that sounds like fun
And I wish I could run
Through the crowded streets today
Well maybe I could make it all go away
If I take another pill
Or through the power of will
Or drink it all away
I don't want to be the one
Who spends less life every day
Man I want to be the one
To seize the day

You're insincere
Comments are so clear
You're arrogant
Shallow and I fear
That you my dear
Walk in others footsteps
Their names put you
Where you are

All in all, To Teach The World A Lesson is a great independent CD release from a band who, if the world is at all fair, will one day have their spot in the lime light. Pray that A&R reps get a clue. I do hear from the 5 More Dead camp that things are a brewing ... they were just confirmed to do a track on an upcoming tribute CD to B-Movie Horror great Fulchi that will have songs based on his films and there has been some nibbles by some small independent labels. Bary keeps teasing me saying he might have some big news soon - let's hope. In the meantime, check out their webpage (which is in the midst of remodeling) and if you're more curious, they have quite a fan club growing on Yahoo Groups (see link below) that includes lots of live shots and more of Bary's artwork in the photo section. (You can see a couple live shots I took here.)

Keep fighting the good fight boys  - I'll be here in your corner. Perhaps you can teach the music industry a lessen, eh?

Track List:
1. Gray Matter
2. Ash
3. Vindictive Wish
4. Anonymous
5. Maybe Tomorrow
6. Coat Tails
7. Thingy

Official Web Page
http://www.5moredead.com

5 More Dead Yahoo Fan Club
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/official5moredeadclub/

Audra
Going to the Theatre
~reviewed by Blu

If you thought you knew what Audra sounded like, think again.

Going to the Theatre is Audra's second full length CD release on Projekt and with this - we are ushered into a different world than the one they left us with at the conclusion of their first CD. And although their self-titled CD was dark and brooding, this is quite different in an intense way. All too often sophmore efforts too closely echo their debut and with that the intrigue and mystery of a band is quickly lost. But this - this will make people stop and take notice. The strength and variety of this second album, the growth shown in all areas from song writing to production, should be an indicator that Audra has huge creative potential and staying power. Don't underestimate them --  wonderful things will come from these boys - just sit back and hold on for the ride.

The first thing anyone will notice, if they thought they knew what Audra sounded like before, is how much heavier and grittier they've gotten with some of their songs. They've definitely ventured out and explored new territory. Infact, I almost bet that if I played tracks one or two to a group of random listeners, they might have trouble identifying the band at all.  "Midnight Moon Swing" opens with guitars that could belong to a doom metal band - heavy with just the right amount of distortion; ever so slow and Bret's voice to match the mood as he sings/threatens/enchants --  "I'll keep my mouth shut  if you close your eyes."

"There Are No Snakes In Heaven" is a song that's even been getting played at Deathrock club nights and that's no small feat to have crossed genres so easily. It has a fabulous rumbling bass line that would make any punk band proud, driving percurssion and Bret's super stylized vocals - deep but smoothly calm, velvety, completely in charge and some of the best atmospheric goth rock guitar playing I've heard in a long, long time. As if the music alone weren't enough, the descriptive lyrics are brilliant and set a dark tone for the rest to follow by. Verses like this are bound to become classics:

Not as you are
Looking up towards the sky
Your cigarette in motion
My almost best friend
....
The flowers were exquisite
The odor of death and flowers
No one noticed me
Sitting in the back

No fun in sitting alone reading a book
No fun in watching some broads in a show
No fun in sitting doing some work
No fun in watching them fight

I'm going to the theatre on a Saturday night
And I'm gonna catch some great disease
I'm going to the theatre on a Saturday night
And I'm gonna become a great disgrace

I hope tonight never ends
I hope tomorrow never comes
I hope tonight never ends
So long as I got my black cape on tonight
I hope tonight never ends
I hope tonight never ends

Track 6 is the slower and pensive -  "Face Go Red" - (whose lyrics are mysteriously missing from the CD sleeve) is followed by the march-like "A Walk In The Woods" filled with vivid imagery. But truly, the superstar track of this CD is "Fearless 'Peaches' " whose acoustic guitar seems light hearted on the surface but upon listening to the lyrics you're sure to end up with a sentimental tear or two in your eyes because if you are not like this character than you surely know and love someone who is. This is Audra at its most brilliant - from superb miminalistic music to their talent at conveying the most sentimental feelings subltely through their story telling. The climax of the story, and the part that gets to me every single time is the part about snagging a record from a store and...

He races home and puts on the phonograph
God how he loves the sound of the crackle
God how he loves the sound of the pop
God how he loves the sound of the crackle
God woud have said, "That's Iggy Pop"

Track 9, "Cabaret Fortune Teller" has been popping up on playlists too I've noticed. It's a fairly fast paced song that has distorted vocals and the chorus packs a hook with quirky keyboard sounds. And finally, "Don't End This Time" finishes up the CD on a quieter note - undoubtedly a bit about their experiences on the road. Sweet acoustic guitars take us home...

Again, if you heard Audra before and think you had their sound pegged, don't be so sure. Spanning a wide range of styles, this new CD is completely different from what they've done in the past. The maturity in their lyrics and the confidence in their delivery speaks volumes about where they're headed. Audra is one of those bands who has "it"  - that magical element that can captivate and spell bind audiences.

Tracks
1. Midnight Moon Swing
2. There Are No Snakes In Heaven
3. Going To The Theatre
4. All Ghosts Spend Their Time Alone
5. In A Dark Room...
6. Face Go Red
7. A Walk In The Woods
8. Fearless "Peaches"
9. Cabaret Fortune Teller
10. Don't End This Time

Audra:
www.audramusic.com

Projekt
www.projekt.com

Body Armour
No More Lies
~reviewed by Shannon W. Hennessy

I've heard too many people - strike that - too many UNINFORMED people state that EBM/Electronic-based music is elementary and, in some cases, nothing more than glorified karaoke. For someone who very much enjoys many different outfits that can be classified (in some manner or other) as "EBM" or "Electronica," I find myself biting my tongue more often than not. I roger that with enough dedication and technical know-how, pretty much anyone can learn or be taught to make structured noise from the circuitry of their sequencer, keyboard or other means of electronic manipulation, feed it into a DAT and then play it back for the world to hear.

If you assemble a room of 10,000 mandrills and 10,000 typewriters, give them an infinite amount of time, ink ribbons and free reign, eventually you will get the complete works of Shakespeare. This is not the case with music. Just because you CAN do something, or can LEARN to technically accomplish something, doesn't necessarily mean you SHOULD, nor does it make the end result of your labor "good."

Such is the case with Body Armour.

This outfit is not part of the solution, but part of the problem where the stigma attached to EBM/Electronica is concerned. There is absolutely no melody to be found within the eight tracks of No More Lies; to be certain, all you will hear are a few chords - none of which are in any way interesting or, for that matter, any different than those that may be produced by a child's toy. The lyrics, which accompany the depressingly mundane and repetitive chords, are, in a word, inane. When you can hear or understand what Dolldelerium is actually saying, it's only going to bore you:

Tears (Demonkiss)
Evil smile
Demon kiss
Don’t fear these tears
Demon kiss
So sick
Sacrifice
All night

Reverb is good in small doses, but cannot pray to "fix" bad music. There is far too much of BOTH of those things contained within No More Lies.

In a game dominated by players like Covenant, Icon of Coil, et al, Body Armor does not even come close to qualifying as a legitimate EBM/Electronica outfit. There's just not a whole lot of room for mediocrity in the EBM genre right now, and absolutely NO ROOM for sonic clutter, as it tends to get sprayed into the gutter by even the mediocre stuff.

Tracklist:
1. Tears (Demonkiss)
2. Not Forever a Dream
3. Soul
4. No More Lies
5. Energy
6. Drama Queen
7. Trance
8. Seven Moons

Body Armour is:
Dolldelerium (aka Laura Friday) & Soundhunter (aka Piotr Kostka)

Official Artist URL: http://www.bodyarmour.uk.com/
 

Bola
Fyuti
~reviewed by Dibrom

After a 4 year hiatus, Bola has finally returned with a new full length album.  Bola originally sparked much interest with Soup (Yes... that's Bola - Soup) released on Skam records in 1998.  The release, which is fairly difficult to obtain now, contained an interesting and original take on the IDM genre.  Instead of the more glitchy and minimal yet chaotic sound that many were used to, Bola instead excelled at sweeping organic ambient soundscapes replete with fluid-like chirps and pops and the wane and inundations of softened drones and pulse-like sounds.  The community received a more stop-gap fix with the release of the Mauver EP in recent times which hinted at some new influences in Bola's sound, but as of yet there has not been a true followup to Soup.  Until now, that is..

In some ways, Fyuti is a continuation of the style originally introduced on Soup, though on the other hand it's also a move towards a slightly different feel or theme than before.  To clarify, there are many similar aspects in the sound between the two albums.  The great ambient and organic sounding environments are still there to a large extent.  So are the various textures and sound effects that were on Soup.  At the same time, there's a much more evolved and minimalistic, and in some ways mechanical feel to certain aspects of the sound.  Things feel more organized this time around and perhaps a bit moodier as well -- it sweeps from being exploratory to that of longing and of being forlorn.  The emphasis, however, appears to be more on the edgier side of the thematics this time around.  The music on Fyuti is more engaging, and in some places such as within the track "Pae Paoe" there are even vocals present.  This would lead one to feel as if the message being presented by the music is also more forceful and ever present than before.

