Industrial music reviews

When an artist can sing about the darkest tremors of his (or her) soul, when somebody can make music that gets underneath your skin, and yet still, he can make you listen and, at the end, make you beg for more, then one can speak of something quite unique.

(Dark) ambient artists like Lustmord, Raison d'Etre or Biosphere can evoke and provoke quite positive emotions even though on the surface their music is ice cold, chilly, dark and, sometimes, goes to deep inside your body. But they get away with it, because their music offers so much more then just that surface-based dark mood.

Sopor Aeternus is among those artists who produces art that is of the most astonishing beauty one can ever imagine, while, at the same time, the listener is covered in lyrics like: "I dreamt that I was lying on the bottom / of the dark and never-ending sea, / on a bed that my dead lover was preparing / with his own skeleton for me... (the song `Hades Pluton').
One of the first persons of the past that come to mind while listening to Sopor, and going through the booklet with grim photographs of the singer in forced, alost cramped positions, is Edgar Allan Poe. And not so coincidentally, one of the songs on the album is called "The Sleeper", which is inspired by a Poe text.
(Another Edgar Poe poem, by the way, "Eldorado", can be heard on the album "Songs of the inverted womb", getting a typical Soporlike treatment.)

The subtitle of this album is "(face one)"; and yes, there is a sequel, "Dead lover's sarabande (face two)", released in 1999, with, as opener of this ongoing hellish opera, a cover from the late female vocalist Nico, called "Abschied". All that follows is in the same vein and bloodflow as part 1. More of the same, yes, but not repetitive in a negative way.
Just again hyper-stylish, off-beat, and uncompromisingly dark again.

Some reviewer called Sopor's musical efforts insane, or at least music to create insanity - I have to disagree, for I would call it, in all it's brooding and gloomy atmosphere, cleansing and purifying.
It's music for depressed, lonely and confused people, people with anxiety for everything mortal, for whom there is no earthly cure other than this methaphorical, mystifying audio-medicine.

All SOPOR AETERNUS albums are great! dark and gloomy dreamscape music that are before their time. You will hear nothing like this band ever. This is not "GOTH" music, it goes far beyond that. Just because something is dark or moody does not mean it's goth. you will not find this or any other S.A. album in a HOT GOTHIC GAY store in some mall. Goth will die like any other sissy trend. So forget the lame MTV bands and go buy SOPOR AETERNUS!

My first experience with Sopor Aetenus was Le Chambre D'Echo. Although I knew I was hearing something unique, I had some trouble getting past the album's synthe-pop verneer. When a friend came in and said it sounded like REM, I almost quit listening. But when I heard Dead Lovers' Sarabande, it all clicked, and I had found a new favorite band.
I also, at first, had some problems with the overblown drama in their lyrics, vocal delivery, and the artwork that accompanied their albums. Don't get me wrong, I love melodrama, and I love experimental vocalists. But I detest cliche' and "Goth" is full of it, so I am ever on my guard when I listen to artists who get lumped into this unfortunate category. But some of my favorite artists have had that problem, just because they are dark or different, so I did some digging into S.A.s' imagery and discovered the beautiful world of Butoh. For those of you who haven't been so fortunate, Butoh is a largely subversive form of theatre created in post-war Japan, which draws on Noh, Kabuki, and German Expressionism. It's characterized by exagerated facial expressions, and dramatic gestures. It is generally very dark. It is no coincidence that most of S.A.'s albums are accompanied by photos of their brilliant Butoh performances. The Butoh technique of channeling extremely focused inner tensions is very evident in their music.
Sopor Aeternus has created a very beautiful and unique world of sound and images and belong to that small group of performers who truly are creative artists, as opposed to "performers" who merely swallow up a bunch of musical style and regurgitate it. (Yeah, I'm talking to you, Goths, Metal-heads, and Rappers.)
Thank you, Sopor Aeternus.

