Industrial music reviews

Well this isn't The Puppy's best release but it has several essential tracks such as "One Time, One Place", "Dig It", "200 years", "Three Blind Mice" and "Chainsaw" which is pretty much one of the freakn coolest SP songs ever! Not as dark or disturbing as their later stuff but with more of a dance vibe. A couple of the songs are a bit weak for Skinny Puppy standards but when the songs are good they tend to be damn good.

It's come to my attention from a Wikipedia article about the lawyer, Jack Thompson(He's a lawyer who is trying to fight against the videogame industry and wants to censor violent videogames), that an Amazon reviewer gave his book a 5 star rating during what JT called a bookstorming and that review was removed (They filled up the book with negative tags, photoshopped pictures, and 1 star reviews). The positive review was by a user called BushSupporter who appears to be against Skinny Puppy as well as videogames. Anyway, if you're here because you hate Jack Thompson and are curious about the band you may want to skip this CD unless you're already into harsh Industrial music. Don't get me wrong. It's an awesome piece of work but I don't feel it's going to appeal to first timers. Skinny Puppy made later releases that are a lot easier to swallow for first time listeners. Those releases are The Greater Wrong of the Right, The Process, and Rabies. Rabies being the least accessible of those three but it still has Al Jourgensen's guitars (the vocalist and guitar player from Ministry).

Since ordering this album 3 days ago, I have listened to this album 12 times all the way through. Contrary to most reviewers here, I really don't find this album evil, or dark. If you want dark listen to Last Rights, and I don't really think SP was ever evil. They're one of the most moral bands I know. Anyway, this album is very melodic and ethereal, and actually contains one of SP's happiest songs, namely "Love". The way it's put together reminds me of flowing water. Also, the art is excellent. Here's my track by track.

1) One Time One Place (9/10) A good song, but there's nothing about it that really distinguishes it from the others. Kinda sounds like something from their next album, CFM.

2) God's Gift (Maggot) (10/10) VERY cool. The weird slowed down talking adds to the song, and the stuttery, loud sections where he's screaming are awesome.

3) Three Blind Mice (10/10) The synth on this one is very good. Puts you in a trance.

4) Love (10/10) Their best instrumental. Very, VERY well put together. Shows that even industrial artists actually do write songs, rather than just putting sounds together (Scrapyard, anyone?).

5) Stairs and Flowers (11/10) Genious. A funky, cool beat with some weird vocal sounds from Ogre for about 3 minutes, as well as some seemingly random synth notes and noises. Then, all of the sudden, a bubbly synth line begins, and it strangely harmonizes with everything going on. Awesome.

6) Antagonism (10/10) Great synth again, and some memorable lyrics. "Living, yet unaware. Asking do you really care?".

7) 200 Years (9/10) A good instrumental with song awesome samples. "What's wrong with you? What's wrong with everybody in this crazy place!?".

8) Dig It (10/10) This song deserved its fame. Perfect.

9) Burnt With Water (8/10) EXTREMELY WEIRD. Some strange cymbals with Ogre randomly yelling 'Behavior!'. It would've been a great experiment if it was a bit shorter.

Bonus tracks:

10) Chainsaw (9/10) A somewhat unmemorable typical-for-this-time-period SP song with a cool bass line. I love the pitch bended opera voice.

11) Addiction (First Dose) (8/10) Very minimalistic, they cut out over half the background sound and keyboards from the CFM version, but its somehow likeable anyway. You can also hear the vocals much better, which are in general very quiet on CFM.

12) Stairs and Flowers (Too Far Gone) (9/10) Like the original without my favorite synth part. I like some of the new synth stuff they added, though.

13) Deep Down Trauma Hounds (8/10) See Addiction (first dose).

Overall, this is a great album, exactly what I was looking for when I ordered it. It's one of SP essential albums along with Last Rights, Process, Too Dark Park and VIVIsect VI. It's a lot more synth focused than any others from this time in their career. I havent heard Bites, but CFM was pretty much based on percussion and being creepy. I like this MUCH better than that though.

Laibach yet again use the modus operandi of the cover version to get their message across, and what better way to create a critique of the Western failure to intervene in the Balkans than by producing an album filled with cover versions of war songs..

Ranging from the ridiculous, such as Europe's Final Countdown and Status Quo's In The Army Now, through to the ominous and serious, NATO (an adaptation from Holst's planet suite)and Mars on the River Drina, Laibach's techno-driven anthems provide a much needed antidote to the more moralistic and somewhat condescending music created by some other bands concerning the Balkans situation..