I feel as if the production on this new release has increased dramatically over that of Soup, and to some extent Mauver.  Fyuti truly offers a candy feast for the ears so to speak.  Everything feels mixed in at just the right levels, all the details are clear and unencumbered, each sound feels as if it has been tweaked and modified to perfection just that much more than on previous releases.  It's quite possible to really get into this album and simply be carried off into the sound when played back on a nice stereo system or good pair of headphones.  The dark and complex melodies flow from the cd effortlessly, as do all of the electronic textures and subtle compositional details contained within the sound and it's really just impossible not to be impressed with the quality overall.

All in all, Fyuti is an amazing release, just as powerful and unique in the IDM scene as Soup was in it's day.  This time around though, we get an even more evolved and polished release than before and are treated to a more complex composition with elements new to Bola's sound.  Fyuti is truly a step forward for Bola and is worth picking up for any true fan of this style of music.

Track List:
1.)Vertiphon
2.)Shoob,e
3.)Pae Paoe
4.)Tibular Vader
5.)Veronex Cypher
6.)Magnasushi
7.)O,Chuma
8.)Horizophon
9.)Soleiele
10.)VM8

Bola is:
Darryl Fitton

Skam Records:
http://www.skam.co.uk/
 

Breather
Cry for Me
~reviewed by Jezebel

I like surprises. (remember that around November 18th…hint..hint). I must say the last few lots of happy bundles from Blu have yielded up very few surprises. And actually very few good bands. Breather is a good band and possibly a very good band.

Influenced by bands such as Slowdive, Cranes, Suede, Curve, and Depeche Mode, they have definitely melded these individual bands into a different and unique sound. There are a few more influences ringing around there…(and a few steals as well, i.e. the sighing of Jessica in the opening track….Toni would have been proud of the imitation).

Scott Goverman and Alicia Skala do an excellent job on the guitar giving varied approaches to each of the three songs (there are seven listed, but we will get to that later). Both seem to have a great flow to their playing and a great feel for timing and expression. I hear so many nice sounds from the guitars, electric and acoustic that I wonder who is playing which.

The bass of Alicia Skala is subtle and, as I feel the job of bass is, carries the songs along as the foundation of the songs. Softly and without ever being overwhelming, the bass is absolutely lovely.

The vocals of Jessica Cook are gorgeous and evoke not just a more melodic Toni from Curve, but perhaps sounds of Lydia from The Shroud and even, if she approached her music from another angle, Julianne Regan from All About Eve.

Simple and evocative, this is sexy music that is the perfect backdrop to conversation, glasses of wine, and dinner with friends. The band feels they are "collectors of moods" and I think that could be true, as they start to really explore what they as a band came do together. Cry for Me is only their second EP since forming in 1998. A full length CD should be in the works for them, as I think, is the only way for the band to truly explore and fulfil what they are capable of.

Now to the "other" songs on the CD. Remixes….remixes. I am not a won over fan of remixes. They need to be done right to work. Take Faith and the Muse's recent release filled with, what I believe, were horrific mixes of their most loved works. Perhaps bands want to approach a piece with a fresh idea, come at it backwards and turn it inside out. Perhaps. But in most cases, such as this one, it just doesn't work.

The songs are absolutely beautiful, "Cry for Me", the title track, lovely and sexy and gritty in such a very sensual and temptuous way. And then the remix throwing in your face all the anger and emotion of it. Suddenly the feeling from the original is destroyed.

And honestly, these are not good remixes. There is the Ross (a la Friends) quality going on. The "oh let's see what this button does" kind of sound that diminishes what, up to the remixes beginning, was a rather tight and professional sounding EP. Yes, I know EP is supposed to stand for "extended play"….but not when it compromises the original. You lose something.

I think this is an excellent band-to-be. Give them the time and the space to grow and really experience and explore their abilities and their craft and I think this could be one of those knock out bands that take people by storm with simplicity and sexiness.

Track Listing:
1) Cry for Me
2) Paramour
3) Catharsis
4) Catharsis (then i'll take you)
5) All the Beauty (purple dogs on plute mix)
6) Cry For Me (bleeding heart mix)
7) Gone (pulsar ambient mix)

Breather are:
Jessica Cook - vocals
Alicia Skala - guitar/bass/vocals/sequencing
Scott Gockerman - guitars/sequencing

Website: http://www.breaker.com

Email: info@breather.com

Das Ich
Antichrist
~reviewed by Matthew Heilman

Das Ich is one of the few popular Industrial bands left that are thankfully not afraid to show their vintage roots.  With Antichrist, the band’s latest album, there are no disappointing surprises – fans can count on the same apocalyptic atmospheres, mischievous angst, and jagged rhythmic variation that has defined the band for well over a decade.

Thematically, the album deals with Biblical visions of the Apocalypse or Milton’s “Paradise Lost” – either way there is a plethora of devilish references that could teach even Black Metal bands a thing or two.  This is actually creepy and the sinisterly aggressive Industrial dance vibe that Das Ich has always been known for is perfectly suited for conveying such fiendish imagery.   The devil’s dance music if I may be so corny.

The refreshing and consistent appeal of Das Ich is they are rhythmically complex, atmospherically dense, and present a nice variety of dark emotion.  They are light on the monotony of smooth techno ‘thuds’ but heavy on the rough and stomp laden clangs, bangs, and clashes that used to be part and parcel to ‘Industrial’ music.   Even the steady, upbeat “Krieg Im Paradies” and the remix of “Keimzeit,” both of which use a moderate ‘thud’ for the songs’ rhythmic cores, still manage to sound more like Skinny Puppy than And One, resulting from the other layers of electronics and the slower pace of the beats.   Stefan’s gritty vocals are as ghoulish and raspy as ever, his Deutsche accent skyrockets the band’s angst level light years beyond the whiny excuses for vocals that crown most bands filling dance floors these days.

“Garten Eden” is another stand out track – a sludgy, haunting song, still rhythmically challenging but shaded by orchestral synths, eerie chimes and a moodier vibe.  Darkwave fans will be all over this one.

“Der Achte Tag” is also noteworthy and stands out amidst the rest of the album.  A sprawling seventeen-minute experimental soundscape, first as a spooky narrative reminiscent of the band Will, accented by synthesized cellos, pianos, and pizzicato string plucks and as the song climaxes with the addition of orchestral percussion, it slowly bleeds into a swirling nightmarish layer of voices and odd sound effects.

Nearly every song on this CD could be club play worthy – and fans of more challenging and atmospheric aggressive Industrial should definitely check this out.  Still bearing the stamp of the vintage stylings Das Ich has long been known for, but updated with a thick and hard hitting production. This is highly recommended.

Track List:
1.) Engel
2.) Keimzeit
3.) Grund Der Seele
4.) Vater
5.) Krieg Im Paradies
6.) Tor Fur Hölle
7.) Garten Eden
8.) Das Dunfle Land
9.) Sodom Und Gomorra
10.) Der Achte Tag
11.) Keimzeit (rmx)

Das Ich is:
Stefan Ackermann
Bruno Kramm

Das Ich – Official Site:
http://www.dasich.de

Danse Macabre Records:
http://www.dansemacabre.de

Metropolis Records:
http://www.metropolis-records.com
 

Damage Effect
Level 1
~reviewed by Shannon W. Hennessy

I own video games for the PS/2 that possess soundtracks vastly more inspired, and hence, inspiring than what has been encoded onto Damage Effect's Level 1.

Web sites such as MP3.com are a double-edged sword. While the sites usually offer fairly inexpensive means by which a musician can make some modicum of a return on their artwork and avoid a lot of the distribution nightmares that can accompany affiliation with smaller labels with little or no industry stroke, the sames sites are, by and large, absolutely swamped with noise pollution and unimaginative garbage. This being said, Level 1 has been released by Damage Effect with the "get what you pay for" assistance of MP3.com.

Amidst mind-numbingly repetitive drum and sample loops, Damage Effect has attempted to create what I'm assuming is a stab at Industrial/EBM fusion. The end result, however, is a redundant and tired eleven tracks worth of overused movie samples, vox distortion and reverb. If you have the knowledge and means to rip sound bytes from DVDs or old, heavy metal vinyl, then there's absolutely no reason why you couldn't do exactly what Panix has done with Level 1. While no particular talent or ability is necessarily required where music is concerned other than having an ear for making two similar sounds or notes "go together," I would, however, suggest a copy of "Macs for Dummies."

There are many, many acts out and about in the world of music struggling to make rent, ends meet and to feed themselves. In many cases, these starving acts are extraordinarily talented. Many, unfortunately, have been signed to "farm-club" labels that take more pleasure in playing with the would-be careers of said acts than actually investing time, effort and money into balls-to-the-wall promotion of the acts under their flags. I sincerely wish that, rather than spending hard-earned money towards the burning of "on-demand, no talent required" CD-Rs, acts like Damage Effect would sit back, relax, support the aformentioned musicians, and take some solid notes.

Rome was not built in a day, and it seems to me that the instant gratification recently made available by sites like MP3.com to anyone with a keyboard and a movie collection is more of a hindrance than a help to new and obviously impressionable acts such as Damage Effect.