Regarding the asinine comment about 7-11s, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_an_Arab

Personally, I give Thomas Thorn & Co. a little more
credit for irony, tongue in cheek, etc. Also, Middle
Eastern oil magnates more perfectly display the
Satanic sensibilities EHC espouse, than the stupid
little Americans with cute gothy pen names
sitting around writing "reviews".

I am a fan of Electric Hellfire Club and got their albums Burn Baby Burn and Kiss The Goat and the album in memory of Shane , Calling Doctor Luv and Unholy Rollers. But I havent heard this album before this is just a comment in defense of my race and definition of race. He/She commented that the song Killing An Arab was probably EHCs frustratiion for Circle K and 7-11 vendors and Middle Eastern Oil companies. I am an Arab female and yes I listen to and like the EHC and never heard this song, but dude , the vendors of 7-11 or Circle K are primarily Indian and / or Pakistani and not even Arab, so dude if they are or thinking they have aggression towards Arabs they are confused. Im just makin it clear that over 90% of the gas stations are owned and operated by Pakistanis or Indians and other people, but not Arabs. I know people gonna be thinkin im trippin or gettin worked up over something small but it big to me , cuz Arabs are not offiliated racially , culturally, linguistically to Indians and/or Pakistanis. Pakistanis are racially Indians and Indians are completely different race/culture ect ect. But when I listen to this album, Ill decide on the album review, but for now, dude you confused ...


Also, I saw EHC live when I was like 18 back in 1998 in Milwaukee at The Rave. I had the privelege of being in the front row area and was about 3-4 feet away from Thomas Thorn singin. I remember, he had devil horns on and his head was no longer bald, but had a mop of blond-browsn tangled hair and was dressed in all leather and had goatee beard. During his Mr 44 song he held up a christian bible and tore it up and lit in on a fire. Im not sure what he did i think it was put in a pit or sumthin, and he threw remenents of it to the crowd and I was lucky enough to have caught like 3 parts of the torn burnt bible. He mesmerized the crowd, including myself with his presence and power and you could tell he was a poser or phony when it came to his Satanic beliefs. After the show I wanted meet him up close and talk to him or sumthin cuz I admired him. So he sat down and i got a few autographs on the torn papers of the bible he threw and also shook his hand. I forget what other keepsakes I got from the show . but I enjoyed seein him live after bein a fan for a long time.

There's no reason why you cannot celebrate Halloween all year 'round, as many of us already aesthetically do --- the very cover depicts what one would expect to see on a Halloween effects album, which initially drew Me to it in particular in the first place, as I'm always looking for Hallows tunes - jaunty, eerie, silly, or serious.

A smiling Jack-o-Lantern adorns the cover, placed on the customized EHC Baphomet. Inside, elucidating liner notes, a veritable essay & evolutionary prognostication by Reverend Thomas Thorn, as to the future development of the band.

Here, some of the all-time classics of infamy are covered in a playfully diabolical way, from horror movies to devilish Heavy Metal & Gothic bands demonized by xoids, which ignited much of the furor in the highly satanophobic 80's.
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Disc One

1. Sympathy For The Devil

The Rolling Stones classic, said to be the first Rock'N'Roll song to fully anknowledge The Prince of Darkness as Lucifer, "Minister of Music" --- the song to which a veritable sacrifice, a blood ritual baptism occurred in Altamont, CA, where Hell's Angels took their prey.

2. Killing The Arab

As it was related to this writer, a Cure cover which may vent against Circle-K or 7-11 vendors, or Middle-Eastern oil embargos; whether or not it is a misconception, generally referring to all people of Middle-Eastern descent as "arabs", which they are obviously not. Keep in mind that this is a cover song, so the lyrical content may not be necessarily shared by EHC, but may have in fact been posted by one Robert Smith.

3. Highway To Hell

AC/DC classic which celebrates the indulgent & passionate ride to the swirling Abyss, & was also a favorite of The Nightstalker Richard Ramirez, & Myself. Do the bells toll for thee?
4. Shout At The Devil

A headbanging good time is promised with this one, with a delighful twist; a cavalcade of sounds. The original recording is also part of My collection.