The album's highlight has to be a cover of Edwin Starr's 'War', where instead of War being good for 'nothing at all' a list of leading Western industrial groups and media organisations is listed..

The irony is further extended with the album's closing song, Mars on the River Drina, an adaptation of a Serbian Army marching song.. Laibach actually had the guts to play this live in Sarajevo, days before NATO troops arrived following the Dayton peace accord..

Pity U2 didn't have as much courage rather than making a commercial success out of suffering...

I guess some folks would have to take this release with a grain of salt. I don't. Laibach comes off like some kind of dark Wierd Al Yankovic and I love it. In the army now and The Final Countdown are instant classics. Dogs of War's Shakesperian theme spawn images of Christopher Plummer as General Chang in Star Trek VI. 2525 is a bit dull but that's the only blemish on this disk. This album is very well done and it's a treat for anyone who wants to have a peek into eastern European humor and satirical style.

Laibach is one of the avant-garde "industrial" bands whose sound can change drastically between albums. On NATO, their music is fast fun dancebeats & a lot of quasi-operatic very airy female vocals. Also, of course, the very low speaking over the music.

If you like either of these bands you will love this cd. Both songs are pretty long, and you must have a decent sound system to appreciate the bass that makes these songs stand apart. For those of us lucky enough to own an original copy of NAIVE (the copyright infringing one), you will appreciate the twist put on by TKK. If you like this, buy 'Confessions of a Knife'.

The problem with this disk is that it is too short! Teasing us with only 2 songs! If you are familiar with either seminal techno-industrial artist, get this 'single.' This is truly one of the best collaborative/remix projects ever.

This 2 song disc is great. With both tracks around 10 minutes of remix heaven, it is a great buy. TKK's remix of Naive is full of their trademark sound. The beauty of this disc thought is KMFDM's remix of The Days of Swine and Roses. Adding in more harsh industrial sounds that one would think you could, they succeed at making a great song even better. If you like either group, this is a great disc to own.

Personally,I like this disc better than the one they put out before it,'Hallway Of The Gods'.Has two original members,vocalist/frontman Edward Ka-Spel and keyboardist Phil 'The Silverman'.The Dots have been at it since 1980 now.Most promising tracks would be "As Long As It's Purple And Green",the melodic "Ghost",the charismatic "A Sunset For A Swan","Zoo",the soothing "Pete's Faithful Punchline" and "Abracadabra".If you happen to be into,say early Pink Floyd or Can then you should REALLY enjoy this release.Not counting side projects and solo titles,I heard this was like the band's 40th album.Wow!!

The music on this album includes noise/ambient, to use those terms as loosely as possible, & the smooth grooves of songs such as As Long As It's Purple & Green. It doesn't sound like music anybody else could have made.

LPD have mutated over the years, and they very occasionally reach heights unsurpassed. This has happened on three occasions that come to mind: The Lovers (1984), The Maria Dimension (1990) and Nemesis Online. Nemesis Online is their first really interesting shift in sound since the early 90s, and they owe a lot of it to the production. It's fuller, more distorted in places, more affected. The songs run the gamut from typical LPD ("As Long As It's Purple and Green") to newer sounds ("Zoo"). Outstanding!

Geordie, Jah Wobble, and Atkins all put forth massive instrument performances. The songs are great. Connelly's vocals grow on you very well and the lyrics (included on the enhanced CD) are great. Wobble's bass is powerful and well done. I play bass along to the album, it is fairly easy and definitely satisfying. Geordie's guitar licks are brilliant just like in Killing Joke. Atkins starts out in the first song with some trademark cymbal-heavy drumming and the descends into typical aggressive style.

The standouts for me are "Damage Addict" and "Blame and Demand," but they're all good, even the quirky track #5 "Leave the Ground."

There are two remixes, the first one I like a lot. The enhanced CD is great.

Overall this CD is like the best thing to happen to me this month. I am going to get the full album by damage manual ASAP. At eight bucks this EP is a steal.

The Damage Manual is not a brand new group, they are made up of the members of such inovative and provocative groups as Pigface, Ministry, Killing Joke & (of course) Public Image Lmtd. Chris Connely, Martin Atkins, Geordie Walker & Jah Wobble have spawned yet another side project...

On this first EP, we are thrown into yet another industrial fist fight. I don't know if there is truely any new ground being broke here, yet the tracks see more accessable than some of the pigface and killing joke.