Tracklist:
1. Fun, Until the Hangover
2. Comatose Lullaby
3. Hit
4. Memento
5. Cleaner
6. Skyscraper Man
7. Deviant
8. Quicksand
9. Music To A Film By David Lynch
10. From Below
11. Menace

Damage Effect is:
Panix

Official Artist URL: http://www.mp3.com/damageeffect

Deadfilmstar
Wonderful Life
~reviewed by Shannon W. Hennessy

In 1994, an obscure yet brazen outfit under the moniker of Marilyn Manson released their first, full-length, professionally produced CD under the label of Nothing Records. The disc was entitled Portrait of an American Family, and while it met with criticism from both the "moral majority" as well as the conventionally banal "music industry" proper, it propelled one of the most controversial acts of the mid-nineties into virtually overnight stardom. Financially, and in the opinion of many, musically the release was an almost unprecedented success.

Given the choice between Marilyn Manson's Portrait of an American Family and Deadfilmstar's Wonderful Life, your money is better spent on the sure thing. Close to ten years behind the power curve, Deadfilmstar has attempted to adopt Brian Warner's trademarked shtick, vocal style, angst and attitude in what can only be described by this reviewer as something less than mediocre failure.

There is nothing at all original about Deadfilmstar. Falling just short of earning the label "rip-off," Deadfilmstar has filled a self-produced CD with unoriginal lyrics (spiced appropriately with shakes of Manson-esque vulgarities for good measure), uninspiring music, and not even the slightest hint of what could be considered clever innovation on a dead-horse where the "shock glam" scene, or what have you, is concerned.

Deadfilmstar is, for all intents and purposes, a sub-standard Marilyn Manson cover band that would more than likely offend the alumni of Marilyn Manson rather than flatter with their obtuse, aural impersonations.

When the harder-hitting Top Forty Mainstream bleeds into the subcultures with acts like Korn or Mudvayne, there's little room for an act that can't hold water... and Deadfilmstar can't.

Tracklist:
1. Hello, Cruel World
2. Mommies Little F**ked Up Star
3. Still In Caliper (Who Killed The Radio Star?)
4. Looks Like the Flowers Are Dead
5. Soiled, Spoilt And Somewhat Flawed
6. A Wonderful Life
7. Retort
8. The Star is Born
9. Soiled, Spoilt And Somewhat Flawed (The Great Big Flaw Mix)

Deadfilmstar is:
Mr. Filmstar
Esther 'Jane'
John
Pinky
Dean

Official Artist URL: http://www.geocities.com/dead_filmstar/
 

Entety
Cadaveric Necrogrind
~reviewed by Matthew Heilman

As if there weren’t enough CDs by run of the mill Death Metal bands and Cannibal Corpse clones for angry metal heads to filter through, Mercenary Musik has seen fit to pillage the archival tomb of the LA band Entety.  I guess there is another unholy Death Metal machine of a band that have already claimed this moniker and spell it correctly?  Cadeveric Necrogrind is a release of some of this band’s long lost demo material.  My initial question is WHY?  What for?  With all due respect to the genre, I don’t see why it is necessarily to let this music see the light of day?  I have never heard of the band, and as far as I know, there are no ‘celebrities’ in the line up.  There is nothing noteworthy or unique about this really, just the same old unintelligible Cookie Monster vocals, blast beats, rehashed riffs, laughable ‘evil’ titles (these people are just never going to catch on) and poor, muffled production.  The press release claims the CD is remastered, but you could have fooled me – it sounds terrible.  Entety are obviously good at what they do, the music is tight and brutal, but I can’t help but wonder what the point is?  It seems like a financial disaster for the label, being that there is already a wealth of current material that sounds like this, and has better, clearer, warmer production and is just as brutal that fans of this genre are smart enough to prefer to this.  To me, it feels like the label is trying to take advantage of Death Metal fans by trying to market this as some lost ‘cult classic?’  If you are desperate for some boring rehashed Grindcore Death Metal, plop down selected retail price of $16 for this short seven-song release.  Otherwise, avoid this and forget about it.

Track List:
1.) Hideous Malformation
2.) Carnage of Massacred
3.) Fraudulent Funeral Mortician (LOL! HAHHA!)
4.) Exsanguination
5.) Into The Desolate (…the desolate what?  That word is an adjective
people!)
6.) Carcinogenic Carrion
7.) Grievous Epitaph

Entety is:
Memo Mora - Guitars
Richard Gonzales - Guitars
James Grijalva - Drums
Robert Cardenas - Bass
Joe Perez - Vocals

Entety Info Page:
http://www.ww3music.com/bands_entety.html

WWIII / Mercenary Musik:
http://www.ww3music.com
 

Entwine
Time Of Despair
~reviewed by Matthew Heilman

Over the past year or so, Century Media has released a pretty successful string of noteworthy Gothic / Metal crossover hits – Lacuna Coil, Moonspell, Flowing Tears, and Tiamat have all been pretty good releases and received  unanimously good press.  It seems the label has the same high hopes for the success of their latest potential crossover act in the shape of Finland’s Entwine.

After attempting to absorb this album, my initial feelings of dismissal and disappointment have not been swayed.  The music is not that bad, despite being somewhat sugar coated and a bit too uplifting to be at all associated with the Gothic scene.  The music aside, I found the vocals to be dreadful, whiny, and weak and couldn’t get passed them no matter how hard I tried.

The vocals are definitely heartfelt, pleading, and seem to grasp for a fleeting feeling of denied contentment.  But paired with the music, I am reminded of the commercial hard rock/pop ballads of the days of yore – a mistake many labels and bands seem to be making as of late.  Image alone does not make a band Goth – and besides, these guys look more like the offspring of Orgy and Enuff Z Enuff.  Furthermore, having pessimistic or depressive song titles, keyboards, lead or background female vocals, and reveling in sappy emotion are not the magic or secret ingredients to creating good Gothic music, especially that of Gothic Metal.  It just takes one listen to bands like My Dying Bride and early Anathema and one will notice that what is missing from a lot of these ‘Gothic Metal’ upstarts is not only heaviness, but most importantly, DARKNESS.  These guys are as dark as the set at a shoot for a Bon Jovi video.

I am a longtime Century Media advocated and enthusiast, most of their releases, both Goth and non-Goth related, I find to be noteworthy.  There are some exceptions – bands like the overrated and inarguably ‘un-Goth’ Sentenced spring to mind, with whom Entwine definitely share some similarities.  Whatever the case, with Entwine, I was let down.  “Time of Despair?” This album sufficiently lacked the ‘despair’ it promised in the title, and the only ‘time’ it had was the time I wasted listening to it.  Sorry guys, you have struck out with this one.

Track List:
1.) Stream Of Life
2.) The Pit
3.) Nothing Left To Say
4.) Safe In A Dream
5.) Burden
6.) Falling Apart
7.) Until The End
8.) Learn To Let Go
9.) Time Of Despair

Entwine is:

Mika Tauriainen - Vocals
Tom Mikkola – Guitar
Jaani - Guitar
Joni Miettinen - Bass
Riitta Heikkonen - Keyboards
Aksu Hanttu – Drums

Entwine – Official Site:
http://www.entwine.cjb.net

Century Media Records:
http://www.centurymedia.com
 

FREDRIK KLINGWALL
The Poet's Adoration
~reviewed by Kevin Filan

Once upon a time classical music was the backdrop for everyday life.  Opera companies entertained cowboys on the American frontier, and barroom piano players were wont to throw in Chopin waltzes between Irving Berlin ditties and Scott Joplin rags.  Today "classical" has become synonymous with ivory tower intellectualism, stuff that's incredibly difficult to play and even harder to hear... or with blue-haired ladies clapping politely after yet another soporific rendition of The Old Cliches.

Fredrik Klingwall's music is unquestionably rooted in the classics.  He draws on Rachmaninoff's lyrical melodicism and Ralph Vaughan Williams' epic grandeur, yet remains as accessible as "popular" composers like Tchaikovsky, Morricone or John Williams.  Klingwall is also an artist who shows both patience and dedication.  Many graphic artists who take up music believe that "creative vision" -- or computer wizardry -- will make up for technical shortcomings.  Klingwall trained himself on a piano, later taking performance, theory and composition classes.  Instead of emulating the latest Synthcheese trend, he went straight to the wellspring; big, loud and romantic classical music.

After the academics took over modern classical music, many composers turned to film scores.  Yr. Snooty Music Ph.D. might scorn things like emotional impact and catchy melody... but movie directors knew a good thing when they heard one.  Klingwall's music has that cinematic flair; it's evocative and dramatic, but also pithy.  None of the four tracks on this CD-R are longer than 3'30", yet each establishes and sustains a mood.

The slow infernal march which closes things wouldn't be out of place in a war film, with its martial bass drum conjoined with horns and a dissonant violin backing, while the breathtaking strings and Eastern European flair of track 3 might even have rescued Coppola's *Dracula*.   (Klingwall has a real flair for string arrangements; I was particularly impressed by the mournful cello threnody on track 2).  Throughout the mood is "All Stops Pulled."  Klingwall is an unabashed romantic, whose music is filled with soaring passages and symphonic chords.

If you're getting bored with your current CD collection and want to expand your listening frontiers, why not give classical music another listen? Klingwall's work, which is complex enough to be rewarding yet listenable as a Dead Can Dance release, is a great bridge between the two worlds, and would make for an excellent introduction to this foreboding and oft-maligned genre.