5. Devil Inside

Underrated song by INXS, which reminds that the Devil is indeed "within every single one of us..." --- the Lust of Life, lest humanimality forget......

Michael Hutchins, singer for INXS, killed himself in an auto-erotic attempt to an incredible neo-necrogasm. For this, I can see the image of Hutchins crucified, with the name of the band written above the cross, in place of "INRI".
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Disc 2

1. Halloween Medley {first time on CD} / 2. Halloween Theme

A familiar variation written by John Carpenter for his landmark movie by the same name. Before this release, this Halloween medley became a Samhein regular at shows. Just as eerie, with a drumbeat added.

3. Incubus

From 'Kiss The Goat' {this Author's favorite EHC release}, which I came into possession under a red night sky, 'Incubus' is the lingam kundalini unleashed upon the ethers by the Passions of Pan & Priapus.
4. Bela Lugosi's Dead

A Bauhaus cover - gives recognition to one of the progenitors of Gothic Rock, & a tribute to the silver screen's most infamous horror actor who played the most infamous horror character, Dracula. Lugosi so personafied the portrayal, he was even buried in his cape-- now that's dedication!

Despite the flack this song has received as being identified with "gothabe's" {goth-wanna'be poseurs who are 'bad bunnies' looking for cheap thrills by merely dressing in black, thus diluting the underground scene}, EHC adds a nice touch with this version.

5. Black No. 1

The cover song of another one of this Author's favorite bands, Type 0 Negative {especially "Bloody Kisses", "October Rust", & "Slow, Deep & Hard"}; I really enjoyed this version.
6. Incubus reprise

Another version of that great 'Kiss The Goat' song.

I enjoyed the way the songs blended & bled together, giving the senses delightful surprises, as one gently overlaps the other like satano-sonic waves.

The one song that I enjoyed most on this double-CD set was undoubtably #6/Disc 1: "The Bishop's Folly", which is an EHC original. And if this is any indication of what is to come {which in fact, it is}, then there surely is a lot to expect.

Hardcore EHC fans will want this in their collections, but for the novice & unfamiliar to the band, you may wish to first purchase "Kiss The Goat", "Satan's Little Helpers", "Calling Dr. Luv", & "Holy Roller."

To become acquainted with Reverend Thorn's musical evilution, seek out "My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult", which incidently, inspired & influenced one Rev. Marilyn Manson.

In My opinion, The best way to experience EHC is through headphones, as it is filled with such a plethora of sounds that should not be missed.

Somewhat ignored by many music journalists. This album has been dismissed as sounding too like other groups at that time (1981).

Of course it did. The band had just started and were only starting out. Finding their feet, they wanted to do at least what other electronic groups at that time were doing, and on that mission they succeeded.

But their sound at that time really sounded like very little else, so I am unsure as to what some music journalists were really whinging about.

Though there were similarities to Kraftwerk, New Order, etc, the sound the group was putting out didn't really reflect that. They had a sound of their own already. Very sparse (electronic) percussion, keyboard lines and minimal bass formed most songs, which were an exploration in sound rather than a conventional song.

But there is much to admire on this album, for any fan of 80's electronic music, I'd ask you to take a look at this album.

Geography being Front 242's debute album started an entirely new form of electronic music, i.e., they started ebm, or electronic body music. Previous to this release electronic music did not not have the hard edge that Front 242 showcased with tracks such as U-men, Operating tracks, and many other fine examples. As with any debute album, yes this one also has a problem and that is the sometimes over simplified lyrics, something that improves over time. The new art for the cover is vastly superior to the one with the face and I have no idea what the band was thinking. This is a very important release and it is groundbreaking in the sense that they created a new form of electronic music, i.e., ebm.

For those who want a quick compillation of 242 without the "Single" scene this is a good start,"Backcatalogue" being the other.For the curious wanting to delve deeper-"Official Version" and "Front By Front" are worth a listen.