"Sunset Gun" the first track, hits you hard with Atkin's massive drumming and never lets go, Connelly (as allways) adds his crazy voice and nonsense lyrics such as "gonna posion up the wrong way round like a bad design". Never the less, I dig it, these guys can rock, no doubt about it.

My favorite track is "Damage Addict". It thumps and kicks your ass as only Walker can do. The giggling kids in the backround are strange but a perfect touch to this track.

And theres a bonus! Stick this CD in your computer and go for an inside look at whats going on in the studio... extremely cool. Theres lyrics and even a video to "Sunset Gun"...

I think its great that Connelly and Atkins are putting out some new material. Its time kids see who started the sounds their into today.

Cant wait for a full length album...

Get ready for the next step forward--if not, get ready to be left behind. This is heavy hitting material and the unitiatiated should be encouraged to embrace it--not for the elite only! If you think NIN and Korn have something new to say, check out the forefathers they plagirized from -- this is the REAL DEAL!

Here it is the year 2004 and I'm just now listening to this CD. With the exception of two songs this album is fantastic. This group is alot like October Project. "Bury my Lovely" and "Return to Me" are great songs. I wonder if OP fashioned thier music after Area. October Project came along around 1995. I love "Micheal Writes His Parents" and "This One". The lead singer's voice is almost hypnotic and guitarists style accents her vocal talents. I plan to sample more of this unique group.

I've been listening to Area since the late 1980s. If you've never heard Lynn Canfield's voice mingling with Henry Frayne's guitar, then you are missing one of the greatest mixtures in all of indie music. Radio Caroline remains my favorite of all Area's works with Fragments of the Morning coming in second. If you like the voice and the guitar but want something a little more upbeat, try Moon Seven Times ... Canfield/Frayne formed M7X after Area disbanded.

If only a Radio station really did play songs like these. The hard but longing vocal of 'Sweet Revenge' hangs above Henry Frayne's endless guitar sound while songs like 'One Desire' and 'Transmitter' have a propulsion absent (though not generally missed) from most of Area's recorded oeuvre. It's not as strong a collection as Perfect Dream, but it's charms are open to years of rediscovery. Buy this, you fool!

Industrial has of late (Die Krupps included) drifted far into the realm of metal--there's nothing wrong with that! This cd proves it. Rings of Steel is a collection of remixed songs--Language of Reality being the best. Pay no attention to the criticism about the lyrics...they are better than average (Language of Reality also has very clever, thoughfut lyrics). This disc is reccomended if you like KMFDM, NIN-Broken, Ministry, etc.

If you like Ramstein or Nitzerebb you will surely like this one. Hard rockin industrial stuff with some electronic sounds that combine to make some great tunes. While many groups throw in a slow easy song or two this group keeps hammering at you. And they sing in English too. Great hardcore music that won't disapoint anyone.

Ok. This album is one of the best in my collection. It stands out. Not only are the vocals awsome but so are the lyrics and guitars. These people started Industrial and dont have too much credit for it (seeing that i can find no tabs or lyrics for this album). they deserve alot more.

Industrial has of late (Die Krupps included) drifted far into the realm of metal--there's nothing wrong with that! This cd proves it. Rings of Steel is a collection of remixed songs--Language of Reality being the best. Pay no attention to the criticism about the lyrics...they are better than average (Language of Reality also has very clever, thoughfut lyrics). This disc is reccomended if you like KMFDM, NIN-Broken, Ministry, etc.

If you like Ramstein or Nitzerebb you will surely like this one. Hard rockin industrial stuff with some electronic sounds that combine to make some great tunes. While many groups throw in a slow easy song or two this group keeps hammering at you. And they sing in English too. Great hardcore music that won't disapoint anyone.

Ok. This album is one of the best in my collection. It stands out. Not only are the vocals awsome but so are the lyrics and guitars. These people started Industrial and dont have too much credit for it (seeing that i can find no tabs or lyrics for this album). they deserve alot more.