Fredrik Klingwall on MP3
http://www.mp3.com/fredrikklingwall
 

The Great Deceiver
A Venom Well Designed
~reviewed by Eric Rasmussen

Tomas Lindberg made his mark on the metal scene as the angry lunatic singer for At The Gates, and now he is the singer/frontman for The Great Deceiver. Of course, I use the word "singer" in a very loose sense. Lindberg screeches, rasps, and yells his way through everything I've heard him do (including ATG, Lockup, and The Crown). His near incomprehensible vocalizations are as raw as they come. I'm still waiting for the day Lindberg is going to cough up that hairball he's been working at for years and show us what he really sounds like. I mean, no one can screech like that all the time without something crammed down his throat, can he? It's a serious question for sure, and one I have often pondered along with musings of trees falling in forests and the potential return of Jonathan Jackson to General Hospital (that other guy just doesn't cut it).

You might be thinking you know what to expect from The Great Deceiver's (TGD) sound just because of Lindberg's presence, but luckily, you can't predict anything more than the sound of the vocals. TGD has an honestly unique sound, for better and worse. There really is no solid comparison to other groups; TGD is a mix of styles and original elements that isn't easily likened to any of their peers. The guitars have an almost grunge quality, and the muddy production only enhances this effect.  They have that low distorted and dirty sound that isn't used to beat you into submission, but to hook you in with catchy rock-ish riffs that are good for light head banging on a Sunday afternoon.

At least, they would be, if not for Lindberg's hardcore inspired vocals. He does manage to slow down and speak now and then, but for the most part you get his typically extreme screams. Needless to say, they aren't so suited to a leisurely stroll on a Sunday afternoon. The combination of his ravings and the rockin' riffs is actually quite cool at times, as with the two opening tracks. There are even some keyboards and electronics used for background atmospherics that make TGD's work more distinctive. The main complaint I have about the band is the sound doesn't vary to any great extent across "A Venom Well Designed." Each song is solid and consistent, but very few stand out from the rest.

Also, the muddy production keeps the drums from doing much more than providing a distant backbeat for the guitars, vocals, and keyboards. The production is a disappointment overall because it is difficult to clearly make out any of the instruments.  Even Lindberg's vocals are muffled to some extent. I'm fairly certain the band did this on purpose to create a groovy grunge sort of sound, but while it gives TGD a unique flavor in the extreme metal scene - ultimately I'm not too pleased with it.

A Venom Well Designed is a neat but flawed release that I can't quite get into. The band set out to express aggression in a new way, and they have done it. But as with anything experimental, there's a good chance people aren't going to get into it. If not for the repetitive nature of the sound across the CD, I'd like it a whole lot more. They only break the mold on a few songs. "Arsenic Dreams," for example, has a much slower tempo than most of the songs and even has some melodic guitar bits. Hopefully this type of sound will be further developed on future releases. I get the impression that the band felt limited in terms of how far they could go with their new style. My message to the band is that they should refine it even more and let go of any limiting factors like how they think the production should be for this type of music or how static the vocals should be across songs. On that note, the "socially concious" lyrics aren't exactly new either.

What does the future hold in store for The Great Deceiver? I have no idea, but I'd like to think they're on the verge of putting out some destined-to-be-classic albums. I suspect their live performance is awesome, and "A Venom Well Designed" is a solid and mostly enjoyable CD. If you have any interest in what I've just described, be sure to visit Peaceville Records' website to hear an mp3 of TGD. Their sound isn't for everyone, and perhaps it's not even for me, but these veteran musicians have crafted something a lot of metal fans will appreciate.

Track List:
1.) Pierced
2.) The Living End
3.) Poisoned Chalice
4.) After the Flood
5.) Enter the Martyrs
6.) The Demons Lair
7.) Arsenic Dreams
8.) Strychnine
9.) The Blade
10.) Leave it all Behind
11.) Destroy - Adore

The Great Deceiver is:
Tomas Lindberg - vocals
Kristian Wahlin - guitar
Hans Nilsson - drums
Johan Osterberg - guitar
Matti Lundell - bass

Peaceville Records:
http://www.peaceville.com/
 

Hollydrift
In These Days Of Merriment
~reviewed by Dibrom

In These Days Of Merriment - the album title itself gushes forth with irony and gloom, already building the context for the sounds presented within.  In These Days... is the third release and first full length album from Hollydrift.

Quoting Mathias Anderson, the man behind Hollydrift, "My creations depart for lands unknown and arrive on the other side.  I offer my music for your own interpretation.  I cannot explain it any better".  Having spent a fair amount of time with this album, I can certainly attest to this aspect.  Hollydrift is a complex sonic construction and attempting to pin its message to any one particular facet or ideology would be doing the release a great injustice.  Each time I listen to this release, the emotional outcome always seems to be slightly different than the previous.  The setting in which the music is listened to, any preconceived notions at the time, and various activities one may be engaged in while listening - all have an impact on what the music represents at that particular point in time.  I'd go so far as to say that "In These Days Of Merriment", instead of simply offering it's own discrete message, has the effect of manipulating your own message, or your own thoughts, and recombining them in Hollydrift-like fashion.  However, the one theme in this music which is all encompassing and ever present throughout the various tracks is that of darkness and depression.  The title obviously captures this element first and foremost, but the artwork on the front cover contributes to this feeling quite significantly as well.  The notion of a broadcast tower engulfed in overcast and gloomy storm-like skies, almost faded from view (and perhaps existence?) and presumably sending out its message across the lands, somehow seems very symbolic in relation to the sound of the album.

The technical presentation of the tracks on this release is quite enjoyable.  Mentioned multiple times on the cd case, this release was recorded in true analog tape format -- something which is becoming increasingly rare.  As such, the sound has a nice warm and somewhat softened feel to it which adds significantly to the subtlety of the details presented and the listen-ability of the entire album.  Patches of noise fade in and out of the mix every so slightly. Clicks, beeps and rumblings -- usually processed sound samples of some real occurence, a la Musique Concrete -- permeate the soundstage, reverberating from side to side but never with a harsh connotation.  Samples of voice and conversation take on an old radio-like quality which seems to add to the distance somehow and makes it all the more unusual sounding.  Combined in its entirety, the sound is very presentful yet at the same time dampened, gloomy, abstract, and even disturbing all at once.

With the release of In These Days Of Merriment, I've been very pleasantly surprised.  At only $8, the release is quite a steal.  If you're into this style of ambient, yet thought provoking music, then you should definitely check this release out.

Track List:
1.)Lorane
2.)Donner Pass
3.)Rattle In The Sky
4.)Floating On The Bellcross
5.)As The World Rolls Back
6.)Wizard Of The Dell
7.)One Year Later

Hollydrift is:
Mathias Anderson

Hollydrift Official Website:
www.angelfire.com/indie/hollydrift
 

Hate Theory
Hate Theory
~reviewed by Matthew Heilman

The press release of this WWIII/Mercenary Musik CD, as usual, started off on a bad and irritating note.  Hate Theory hail from Ohio, “a place where nothing good ever seems to come from. Think: Trent Reznor, Marilyn Manson, and Maynard James Keenen”

First, I don’t think that a label should go out of their way to dis’ bands that have little to nothing to do with the material at hand.  Second, they can rip on Manson all they want, but Reznor is a fantastic musician and composer that also happens to know how to sell his product, and Maynard James Keenan?  For Christ’s sake, I didn’t even think he was from Ohio, and that man is a musical genius and has more talent in his pinky finger than the combined force of the entire WWIII/Mercenary Musik roster.

So now that we have gotten off on a bad foot, I will give some advice to this label: quit leaving such a bad taste in our mouths and just promote your product.  Save the insults, and the corny Death Metal lingo and provide more facts about your bands (web links? Line up? Etc).

What’s funny is that the opening riff of this album SOUNDS like Tool, and what is more unfortunate is that I actually liked this CD.  It’s damn good actually and caught me by surprise - Angry, bottom heavy stuff falling somewhere in the realm of Hardcore and good Death Metal.  The music is dark, and has a plethora of strong guitar riffs happening, excellent crunching guitars and even quite a bit of melody happening.  The vocals scream along, growl along and every once in awhile for good measure they throw in some mournful clean vocals and even some subtle clean guitars.  The album’s fourth track “From Scabs To Scars” is fantastic, jamming along all melodic at first and then tearing the hell out of the listener for the remainder of the song.  While there is not too much stylistic variation going on, the latter half of the album reveals some nice surprises. The sludge worthy “Crawl Alone” stands out high above the rest of the album, almost Godflesh like in tone.  “Lightbulb” comes out of left field, a lengthy dark acoustic ballad – rather odd and unexpected, clean vocals (sounds like Tool again!) and apparently, the song is being marketed to Alternative radio.  Good luck guys, it could happen.  I’d rather turn on the radio and hear “Crawl Alone” though <winks>

Despite these stylistic forays, the harsh mood and quality of Hate Theory is divinely consistent.  The label seems to try to put them in the same league as Slipknot and other Nu-Metal bands, but I beg to differ.  This is much better, more sincere and certainly geared more toward the underground in my opinion.  Sometimes they sound a bit like Pantera in their few better moments, but the macho testosterone bullshit is not as in your face.  This is straightforward, no holds barred brutal heaviness. I can’t imagine many Starvox readers’s digging on this, but you never know.  Hate Theory still managed to win me over despite the insulting and stupid ass press release, next time things may not have as happy an ending.  Pick this up if you want to fuck some shit up, yo.

