Industrial/Coldwave Demo Reviews
Welcome back… There’s little space and plenty to go over, so let’s dig in. This may be some sharp, harsh stuff, so put those stupid goggles you kids wear to good use. Wouldn’t want anyone to lose an eye.
Operator X hits with a harsh, heavily-layered electro-metal sound. The breakbeat-ish nature of the music, combined with twitchy electronic noise, and grinding guitars makes the Sex On Daggers demos well worth the listen. The one area that would greatly benefit from an upgrade is the vocals, which I assume are screamed by a heavily-distorted and static-drowned female. The repetitive nature of the screaming, unintelligible noise coming from the vocalist’s mouth takes away from what could potentially be good music. When kept in the lower BPM’s and given an infusion of more clear vocals, Operator X could be a band worth watching out for. [contact: Operator X, 3171 Adams Ave., Apt. H, San Diego, CA 92116, USA; auralassault@hotmail.com]
Lockwood is an eclectic mix of thin vocals, noise, synth, jazzy strings, tribal drums, metal percussion, and other odd elements to form a dreamy, hazy, downbeat concoction that, while not terribly gripping, is an amazing exercise in experimental art and a meshing of various sounds and styles into a larger montage. To the right ear, this might be a very enjoyable band. [contact: http://www.cogmusic.com]
The Victim’s Shudder describes their album, Sonic Torture Methods, as “represent[ing] the human spirit in the most confounded degree of self-annihilation.” To me, it sounds like a bunch of ambient key-pressings that remind me of my friend testing a synthesizer patch, female moaning, and thumping machine-like noises. None of it seems to reach the lofty goals they’ve set for the mood. It sounds more like the scoring to a bad black & white silent student film. It is shockingly short and to the point, though, at a slim 31 minutes. [contact: mementos_i@hotmail.com; http://thevictimsshudder.cjb.net]
Datura tightly weaves their goth influences with a palatable form of industrial-rock that proves to be fairly enjoyable, despite the lower production value and not completely inspired lyrical content. The thing that keeps nagging at my mind, however, is how much the vocalist, Paul Jablonski, (despite claims of sounding like Peter Murphy) sounds like Jay Gordon from Orgy. I know it’s a small thing, but it’s all I can focus on. Despite vocal similarities, it remains an interesting, though not terribly relevant or impressive, effort. [contact: info@datura.info; http://www.datura.info]
The Blessed Virgin Larry is a band whose ads I have failed to avoid noticing in several genre publications. Fortunately, I had never before bothered to listen to them. I recommend that anyone that reads this does the same. I’m not sure what atmosphere they were going for with The United Police States Of America, but the general sound is “I’m spooky and evil” glam-rock recorded via cellular phone, except with less quality. I’ve heard better concert bootlegs from the 80’s. The music is stereotypical roadhouse rock with trite, stupid lyrics that put the most base and ignorant of the mentally ill to shame. It’s beneath contempt and quite possibly toxic. Avoid at all costs. [contact: The Blessed Virgin Larry, P.O. Box 603, Zephyrhills, FL 33543, USA; theblessedvirgin@hotmail.com]
White Rage’s The Machine is, sadly, one awful track of noise, tuneless vocals, and guitar strumming that seem to have been recorded badly on a PC using equipment made from empty cracker boxes and string, which is then repeated 13 times with different “lyrics”. That is as kind as I can make this review. [contact: http://www.whiterage.com]
I’ve heard Syncro Nine Factor before, as they’re a local Atlanta band. Their music is not badly crafted or inept, nor are they bad musicians, necessarily. And I feel awful saying it, as they are very nice people who seem to be very interested in improving themselves, but they are very, very boring. The songs on re[deploy] are long, droning affairs with precious little to sink your teeth into. It’s far from bad, but does nothing to hook the listener. The music is hypnotic, never rising high enough in tempo to get the blood pumping. They have all the elements of being a good band, as soon as they can get past the hurdle of writing songs with some real emotion, real bite, and a real ability to move their listeners. [contact: vroom@mindspring.com]
Encounter Box is a mix of electronics, metal, and rap. And it’s a very bad mix. Its pseudo-political and social commentaries are two-dimensional at best. And I tire of one of the vocalists trying to sound exactly like he’s Eric Powell. It’s all just pomp propped up around a core of bad ideas and nu-metal-esque macho rap clichés. [contact: static@encounterbox.com; http://www.encounterbox.com]
Tungsten Coil (whose song “Things Aren’t The Same” appears on the IndustrialnatioN CD Sound Sampler Vol. 02) sounds like a local band. Like most local bands, in fact. Despite the one enjoyable song that they are wise enough to put on compilations, their album is a rather dull affair and far too reminiscent on most occasions to Metallica. I just wonder why the vocalist stole James Hetfield’s vocal affectations or why they swiped Metallica’s guitar sound and style. It all just adds to how much they sound like another generic local industrial-rock band. [contact: Tungsten Coil, 188 Western Drive, Kyle, TX 78640, USA; http://www.tungstencoil.com]
People may remember Hell On Earth as the Florida band who appeared in the news for trying (unsuccessfully) to have a terminally ill person commit suicide during a show last October. The untalented assholes tried for more press by engaging in cannibalism with flesh donated from a fan. I could easily write 1,000 words as to how repugnant and stupid their woefully untalented mishmash of programming, metal guitar riffs, and vocals that stagnantly float on top of the mix like you’re listening to karaoke is. But I don’t have the space to give these worthless junkie losers what they deserve. So, with song titles like “Vampire Christ” and “My God Is Heroin”, you get what you’d expect. [contact: http://www.hellonearth.net]
from IndustrialnatioN Magazine #20