After the rich and engaging tour de force that was "Concentration," one had every right to expect great things from Machines of Loving Grace's third album. However, there were some major missteps along the way, the biggest of which is likely the switch in producers. MoLG teamed up with Sylvia Massy, then best known for producing Tool's "Undertow," and the change in style is both dramatic and underwhelming. "Gilt" marks a near-total departure from the varied and largely electronic sound of MoLG's earlier works. In fact, you'll barely notice any synth elements in the album at all.

The album as a whole is very well-produced and aurally consistent, but this not a particularly good thing. The end result is that "Gilt" sounds virtually nothing like MoLG's last two albums, eschewing the creative use of electronic elements and effects for a hard-driving, bass-heavy feel that virtually never strays from the well-beaten path of so many groups before them. Indeed, were it not for Benzel's distinctive voice, a great deal of the album could be easily mistaken for something from Tool's catalog. This would be fine, as there's nothing inherently wrong with Tool's sound, but MoLG's somewhat quirky appeal on their first two albums lay largely in their tendency to experiment and shift styles from song to song. The listener will find no such charm here. The entire album smacks of a failed experiment.

Only the album's opening track, "Richest Junkie Still Alive," has any hint of the richness or style that made "Concentration" so enjoyable. Given that Machines of Loving Grace are dead and gone as a band, it's truly a shame that they went out on such a low note. If you're a hard rock fan, looking for something powerful to add to your collection, you could do a lot worse. If you're looking for something that stands out from the crowd and is likely to catch your attention, ignore this one and get "Concentration" instead.

As the word "masterpiece" is obscenely thrown around in this day and age, it is not often that anything given such a distinction is truly deserving of the title. MOLG's final album Gilt is as deserving of the label "masterpiece" as anything else in the musical realm. The wide range of feeling this album lays out can, at times, be simply awe inspiring. Far exceeding their past works in not only musical offerings and quality, but also style, substance, groove and a plethora of other areas, Gilt is one of those rare, charmed albums that in fact does have something to offer to the ear of just about any open minded individual. From the whisper-to-a-scream structure of Suicide King, to the sonically rich layers of Solar Temple, to MOLG's crowning opus and achievement in Casual Users (which holds special distinction in my life as my favorite song of all-time), you would be hard pressed not to find at the very least a small, subtle moment somewhere throughout the album's running that is pleasing to your ear. Easily a 5-star offering and one of the most consistently well crafted albums of the 90's.

Little did we know that an unknown masterpiece from Machines of Loving Grace would materialize as a very cohesive and critically important final album. Although sad to say they've since disbanded, GILT is without a doubt their best album.

Getting things cooking with the brilliantly executed subdued rocker "Richest Junkie Still Alive", the whispered tones of Scott Benzel's voice compliments the great backbone from guitarist Tom Coffeen, bassist Ray Riendieau, keyboardist Mike Fisher, and drummer David Suycott. But the strength doesn't stop here...it's only a beginning. One of the highlights of GILT, "Suicide King", charges on full-throttle guitars and pounding drums with the bittersweet anger of Scott Benzel's vocals. It's one of those tracks that prove irresistible to the untrained ear. The soft metal of "The Soft Collision" is soothing and mysterious with soft whisper vocals. "Animal Mass" has that mysterious throbbing energy that also proves to be quite thrilling, and the guitar swings along to the bass and drum lines, making it equally head-banger worthy. "Kiss Destroyer" seems to seethe with intensity and the scathing vocals of Benzel, and throbs with crunchy industrial rhythms, and "Serpico" and "Tryst" also thrive on throbbing industrial pulses...but be advised, this album leans more metal than anything.

GILT is one of those superb masterpieces that you might wish to hear more of from MOLG. Unfortunately, we might never get the chance to hear from them again. But with GILT, their final goodbye is an entirely satisfying affair.

I bought Chrome's "Half Machine Lip Moves / Alien Soundtracks" at the record store clerk's insistence that it was the greatest album ever. I feel like I really SHOULD like it, as I love Suicide, Pere Ubu, The Wipers, Shellac/Big Black and many of the other bands that are referenced. I love musique concrete, backwards tape loops, etc. I do like the concept, but I am not sold on the execution at all.