Track List:
1.) Whore
2.) Vent
3.) All This Flesh
4.) From Scabs To Scars
5.) A Couple Hundred
6.) Rage Implant
7.) So You Think
8.) Days In Here
9.) Crawl Alone
10.) Lightbulb
11.) Wish
12.) Freezing (Demo)

Hate Theory is:
Jeff Fahl - Lead Vocal
Jason Stone - Lead Guitar
Mike Carlton - Rhythm Guitar
Jason Lamtman - Drums
Dave Tinlin - Bass, Back-up Vocals

Hate Theory – Official Site:
http://www.hatetheory.cjb.net/

WWIII / Mercenary Musik:
http://www.ww3music.com
 

Informatik
Nymphomatik
~reviewed by Mike Ventarola

The initial appearance of this CD will make one think they are in for a mass of heavy industrial style sounds.  Instead, we are given a collection of emotional songs wrapped up in intense EBM synth beats bordering at times to the industrial roots.  The album cover makes no apology for the utilization of machinery, dark sensuality and graphic titillating photo’s. The center of the cover is somewhat made to look like a cross between an eyeball and a woman’s breast, thereby delivering the message that some of the contents are sexual in nature.

"Flesh Menagerie" managed to create a highly danceable yet sordid song, which depicts the wolf-like stalking and mating that often takes place within the confines of a club.

"Hopeless" is a mournful track that wrestles with the realization of loneliness and past mistakes within the confines of a former relationship. The lyrics are simplistic, but run through the gamut of emotions from despair to cynicism.

"Perfect Stranger" emphasizes the momentary thrill of nighttime physical conquest that often leaves one feeling emotionally barren after the fact. It examines the inner conceptualization that it is all part of the “game,” yet the passions seem to overrule logic with attempting to find a meaningful relationship.

"Physical Education" seems to border on the quest of going over the edge with one’s desires at the hands of someone more skilled, most likely a dominatrix. The lyrics dance around the subjects without actually hitting us over the head, but still maintain enough expression to deliver the imagery.

"Over" is that point immediately after a relationship is over. We are confronted with fear, anger, uncertainty, denial remorse and regret all within the span of a moment.

"Built For Pleasure" explores the adoration and admiration for one who fulfills the ideal of perfect physical fantasy. Again, there is a nod towards a dominatrix type of imagery without actually coming out and broadly painting it as such.

"A Matter Of Time" brings us again to that moment in life when we discover that the image and embodiment of our “perfect” love is actually within our line of sight. It is that longing ache of hoping for something to develop, coupled with the hesitancy to make the first move.

"Oblivion" is a mechanized love song of sorts, depicting the need for passion before life and all its precious moments escape us.

"96 Degrees" is explicit auditory imagery, where one is a voyeur to amorous couplings in the twilight hours. The track uses interesting sound depth to seemingly paint an almost ominous atmosphere, as though behind a peepshow  window.

The Negative Format remix of "Perfect Strangers" adds another emphasis on an already good dance track. The Stromkern remix of "Physical Education" seems to deliver a bit more plodding, as though in a rut.

When all is said and done, Informatik created an album that is likely to be cherished by all those in the underground scene currently enduring difficult relationships. Rather that resorting to poetic verbiage, the lyrics simply connote the ever-mounting difficulties between love and lust.  To some degree, this is the soundtrack to love, life and sex in the post AIDS days, where love on the one hand can emotionally bankrupt you, while anonymous sex could kill you physically as well as emotionally. Instead of being a purveyor of wanton lust, this CD delivers a bit more of a cyber voyeurism that allows the free form flow of eroticism, while maintaining a safe physical distance from anything dangerous.

Band Lineup:
Da5id Din
Tyler Newman
Matthew Crofoot

Tracks:
1. Flesh Menagerie (136 BPM)
2. Hopeless (131 BPM)
3. Perfect Stranger (138 BPM)
4. Physical Education (110 BPM)
5. Over (133 BPM)
6. Built For Pleasure (140 BPM)
7. A Matter Of Time (133 BPM)
8. Oblivion (128 BPM)
9. 96 Degrees
10. Perfect Stranger (Robot Mix by Negative Format 138 BPM)
11. Physical Education (Day Job Mix by Stromkern 110 BPM)

Webpage: http://www.nymphomatik.com
Email: informatik@nymphomatik.com
 

Kaamos
Kaamos
~reviewed by Eric Rasmussen

There are a heap of death metal sub-genres these days - and very little old fashioned, straightforward death metal. Many would argue that style of death metal is on its dying legs and long overdue a visit from Mr. Reaper. I used to think that too, before hearing that sound done right. As with Vader, Kaamos provides death metal that is wholly unoriginal... but it kicks the crap out of any so-called "brutal" death metal or any band that has to reference a medical dictionary to come up with song titles (I'm talking to -you-, Disgorge).

A few components make Kaamos' music worthwhile despite the originality factor. These guys have got energy, and lots of it. It's nigh-impossible not to headbang to the fast groovin' riffs on songs like "Circle of Mania." The grooves they get going must make a frenzy of moshpits. The opening riff on "Curse of the Aeons" is another headbanging riff full of energy and anger. Kaamos sticks to a simple songwriting formula, but they're so good at writing these riffs that the CD doesn't grow old.

Truthfully, I wouldn't mind even more bands playing this style instead of the grossly overcrowded brutal and melodic death metal scenes. If more bands could muster the conviction and energy that Kaamos can, I'd find their music a hell of a lot more entertaining. It's that aspect of their sound that most reminds me of Vader, which is another admittedly unoriginal and yet highly enjoyable death metal group.

While I have been focusing on Kaamos' lack of originality, it's mainly to make the point that they play their style really well and make their music worth listening to anyway (Candlelight Records doesn't sign just any band). But to ensure they get their due credit, it's worth pointing out the off-the-wall track "Blood of Chaos." It opens with a man who sounds like he may be on a mountain, we'll call him a mountain man, yelling a lot in what I presume is Swedish. I can't make out what he's saying, but I figure it's no loss. His ravings are frightening enough as it is, thanks to the desperate and urgent sound they convey. I'd swear an avalanche was about to hit the way he's going on. In any case, I can't think of any other death metal bands that have their singer yell a lot with an echo and no instruments, so Kaamos does get some points for that.

It occurs to me that people often assign gender to inanimate objects and ideas. Ships and planes are often referred to as females, and I've decided to refer to straightforward death metal as a man. A mountain man, named Grug The Destoyer. And should anyone ever do a documentary on his ups and downs, surely Kaamos will be mentioned as an important band. Especially in the section titled "How Grug The Destroyer Got His Groove Back." And with that, this review comes to a close, and all death metal fans are hereby encouraged to give Kaamos a listen.

Track List:
1.) Corpus Vermis
2.) Circle of Mania
3.) The Storm of Coming
4.) Khem
5.) Blood of Chaos
6.) Doom of Man
7.) The Chasm
8.) Curse of the Aeons
9.) Cries of the Damned

Kaamos is:
Karl - vocals, bass
Nicklas - guitar
Konstantin - guitar
Chris Piss - drums

Candlelight Records:
http://www.candlelightrecords.co.uk

Kidney Thieves
Zerospace
~reviewed by Eric Rasmussen

Kidney Thieves are a scientific marvel. You might think the band is made up of home-grown humans - but they can't fool me. I know the truth. They're a bunch of clones. But before we get to that, let's assess the music. I was torn in terms of how to feel about this CD from the moment I started listening. Kidney Thieves play a so-called "industrial rock" in the vein of Nine Inch Nails and Gravity Kills. It's a familiar sound, but with an angry woman singing instead of an angry man, reminding me of Snake River Conspiracy. The guitars sound very much like early 90's alternative groups (think Soundgarden), except that they're almost too precise to be grunge. And the vocals, while seemingly angry, are often quite melodic and pristine. To top it all off there is mild electronic experimentation that reminds me most of NiN, except without the gritty realism NiN's soundscapes provide. Mix it all into a package with superb production, an attractive female frontwoman, men who shop from the same nu-metal clothing and piercings catalogue Korn puts out monthly - and you've got Kidney Thieves.

Doesn't sound so bad, you say? Zerospace is by no means a horrible album, and I even like bits of it now and then. But what strikes me most is how contrived it all feels. It's difficult to put your finger on it at first because AOL Time Warner has an amazing cloning team, but the signs of immaculate perfection are there if you keep an eye out. How could normal humans have created something like this? As you may have guessed, my theory is that they didn't. I think AOL Time Warner took some DNA from past successful groups like Soundgarden and NiN, then edited it to fit new current trends... namely, nu-metal.

The end result is a work that comes across as profoundly souless and ultimately pointless, but quite trendy and catchy in an undeniably listenable way. I can only guess Kidney Thieves are going to go on to great popularity. Speaking of their name, this is their clever way of mocking their listeners. It's more subtle than "DNA Thieves" or "We Are Clones," but I see through their disguise. Even the album title is questionable. "Zerospace." Free Dominguez, the band's singer, insists it represents balance and that's what the music is seeking. I think it represents the lack of emotional human content.

"Zerospace" really is quite the corporate experiment, and with AOL Time Warner manufacturing and distributing the release, I'll be surprised if it doesn't take off in no time. Assuming the band members in Kidney Thieves are actually human, I hope once they have their success they're willing to try new things and stop putting out by the numbers music. Sadly, their remix album (also reviewed this issue) is much more enjoyable. How often are other bands' interpretation of music significantly better than the originals?

To add further support to my theory, the picture-perfect photos of the band in Outburn magazine are even more immaculate. Starvox writer Michael Johnson puts it best: "And the woman from the Kidney Thieves has ludicrously over-glossy lips. What does she do, drink yacht varnish?"