I first listened to this album after enjoying the 'vegger' version of 'Adrenalin Rush': I loved that version.
Then the album kinda disappointed me. I already had 'Legacy...' and 'Rebirth', and loved them (more than I do today), and the songs in 'Solitary confinement' seemed to me a bit repetitive and stmes even boring. Its production is much better than in 'Pleasure of Penetration', but I prefer the latter: even it's poorly made, it has more variety and inspiration. I know many fans consider 'Solitary...' leather's masterpiece; now that I'm not the fan I used to be, I respect it. But it gets me on my nerves the lack of inspiration and variety this album displays; ok, many people always expects from a band to be the same: the same beats, the same vocal distortions, ... but, come on, don't you think that 'Rebirth of Agony' and 'Legacy of Love & Hate' displays much more "art"? My ideal albums are those which contain moments of noise and moments of silence, express feelings of agressiveness and also sweetness or melancholy... But with some exceptions, all the songs here express the same feelings and contains beats much too alike.
My favourite songs are 'Adrenalin rush', 'Nothing seen nothing done' or 'Evil speaks', but definitely, there're other bands such as Skinny Puppy or Mentallo & the Fixer or FLA which have evolved in a better way, without stagnation.

I listen to pretty much EVERY "genre" of music because music is my entire life. Everything from Rozz Williams to 50 cent, to Frank sinatra to KMFDM, from Cannibal Corpse to Frontline Assembly, Beck to Snoop Dogg, and swollen members to kevorkian death cycle etc etc etc....And this album is THE BEST album EVER created. I seriously feel like I'm gonna just lose my mind when I'm blasting this into my brain with the headphones on. Because it's THAT GOOD. Claus Larsen is an absolute GENIUS!! Anyone who doesn't like this album is a f @# i n$ FOOL! You will NEVER find ANY album better than this cd. If I ever see Claus, I'll wanna just knock him out with a blow to the head. That's revenge for him knockin ME out with a blow to the head with his music. There's nothing better than this.

It's pretty hard to give this album an overall rating without addressing each song first, so here it is:

1.Mortal Thoughts - Interesting into with lots of samples and a middle-eastern sort of synth with a powerful beat on top and Larsen's vocals are not very aggressive yet, but one can still feel the anger brewing in his voice. This song is excellent, but may seem boring at times, it really depends what mood you're in. 4/5

2.Strap Me Down - Starts very strongly and continues the strength right through. Only problem with this song is it's a bit repetative, but it still has some wonderful synth work, samples and a strong beat. The synths are very interesting and seem to save the song. Not bad, but Claus Larsen has done better. 4/5

3.I Am Your Conscience - The beast is unleashed, this was my favourite song when I first heard this CD. It is still an excellent song, but he has better. This is powerful and kicks the living day lights out of most industrial music. Actually this song and many other LS songs can only be described as Dark Dance Music. 4.5/5

4.Nothing Seen/Nothing Done - Excellent excellent excellent vocal use...wow...this is f@#ken amazing vocal effects. This is one of the best songs on this CD. Amazing and very powerful. 5/5

5.The Dance Of Deception - This is an instrumental track with some samples. WOW ... WOW ... this is the ultimate instrumental track. Very dark, chilling synths and a beat to match. WOW ... 6/5

6.Evil Speaks - The beast is released once more, but this time it tears everything apart in its path. This is the best song with vocals on this CD. Amazing power, F@?K! 6/5

7.Adrenalin Rush - Ahhhhhhhhhhh.....perfect...."Drowning in sh#t..." sorry I love that line. This is another amazing song that gives Claus Larsen the respect he deserves. I understand why so many people regard this song as Larsen's best. 6/5

8.Crash Flight 232/92 - "The end of the runway is just a wide open field" is the sample used in this brilliant track. "You won't get out of this alive" is the chrous, F@#ken grip onto your seat and be prepared to be taken for a ride. This is also a classi that will never die or get boring. 6/5

9.Croatia - Things slow down to a Morbid Angel type of doom sound (sorry to compare to death metal, but that is all that comes to mind). A little boring this song may seem, but once the middle-eastern synths come in you're on ride you can't jump off. This is powerful stuff and shows that Larsen is also capable of making powerful slow songs. Mind boggling samples. 5.5/5

10.Red Meat Attraction - Starts off with some samples...and then a really groovy bassline that you might hear on FLA's 'Hard Wired' comes in an takes over...then it is accompanied by a fast high-pitched synth which results in a totally new ground for the album. A bit repetative, but it works well and I don't even care when it sounds this good. 5.5/5

The following 2 tracks are BONUS tracks:

11.Jante's Revenge - This is a the most abstract song on the album and has an extremely powerful beat. It is mainly percussion and sound effects. There is some synth use, but not much. A bit boring but also has good parts too. 4/5

12.Antius (Psycho Strip Edit) - A powerful beat dominates this track. Synths are very similar to songs used in 80's action and sci-fi movies. I love this track, it builds up, then rips sideways, then calms down, then knocks on the devil's door...and then builds up again... 5.5/6


Now it's judgement time. From the results of what I ranked each song, it's clear this CD deserved an easy 5 stars, so that's what I'll give it.