I like raw music, experimental music and lo-fi music, yet for some reason, the production of these songs just doesn't rub me right. I like the first song, "TV as Eyes" and I enjoy some of the more experimental stuff on Alien Soundtracks, but much of the album strikes me as crappily recorded, stereotypical proto-hardcore punk with sci-fi lyrics and some tape experiments.

I give them credit for being a few years ahead of their time, but that doesn't necessarily mean the music is good. Furthermore, I feel like slightly more professional production would make the CD exponentially more listenable. As I said, I'm not adverse to lo-fi, but I think it detracts from the songs on this album. Especially because it's kind of pointless to have cool dystopian sci-fi lyrics if you can't make any of them out. It's very, very obvious that there are a TON of interesting ideas here, and I know if it were better recorded, it probably would be an album that I would really love.

I'm sure Chrome purists would hate to admit that better recorded drums and vocals would make the CD better, albeit I have a feeling that the unbearableness of the proceedings is part of what hardcore fans like - the elitism of knowing that their music is rawer than anything else that exists. This is true about Chrome, but I think it's to a level where it turns me off personally.

If you love raw and experimental music, this is as raw as it gets. If you are even slightly adverse to difficult music, you probably won't like this. And even if you do like some difficult music, like me, make sure you listen to it before you buy it - there are a lot of CDs I would have chosen over it had I done so.

Play tracks four through eight sufficiently loud while sitting in the middle of the stereo field and you'll get the picture. Yes, indeed, crappy drum sounds, but that's part of the appeal, in total contravention to present "standard practice". Not a bit of cleanliness and order here. That Damon Edge couldn't sing did not stop the bunch of them from recording one of the most singular meldings of acid-damaged psychedelia and dissonant electronics/tape weirdness available for your listening pleasure. Utterly primitive and demented, they threw in at least two kitchen sinks in the making and doubtless killed a lot of brain cells (maybe that's why their other stuff is so spotty?). That said, smack in the middle of second release included on this disk is "Nova Feedback", probably one of the "prettiest" pieces they ever did and one which is most firmly "music" by any measure.

After the irritating pestilence of 'The Visitation', Chrome should have disappeared into little more than a record collector's footnote for those bitchin' hand stencilled covers. Instead, they found Helios Creed fighting over the same pile of discarded electronic garbage in the Tenderloin. Using every quarter they could bum from in front of the Mitchell Brothers theatre to power a slick and polished visual campaign based on Xerox copiers, they proceeded to record these jaw-dropping aural spectacles. Lacking fans, a public stage, academic credentials or any strategic engagement with the music business, the band transmogrified from the gypsy moth which eats a leaf or two into a city raping Mothra. At the time, absolutely nothing sounded like it and the globally scattered 200 (maybe) who understood what they were hearing recognized what a rupture it was. While strictly adhering to the accepted conventions of rock, the guitar-solo on 'Nova Feedback' can make you weep, there is zero sense that the sound was connected to, came from or was going towards another musical dialectic. It would be years before people comprehended the music and sufficient resources were devoted to even understanding who the characters were. Unfortunately, time has been cruel to the source recordings and all reproductions have suffered noticeable and differing degradations in sonic quality. Purchase of the vinyl originals, themselves poorly made, is required. Critical to understanding music recorded after 1985.

Just a general cd, but the live cdr track of ich will is what makes it real special, buy it!

If you have listened too all 3 released CD s of ICH WILL then you will obviously know that they are undoutably one of the best industrial bands around and prove that with this single.

Do you like Rammstein? what are you waiting for it 15 bucks well
spent. If you have windows media player you can go to musicimports.com get the links 2-3-4 dvd. it isn't American dvd
compatible but has the video links 234 three remixs plus halleluja.
also you can download at the #1 fan website (you know which one)
the concert in france has the best audio, so does medowbroke farm.