If you're really into Gravity Kills or Snake River Conspiracy, you may get into Kidney Thieves and discover something in Kidney Thieves' music that I'm just not seeing. But for most of you I suggest proceeding with some caution. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Track List:
1.) Before I'm Dead
2.) Zerospace
3.) Arsenal
4.) Molten
5.) Black Bullet
6.) Dyskrasia
7.) Spank
8.) Glitter Girl
9.) Serene Dream
10.) Amnzero
11.) Crazy
12.) Placebo
13.) Take a Train (Awakening)

Kidney Thieves is:
free dominguez - vocals
bruce somers - guitar
chris schleyer - guitar
christian dorris - bass
sean sellers - drums

Kidney Thieves - Official Website:
http://www.kidneythieves.com

Extasy Records International:
http://www.extasyrecords.com

Kidney Thieves
Phi in the Sky
~reviewed by Eric Rasmussen

If you'd like to know more about Kidney Thieves' album Zerospace, be sure to read our review of that from this issue. I'm going to assume you've already read that and avoid long winded descriptions of the original songs being remixed here. Phi in the Sky contains two potential hit singles from Kidney Thieves along with remixes by Terminalhead, Q-Burns Abstract Message, KMFDM, and DJ Merritt. And oddly... the remixes intrigue me far more than the originals.

These remixes put a lot of focus on the electronic aspect of Kidney Thieves sound, and they downplay the grunge oriented guitars and angsty vocals. This works surprisingly well. On "Placebo," the song is stretched out and turned into a danceable robotic version of the original that has many enticing layers, much like those ice cream cakes. The Q-Burns Abstract Message remix of Zerospace is also a fun listen, because it uses the vocals the way samples are usually used. We get a danceable and slightly darker/colder remake of an otherwise cliche song.

KMFDM provides a remix of "Spank" that doesn't sound altogether too different from the album version. It's slightly more interesting, but not much more. Closing "Phi in the Sky" is a trance remix of Zerospace that is one of my favorites on the album. It has a definite trance feel but with a certain darkness and edge that Kidney Thieves never quite captured.

So how is it the remixes are a lot better than the originals? My theory is that it's because the remixes stretch the songs out a bit and let parts of the compositions breathe moreso than they get to in the originals. Kidney Thieves designed radio friendly songs and consequently kept the song lengths within the usual standards. Also, the lack of a constant vocal and guitar presence in the remixes does away with the abundance of unoriginal riffs and vocals that plague nearly every second of the album "Zerospace."

This is the first time I've ever thought remixes of songs were incredibly better than the originals, but it's probably not too surprising. The artists making the remixes took the time to evaluate the songs and put them together in non-conventional ways, which is what often keeps things interesting. Whereas I'm quite sure Kidney Thieves was motivated by label pressures to fit certain sounds and standards. The bottom line? If you have some interest in Kidney Thieves but didn't entirely get into "Zerospace," give this remix album a listen. It's worth popping in the CD player when the mood strikes, though I can't say the same for the originals.

Track List:
1.) Black Bullet (album version)
2.) Placebo (Terminalhead)
3.) Zerospace (album version)
4.) Zerospace (Q-Burns Abstract Message)
5.) Spank (KMFDM)
6.) Zerospace (DJ Merritt)

Kidney Thieves is:
free dominguez - vocals
bruce somers - guitar
chris schleyer - guitar
christian dorris - bass
sean sellers - drums

Kidney Thieves - Official Website:
http://www.kidneythieves.com

Extasy Records International:
http://www.extasyrecords.com
 

Little Evil Things
Little Evil Things 5
~reviewed by Edwin Somnambulist

Welcome to horror.

No, I'm not talking about that gore schlock that we've been assaulted with since the 70's: bodies exploding, heads getting torn off, pools of blood. I'm not talking about yet another horribly rendered vampire thesis. I'm not talking about whatever abysmal thing John Carpenter has put forth lately (Rap stars on the moon? What the hell was that?).

You see, Hollywood -- and the movies in general, I suppose -- has really dulled our palate for horror. Our senses have been overfed and as such we've been desensitized over the years. A crime, really. We've lost all appreciation for good horror. We've forgotten what it's all about.

Subtlety.

You see, good horror's not in walls exploding with blood or legions of risen dead being hacked down with chainsaws. It's in Peter Cushing's malevolent expressions. It's in the cadence of Vincent Price's speech. It's in the way that Bella Lugosi glides across a room. Too many people have forgotten that, appeased by Hollywood's "Good looks = good acting" credo and contented to feed at the slopping trough of over-sensitization. Good horror should be intellectual, cerebral. It shouldn't wake you up that night screaming from nightmares. It should wake you up every night for the rest of your life screaming from nightmares.

Good horror should also rely to some degree on humour, or at the very least shouldn't take itself too seriously. An element of humour breaks up the flow of the horror, and allows you to relax for a moment before taking you by surprise with the next element of horror. This would be a good explanation of why Sam Raimi is such a well-loved director.

Horror in the written word is trickier, as it doesn't have the luxury of being able to rely on images. This CD is five stories that are basically written word, augmented by the actors' vocals and background noise.

One thing I noticed very quickly is that the stories never get too serious. There is an element of safety that you can retreat to before being buffeted by the next description or shocking element.

And subtlety! Sweet subtlety! Perhaps it's a much more inherent element of written horror, but so many elements of this disc shine through brilliantly in touching that nearly dead concept of what horror should be. The actors' vocalizations are wonderful, and even the backing noise helps to add to the enjoyability of this disc.

All in all, this disc definitely deserves a big thumbs up. Horror like this should be celebrated and encouraged.

Tracks:
1. Whispers in the Attic
2. The Happy Wanderer
3. O.S. 666
4. Dreamgirl
5. The Impaler

Contact Info:
Little Evil Things
Website: http://www.littleevilthings.com/
Email: info@littleevilthings.com
smail: 1801 North Lima Street, Burbank CA, 91505
 

Memory Burn
A Life of its Own
~reviewed by Jezebel

Okay - let's say it right now, so now one accuses me of it later. Johnny Indovina is hot, has a sexy voice and I love him and I love Human Drama. So when this new project of his came up in the "up for grabs" email, there was no way anyone else was getting this. I would have flown to fucking LA to get the damn thing.

From the first note, the first sigh from Johnny's lips I knew that this was going rock biscuits. The sexiness of his voice and the grown up intelligent music behind it just blew my mind. This is Human Dram for adults who appreciate Pink Floyd, the Beatles, Santana. This is music for intelligent people who appreciate of intelligent music.

Having just finished the review of an album that was so horrific production-wise and to then step into this, the power and intensity was overwhelming. Production value high, playing right on mark, voice just perfect. I think I could end the review right here, but you probably want to hear about the tracks.

"Let Go", the second track actually took me to a Bowie Place. Johnny's voice takes on his quality I think and there is a Ziggy Stardust style to the overall sound. "Beneath the Sand" is heavier than "Let Go" and it is perfect example of the roller coaster of emotion that this album takes you on…in such a way that you sit back and enjoy the ride. You want to be taken by hand through all of this. I know, just know, by this third track that I have lost control and they are now guiding my emotions. Lulling me back down is the lovely acoustic guitar work in Isolation. Reminding me of nights sitting with guitarist friends as they just plucked away, I was in isolation for a moment, with my memories.

I don't know what was the intended meaning of "Down to the Ground", but for me, it took me to standing at the edge of the casket in the cemetery….if you untied my cries, if you follow them down to the ground. For I would follow them.

Every song seems to have excellent guitar solos. Every song. But as tedious as that may read in print, in reality, it is actually probably some of the most amazing guitar work. I have always considered the violin the stringed instrument that had the ability to create every single emotion and every single nuance of every single emotion. The guitar work of Steve Caton changes all that. His guitar work is inspirational in that he is able to run the gamut of emotions through each of his solos without ever sounding repetitive. No wonder he is a fixture in Tori Amos projects. The woman knows talent.

"Believe" is a song that I want to embrace. I want to physically embrace the song. It is just so amazing. And as he wants "to fly holding you" the music takes you soaring with the lyrics and with the one you love, you see the clouds beneath you. As I listened one night in my garden, with a glass of white wine, the breeze, my eyes closed, I was soaring….feeling like there was more air around me than ever. And as the final verse began, I was slowly coming down to earth, back to my glass of wine, the garden of my new home, the sound of my pond….and I was refreshed.

Thankfully there was "Time Reprises" right after, and was able to continue that relaxed, refreshed feeling. I almost feared "My Private Hell", it sounded like from the title I was going to the angry world and would be disturbed out of the mental bliss I was experiencing. But no, that was not to be. Seamlessly coming out of the instrumental, the soft approach to one's private hell is novel and actually makes the hell more tragic and more painful. It's the injured lover who just stands there silently with a single tear streaming down the face. The simplicity yet depth of the pain makes it more poignant.

With the percussive beats that "Fear" opened with, I thought this was going to the rock hard song of the album.  Perhaps not obviously hard, this is seductively so. I sense a jazz, a blues influence on this, until the chorus where I get the Beatles reference. It's such an exciting combination of influences that you wonder how such a mixture of ingredients can make such a delectable dish. By the way, it's at the end of the song that you get the hard stuff, a great jam that is amazingly complex and simple and powerful. Thrusting, angry. Loud. Oh what I would do to see this played live by musicians. It ends so and too soon.

I love "Why". If not intended to be, it's the stage of accepting death that is the questioning. Why did it happen to them? Why has this happened to me? The endless question of why. The endless emptiness of the question. I love the line "shine straight to the light of my shadow." And you can hear, sense, almost touch the flow of the rant, the soft why, the angry explosion of feelings.