I was there and met Lycia wich at the time was Mike Van Portfleet and David Galas while A Day In the Stark Corner was released and played at a small CD store(Vinyl Fetish) on Melrose in Hollywood. I was 17 and I felt them fairly inspired by this album more so then the later named. Lycia have an allout charm that is so hard to resist. They hit the time so well. I can only understand later scrutiny for their time sake but, all said and done this album was wonderful for its time and now nerly 13 years later I am still happy to hear this music once in a while. What wonders emerged from this 4 track outfit that later came to work its charms into so many after thier meeger beggings. I will always hold Lycia dear to me for being much more intuitive and creative then so many of thier darkwave/goth counterparts even amongest thier own lable especially. For what they had they had it well.

Lycia are very ambiant on a spectrum of apocalyptic tales waining through emotions and how all encomapassing they can be to an eclectic and ethereal mind. Lycia never missed to feel and display feeling no matter that they at this time could never compeet for more then underground status. Appreciation for this music seems to have its time borders and at the same time they do not. I still discover fans of thier older music all the time.

Lycia are definitive of a great explorations of depravity and beauty. You can feel free to appreciate this band and how far they did go despite a small budget. Lycia is a wonderful band in all truth ... very open and real to thier stance on all ethereal levels... Enjoy sincerely. Lycia is great.

Yes this album is one of Lycia's early recordings, and i think that the sound is downright impressive for a one man band to accomplish. The albums cover is fascinating but yet doesnt fit the music itself. I really like Lycia, but i dont really like thier early recordings. I like the later CDs that had the heavier walls of guitar synths, the deep drums and the more dramatic sound. Good album for you if you especially like more electronic ambient music.

The darkest, thickest, deepest & best release of the now defunct duo [in my opinion the best dark-ethereal wave act]. Could anyone give it back from the grave!?!?!
if you aren't sure which PROJEKT title to start with... THIS IS THE ONE!!!

The Japanese edition of MDFMK comes with two extra tracks: American Dream and Action/Reaction. They are not availible anywhere else! These are very good tracks, and the cd is worth picking up for a resonable price. Me I had to have it so I bought it. A must ahve for any KMFDM fan. Possible the last CD of the greatness of KMFDM, who, in my opinion, hasn't made anything great since.

With the MDFMK moniker well in hand, the new-crafted circle of members of the band formerly known as KMFDM decided to traverse roads previously unknown to them, taking their version of "Rip the System" aggression into a more synth-friendly sound. The result is an MDFMK that, in some ways, reflected some of the KMFDM angst of the past but, with a lineup composed of Sasha, Tim Skold, and Lucia, still echoed something of a void without the additional components known as Gunther and En Esch. They were still immensely enjoyable and they still forged ahead with something that worked well and is worthy of five-stars plus, but there was something missing in that one-two punch that had culminated within those members from once before. Perhaps its something akin to nostalgia, but listening to it and feeling my pulse quicken still reminds me that there is something gone from the ranks that had been there forever up until now - something I can only listen to when buying En Esch's "DickNity".

All of the songs provided within this work spin an industrial/electronic web that helped move a nation of KMFDM's listeners with many of its songs, plus the additions of Lucia (Get Out of My Head) was well-received as well. In fact, after listening to many of their songs and seeing them tour for a while, could only be described as infectious, making the listener want to hear them over and over again. They were still driven heavily by pounding sounds, driven guitars, and the incorporation of Sasha's programming skills, rounding out the work in some of the best ways possible. Still, there are many that say that this isn't the KMFDM of yore, and that is true in some respects as well. The sounds are different but the messages, some lashing out at the sociopolitical arena (Gasoline, RabbleRouser) and some commenting on the need to burn something at the stake (Witch Hunt). All, however, point to the fact that "The Revolution Will Be Synthesized!" - a fact that, until now, has never been quite so evident.

Provided on the import album are two tracks that I actually longed for and find myself quite glad I have. Contrary to the popular opinion's expressed by so many, I found these tracks quite delectable and, after hearing them live, a driving force that made me re-obtain the album in this more expensive form. Why? Because the message within the heartbeat of Amerikan Nightmare, commenting on the future of the mentality of what amounts to a nightmare for so many, is a pure form of social commentary that KMFDM was founded on and what I strive to own. Also, the incorporation of Acton/Reaction, a track that is something of a combination of Tim Skold's former solo work and KMFDM, is a nice compliment to the set.

For those that wish to own the entirety of the album, I would actually suggest forgoing the US release and picking up the Japanese version for the two extra track. Still, if you find this an impossible step, I'd still suggest you introduce the MDFMK release into your listening mindset because your wanton subconscious deserves it!

MDFMK have their work cut out for them, that's for sure. After over a decade of creating legendary music, KMFDM decided that a change was needed. For Sascha Konietzko, Tim Skold, and Lucia Cifarelli, that change is MDFMK. MDFMK is an incredible mix of guitars, electronics, vocals that go from harsh to hypnotic, and general noise. This time around, the lyrics are light on the politics, heavy on the emotions, and this is a good thing. While you won't be hearing RIP THE SYSTEM! anywhere on this disk, you won't mind one bit, because you'll be too distracted by the audio roller coaster ride that you can't get enough of. The two bonus tracks, Amerikan Dream and Action Reaction are both excellent, and a nice finish to an overall classic album. MDFMK will suck you in, and won't let you go for a long time. Buy the disk and crank the volume!

Well, I am a Huge DOD fan, don't get me wrong, but this recording just did'nt quite do it for me. With my first hearing of this record, I was amazed, and by the time the first track was finished, I felt tears of JOY in my eyes. It was absolute beauty! But my second time, it seemed to be a little less than what I had last remembered.

I felt shattered the next dozen times I popped it into my CD player. Adrian Hates and his band are a team of very talented musicians I literally worship! But this album was just mediocre once I really gave it a good listen to.

Tracks like Babylon, Butterly: Dance! and Dead Souls Screaming are major highlights on the album, but unfortunately the only ones too. Chemicals and a few other songs like to that are tiresom and repetative with screeching electronic "hormonies" I just cannot stand!

Try buying a used copy of this CD instead so you save the money. One of 18 Angels just gets older and older the more I play it.

I initially bought the Succubus club cd since I was looking to find a new taste in music. I also had been into Vampire: The Masquerade role-playing game and was looking for some background music to listen to while we played. I listened to the bands and studied closer onto this band. I bought this cd and was astounded. The cd is perfect for what I needed as ambience, and it's just great all around. Very dark, hard to understand the lyrics, a lot of techno, and the voices are unforgettable. My first cd of this band and definitely not my last!

I do have weird tastes sometimes, maybe that is why I like this album. How to describe it? Darkwave keyboard as if you were listening a horror film blend with techno on which the singer does not really sing but recitate poems like a dead guy.

Favorite songs: "Chemicals", "Mankind", "Darker".

It is pretty unusual.

This is by far the best Ozrics album. The others are really rather dull in comparison.

Two facts about the Ozrics.

1. The father of the lead guitarist Ed and late bass player Roly designed the reverse of the British fifty pence coin in 1973.

2. The girl who does the album covers quit smoking and became addicted to sunflower seeds.

Have fun in the sun, eat a bun.

This band may not be well known, but they are a real treat. Lovers of psychedelic music and creative Rock should own at least some Ozric Tentacles. I own what I believe to be their best music. I have Erpland, Jurassic Shift, Strangeitude, Pungent Effulgent, Curious Corn, and the Floating Seeds Remixed album. Pungent Effulgent is one of my favorites. But the others are great too. They utilize so many things to make their music. It is really interesting, and never offensive. Pick up some or all of the titles I just mentioned if you like their vibe. It's all good!

I just want to say that there is nothing really to be added to the already excellent reviews of this album.

If you don't own any of the Ozrics then make sure that one of the two that you do own is this one.

It's good!