"Stillborn Dreams" is just….it's just….it's freaking fun. The pluckiness of some of the Beatle's work and even…hmmm. Oh I don't know…there is a musicality that reminds me of old time vaudeville sound? Old showman sound? It's hear where you can start to hear the acceptance of the loss, the grief turning to trying to feel a connection to the person who is gone. Wanting to say, yep, she's there, she is always watching me. Yup, they are.

And finally "Freedom". I don't think anyone has actually musically expressed the pure joy of freedom and yet the underlining pain (guilt?) of letting go that invariably comes from finally knowing that you are moving one…until now.

This is not just an album but a screenplay of the emotions of loss and the way people deal with it…this from the notes accompanying the CD and from my description (I hope). The real beauty of the album is that although the subject matter is so heavy and deep, there is a sexiness, a sensuality of the music that enriches the whole experience.

This is a complete album. This CD has revived my hope again in real musicians getting into the studio and making music. Creating something that live will be more than what is on the album. I want to see them live. I want them to be my house band. I want them to continually make music that so obviously comes from the heart and soul and "places that I don't like to go." I want a lot of so called musicians to get a copy of this album and see how it's really supposed to be done.

Simple. Buy this album.

Memory Burn is:
David R. Zimmerman: piano
Michael Mallory: bass
Rob Cournoyer: drums
Steve Caton: electric and acoustic guitar
Johnny Indovina: lead vocals, percussion
Jim Wirt: backing vocals

Tracks
1) Time
2) Let Go
3) Beneath the Sand
4) Isolation
5) Down to the Ground
6) Believe
7) Time Reprise
8) My Private Hell
9) Fear
10) Why
11) Stillborn Dreams
12) Freedom
13) Epilogue

Website:
http://www.memoryburn.org

Label:
http://www.noisekd.com

Email:
noisekontrol@yahoo.com
naoiskd@podernet.com.mx
 

My Dying Bride
The Voice Of The Wretched
~reviewed by Matthew Heilman

It sucks to have never seen your favourite band live.  However, sometimes circumstances are beyond your control, bands can’t always play outside of their own country, and most music fans don’t have the cash flow to simply hop on a plane and travel to whatever country their beloved musical heroes happen to hail from.

Peaceville Records seems to be attempting to make up for the fact that My Dying Bride, the label’s pride and glory, have only been to the States once and have been in ravenous demand ever since.   This summer, Peaceville unveils first a full-length live album from the meisters of morose metallic mood entitled The Voice Of The Wretched.  Corresponding with the live CD is a special edition DVD re-release of My Dying Bride’s out of print home video “For Darkest Eyes.”  The DVD contains all six of the band’s promo videos, as well as the three full-length concerts.  Not bad, but hopefully you have a DVD player.

First things first - the new live CD. The album was recorded in March of 2001 in Holland for last year’s Peacefest concert.   The track list spans the band’s entire career everything from a scorching return visit to the epic death/doom of “Symphonaire Infernus…” to the sweeping languid melancholia of “The Cry Of Mankind” to “A Cruel Taste Of Winter” from the band’s latest full-length release “The Dreadful Hours.”

I don’t know how many studio overdubs were made for this release, but the sound quality is superb and crystal clear!  If the band really sounds this good live, then it is truly a crime that we have been deprived so long of experiencing it first hand.  There absolutely had to have been some studio wizardry going on, but regardless, fans of the band will totally eat this up just to hear the slight differences from the studio versions.

The most notable differences appear courtesy of keyboardist Yasmin Ahmed. She does a fabulous job in filling the gaps left by the departure of longtime MDB violinist Martin Powell.  Throughout the band’s earlier songs, where the absence of violin would yield a glaringly incomplete sound, she provides some awesome atmospherics.  Her style is very Gothic and Ambient oriented, as she has a penchant for layers of ghostly choirs, eerie harmonized orchestral strings, and all sorts of dense and heavily reverberated gloom.   Granted you can’t necessarily replace the use of a live violinist, however, instead of trying to mimic the sound of a violin, she provides something decidedly different and almost more eerie at times.  Following the notes, but using her own unique synth voices, her presence here definitely makes the entire CD noteworthy to hardcore fans that would notice and appreciate such minor nuances.

Vocally, Aaron sounds fantastic.  His growls are downright frightening, even harsher than they were on the recent releases where he resurrected his guttural style once again.  The overall effect of the heavier and faster passages of these songs is greatly accentuated, yielding a much more raw and aggressive effect.

The same also holds true for the more romantic and atmospheric parts.  The clean vocal passages are emotionally shaken and full of earnest pathos.  Indeed, Aaron’s voice is that of the wretched, both that of rage and anger, as well as crestfallen, beautiful despair.  All the things My Dying Bride fans expect and count on from this band.

This album is a must for long time fans, as the familiar is given a fresh and unique spin.  And the album is produced so well and sounds so good, that it is also a nice collection of the band’s best material for curious newcomers to Gothic Metal’s finest and most beloved band.

Can’t wait to watch the DVD – my observations shall appear next month.

Track List:
1.) She Is The Dark
2.) Turn Loose The Swans
3.) The Cry Of Mankind
4.) The Snow In My Hands
5.) A Cruel Taste Of Winter
6.) Under Your Wings And Into Your Arms
7.) A Kiss To Remember
8.) Your River
9.) The Fever Sea
10.) Symphonaire Infernus Et Spera Empyrium

My Dying Bride is:
Aaron – vocals
Andrew – guitars
Hamish – guitars
Ade – bass
Shaun – drums
Yasmin – keyboards

My Dying Bride – Official Site:
http://www.mydyingbride.org

Peaceville Records:
http://www.peaceville.com
 

Minefield
After The Ball
~reviewed by Mike Ventarola

A few weeks back, DJ Macross from In Perpetual Motion Internet Radio fame contacted me about a demo submission he had received from the band Minefield.  Macross is a very passionate person when it comes to music, so for him to leap so excitedly from an e-mail about a particular band to this degree, one had simply best sit up and take notice.

Minefield is a showcase for Canadian singer/songwriter Tamara Kent, whose dulcet vocals and songs are intelligently enigmatic. The body of songs are carefully constructed to maintain a rather unique, independent quality while also providing just enough of an element to blur the lines between commercial pop and indie inspiration.

Kent’s lyrics wrap around melodic mid-tempo tracks, providing some fleeting reminders of Switchblade Symphony and Portishead, while taking us down an emotional trajectory. Here, we are given glimpses of the introspective psyche without the heavy-handed doses of self-pity.

This 5 track EP keeps to the formula of darkness that is more towards classical musings rather than doses of the macabre. Elements of sorrow and longing accompany much of the work, punctuated with dashes of trip hop or carefully constructed piano recitations.

"It’s Too Late" simply shimmers like a million stars in the night with sound that coalesces like a gentle boat ride down a surrealistic river. The vocals, which one could compare as a cross between Karin from Collide and Kate Bush, draw the listener unhurriedly yet instantaneously. We are brought to a place within the emotional void where one has to come to grips with finding the strength to admit that love has come and gone.

"I Believe" has a more melancholy intro, layered with synths and piano, seemingly painting sound to within the intensity of something colored cobalt blue. Kent’s self-harmony is simply flawless. She veers the song toward the inner caverns of our own relational and world viewpoints, tugging gently as we question ourselves as much as our protagonist.

"After The Ball" creates and introduction that is akin to a haunted memory, intertwined with expert touches of the macabre and delivered with much flair and elan. These macabre elements are more like brushstrokes of color as opposed to anything that overpowers the track.  It then segues into a trip hop beat that is irresistibly seductive. Kent crafted lyrics that question the dubious nature of reality meeting a fantasy. The dichotomy of wanting to live in the moment and realization that this could cause abject pain is deftly given a provisional analysis without coming across too complex.

"Control" also begins with a bit of electronic eerie trip hop elements that are once again sieved through Kent’s seductive purring rendition, reminiscent of Collide.

"Life" is a mournful piano recitation coupled with ethereal inspired ambient vocals and harmonies. We are peering at the cogitation’s of longing and missed opportunity, not realizing their full impact until much further in hindsight.

Ms. Kent and company have created a delightful composition of introspective songs. Though much of this work may never make it to the dance clubs, those who are more prone to enjoy their sardonic hours in the confines of their own home or via walkman headset will delight in the melodic world that Minefield creates.

Kent’s vocals are soothing and delightful and manage to transcend genre limits. The songs are a variety of styles with lyrics that actually speak to the listener on many personal levels. Do seek out the web page of this newcomer and experience for yourself the delightfully mournful yet introspective world of Kent.

Band Lineup:
Tamara Kent: Vocals, Synth, and Piano
Neil Parfitt: Synthesis & percussion

Musicians:
Same Carothers: Acoustic Bass
Aaron Carothers:  Electric Bass
Nathan Handy: Acoustic Guitar
Martin Turner: Electric Guitars
Rob Capoferri: Live Kit

Tracks:
It’s Too Late
I Believe
After The Ball
Control
Life

Website:www.minefieldmusic.com
Email:  minefield@aol.com
 

Mercyful Fate
In The Shadows
~reviewed by Joel Steudler

I feel bad for the youthful metal fans of today, whose helpless ears are repeatedly invaded by the 'music' of Korn and Mud Puddle or PowerMud or Smackpuddle, or whatever it is the nu-metal band du jour is calling itself.  A brief surge of pity (as much as my cold, embittered husk of a heart can muster) overcomes me when I realize that these lads and lasses may never have heard of Denmark's Mercyful Fate or its frontman King Diamond.  To help alleviate this tragic oversight (and since I have no new metal to review at the moment) I present to the young readers of Starvox a history lesson of sorts- a grim trip into the Vault of Metal Past, from which we will excavate a dangerous and frightful record of harrowing tales.

King Diamond, the inimitable vocalist of Mercyful Fate (as well as his eponymous second band, King Diamond), is a legendary figure in the world of metal.  The bands at the vanguard of metal today likely grew up listening to his music and drawing inspiration from its dark melodies and stories of victorian horror.  Mercyful Fate itself is often credited with being the original black metal band, defining the early sound of the genre.  With these facts in mind, I urge you - yes you! - to seek out the 1993 album In The Shadows and bear witness yourself to King Diamond's mastery of the macabre.  This middle-of-the-discography release from Mercyful Fate contains all the hallmarks of the King's greatest moments and couples them with production values that won't offend the spoiled ears of those who are used to the slick standards met by the top radio-rockers of today.

But wait - a word of warning to you, oh uninitiated listener, before you plod headlong into this album:  ...on second thought, make that two warnings.  The first is this:  King Diamond posesses extraordinary vocal range, and often sends his usually mid-pitched voice into operatic heights that the fat lady can only dream about.  The second warning is less dire, but nonetheless worth mentioning. The King likes to tell stories.  In his other band, it is de rigueur that he spans the length of each offering with an overarching story... a 'concept album', if you will.  With Mercyful Fate, this approach is dropped for a more episodic style.  While still presenting a rich narrative, most Mercyful Fate albums confine specific topics to a single song at a time.  In The Shadows presents a moderate dose of each of the aforementioned idiosyncrasies, never falling into unpleasant excess... but offering enough of each characterstic trait to allow the listener to slowly acclimate themselves before seeking out more hardcore examples.

The album itself is comprised of ten songs, and out of those, four are of the 'so memorable that you'll be singing the chorus hours after the music stops' variety.  'Egypt' tells of ancient gods and a soul trapped in the underworld, scored to the sounds of thrashing leads and strange, foreign cadences... 'Shadows' is most notable for its melodic chours, while 'Thirteen Invitations' will draw you in with its theatrical storytelling.  The song spins a tale where thirteen guests are invited to a deserted mansion where they will play a fateful game of cards with their immortal souls on the line.  The standout track on the album though has to be 'Is that you, Melissa'.  Again, King Diamond paints a vibrant picture as he remembers a lost lover while a baroque harpsichord melody floats behind powerful chugging rhythm guitars.  The rest of the songs are all enjoyable to listen to, and none feel like the filler that often pads the albums of less accomplished acts.

In case it seems as if I'm crediting the band's success to King Diamond alone, let me clarify.  Guitarists Hank Shermann and Michael Denner (who were both present on many Mercyful Fate albums until some of the most recent, where Denner departed in favor of Mike Wead) each contribute significantly to the overall sound of the band.  Shermann writes the music for many of Mercyful Fate's songs, and he is quite capable of both skilled soloing and writing devestating, memorable riffs.  Denner is no slouch either, often chiming in at opportune moments with soaring lead lines and nimbly-played solos.  The bass and drums take a supporting role in most Mercyful Fate songs, but are capably handled by whoever is manning the instruments on a given album.

Mercuful Fate and King Diamond (the band) are two classic acts that any fan of metal is likely to enjoy. They both have elements present in their sound that one can find in a multitude of metallic subgenres (like thrash, progressive, black metal, power metal, and yes - even nu-metal) and both maintain a high level of craftsmanship and talent.  While the most recent Mercyful Fate albums (Dead Again and '9') seem to lack some of the creative spark that the band originally had, the trio of albums released in the mid-90's (In the Shadows; Time; and Into The Unknown) are all fantastic releases.  In The Shadows is a fine place for the neophyte to begin their descent into the dark underworld that King Diamond chronicles in his myriad tales.  Take my advice, kids: don't think that there's no metal worth listening to beyond what you hear on the radio.

Track List:
1.) Egypt
2.) The Bell Witch
3.) The Old Oak
4.) Shadows
5.) A Gruesome Time
6.) Thirteen Invitations
7.) Room of Golden Air
8.) Legend of the Headless Rider
9.) Is that you, Melissa
10.) Return of the Vampire... 1993

Mercyful Fate was:
King Diamond: vocals
Hank Shermann: guitar
Michael Denner: guitar
Timi Hansen: bass
Snowy Shaw: drums

Mercyful Fate Official Website:
http://www.covenworldwide.org

Metal Blade:
http://www.metalblade.com
 

A Murder of Angels
in the air
~reviewed by Dibrom

From the minds of Bryin Dall and Derek Rush comes in the air, the second release under A Murder of Angels. in the air presents the listeners with an uncomfortable and disturbing journey through darkened and obscure themes and imagery, possible only through it's vivid and deeply mood evoking passages and sound compositions.  The album basically picks up where the pioneering While You Sleep left off and continues the bands successful endeavor into this unique style of music which they term "Damnbient".

"........ Who's there?......"  - begins "Crossing The Threshold", the first track on the album, which then sets the stage for things to come throughout the rest of 9 tracks.  At this point the listener is plunged head first into a swirling mesh of unnerving and haunting passages, hypnotic mechanisms, and unsettling hints at a voice or perhaps many, speaking at you from deep within the sound.... or.. maybe not.  As the album progresses, the music has the effect of slowly drawing the listener deep into the feel or the atmosphere woven by these compositions and often times you are not aware of the degree of engrossment the music has been demanding until something breaks your attention away.  Indeed, dispersed throughout the splendid ambiance heard within these tracks lie an unceasing array of details for one to focus on as they slowly drift through the music and it is because of this that one becomes so occupied.  A clever technique for sure, and it makes the album continue to grow increasingly interesting with each subsequent listen.

The artwork for this release is quite out of the ordinary and very fitting to the music.  Presented within the cardboard foldout album case are the pictures of little children in portrait-like poses.  The colors, black and white being the majority, are faded, creating a kind of a vintage effect. This effect, coupled with the unusual environments or other manners in which the children are presented just add to enhance the overall eeriness of the music. A good example of this would be that of the girl holding a bucket and mop, dressed up like an adult, and with a very disconnected look on hear face making her almost not appear to be real at all.   The front and back cover further exemplify this by presenting a slightly shift in imagery compared to the inside.  The front shows an image of a forlorn and innocent looking girl with angel wings on while the back shows the vision of a woman, cloaked in black -- expressionless and with something... not quite right about her eyes -- standing in some sort of graveyard or other place of gothic design.

The entire expression created by this release is quite impressive.  It's rare to find an album which creates such a strong impact on the listener yet at the same time executes this with the degree of fluidity and subtlety seen here.  Throughout the course of the album, the music presents the listener with slight changes in mood, all related, yet all distinctly different, and it's not until you've reached the end that you realize just how incredible a feat this has been.  This is the kind of music to really take advantage of and create an experience out of, be it blasting the album at 2am in pitch black in the living room with not a soul around, or driving down your favorite reclusive back road in the dead of night, engulfing yourself with the sound as you travel through the darkness.  Whatever it is that you do, this album is the ultimate compliment to that.

I highly recommend picking up this release and I sincerely hope to hear more from this amazing group in the future.

Track List:
1.)Crossing the Threshold
2.)Submerged Beginning
3.)Momentary Vision
4.)Decaying Among the Hopeful
5.)Nothing is Written in Stone
6.)Tomorrow In a Heartbeat
7.)Excavation of the Words
8.)A Trail of Gossamer
9.)To Find the Lost Peace

A Murder of Angels is:
Bryin Dall
Derek Rush

A Murder of Angels Website:
www.middlepillar.com/mpp/mpp988/index.html

Middle Pillar Distribution:
www.middlepillar.com/

Monster Trux
Monster Trux
~reviewed by Kimberly

I wasn't too sure when I took my first look at Chicago-based Monster Trux's third independent release, "Grind". Very Misfits style with skateboards on it. This could be either very good or very bad. I open up the sleeve while waiting for my PC to read the CD, and yep-the lead singer is wearing a Matthew Graves inspired skeleton suit.

The thing that made playing the CD a big leap of faith was the fact that they're sponsored by two skate clothing companies. Given that the music is obviously borne out of the skate scene, it's slightly understandable. Slightly.

Anyway, the music. It's good; better than a lot of the local bands I've heard in NYC lately. "American Psycho"- era Misfits. Fun, head bopping punk that's not terribly intelligent (but then punk shouldn't be) without venturing into bubble gum. I'm surprised they haven't at least played CBGB's yet.

My favorite track on the album is "Frankie Goes to Olliewood". Immediately evokes the image of sweaty white boys pogoing around. Would fit right into the setlist of the Motherfucker parties here. My boyfriend and I were both bopping our heads mid-song when I was giving the album the preliminary listen. In fact, he's sitting at the computer, singing it to himself now.

I've been listening to this CD for the past few days while playing video games and it works well, and I'm even going to try and get ahold of some of their earlier stuff. No, not the type of music usually reviewed on this site, but this kind of music is universal to the "alterna" scene.

Tracks:
"Svengoolie"
"Frankie Goes to Olliewood"
"Speed Wheels"
"Future Primative"
"Pool Shark"
"Shut up and Skate"
"Independant"
"Bones Brigade"
"Monster Show"

Monster Trux can be found at http://www.monstertrux.com