As the title could conceivably suggest, this EP is a statement of the all-powerful and autonomous nature of Neurosis, as well as the all-powerful and autonomous spirit of Mother Nature that Neurosis so vividly portrays in everything they create - musically as well as visually. The four tracks here are of such magnitude that they require the same concentration and respect that all of their full length releases demand; indeed, while "Sovereign" exists as an EP, its importance and value within the scope of the band's career is tremendous. Ultimately, this CD is a vital key in understanding the way Neurosis enigmatically comprehends and portrays the universe in which we exist.
Musically, "Sovereign" logically continues the same path that Neurosis set upon with "Times Of Grace" before it. The band's new evolutionary direction, signaled by their newfound experimentation with cyclical, emotional dynamics of soft/hard, quiet/loud on "...Grace" continues here. I , for one, was relieved that Neurosis forged ahead with developing emotional structures and textures on this EP as well as on the follow-up, "A Sun That Never Sets". But while they endeavored to continue utilizing these elements throughout the EP, there are definite signs of sonic mutation and evolution - so much so that you know it's Neurosis, but you have no cue as to what technique they'll use to address your unconscious mind next. Just like the seasons, each movement has an effect on the following one, whether it's subtle or dramatic. And even when the symphonic cycles repeat themselves, they somehow take on different symbolic meanings.
Fortunately, "Sovereign" reinforced the successful relationship between Neurosis and the famed Steve Albini, who was the first engineer to finally give the band the colossal sound production they've always deserved. Albini continued to give them the ability to convincingly incorporate the tense and menacing dynamics they began experimenting with on "... Grace" while still maintaining the aggressive tribal atmosphere necessary to let their intense, monstrous, and primal "wall of sound" blast wide open. There is no point in which this effect becomes any clearer than in "An Offering", a track that offers tension and dread as it slowly draws you into a lurking, calm-before-the-storm drone... until it climactically transforms itself into a beast of sheer aggression and intensity - more so than any other Neurosis track in recent memory, in fact.
In addition to the audio material on this disk, there is a personal computer program which heralds the band's first attempt at incorporating multimedia into their packaging. Considering the scope and nature of what Neurosis tries to accomplish with everything they do, this program is a perfect accompaniment to the music. When you load and run the Neurosis file, you are instantly carried into an otherworldly place where you can explore icons (some obvious, some not) that change the breathtaking psychedelic scenery that somehow magically fits their sound (and all else they do) so well. With the philosophy of the band becoming more and more of a tangible reality as technology permits, this is likely not the last we'll see of this sort of experimentation with multimedia. The thing is, Neurosis was obviously never meant to be solely a musical entity. Their aim is just too epic and grand for that. Their tribe is expanding into other avenues of creativity in order to fulfill their ultimate objective of becoming a completely unique and autonomous artistic entity. As they successfully showed us with "Sovereign", they are determined to encompass every artistic avenue necessary to embrace the essence of humanity... past, present, and future.
And once again, like with all Neurosis and Tribes Of Neurot releases, if you allow yourself to experience the music rather than simply listen to it - you will most definitely be a changed person.

I loved "Sovereign." The band is back into that experimenation phase (did it ever go away?) with trying new vocal layering, clean guitars, etc. Sovereign is the best song, followed by prayer.

I saw the band with Amber Asylum in Portland Oregon about a month ago, they played this whole album, which is even better live, as well as two new tracks, which were long and epic. The more neurosis changes the more they stay the same. But I can't wait for the new album, it will blow anything out there away.

As far as the music goes, it's not Neurosis' best, but it's only an EP so what do you expect? That being said, this is still Neurosis and even their worst stuff slaughters any mainstream want-to-be-heavy garbage out there. The best part of this EP is the multimedia bonus. EVERY band should do this...imagine, music and visual art on one little piece of plastic. Hopefully other bands will be influenced by Neurosis and multimedia will become the future of music. There's a lot of depth in the multimedia options here and it takes a lot of time to dig through it all but it is amazing. If you're new to Neurosis I wouldn't start here (I'd say start at "Through Silver In Blood")but this is a must have for Neurosis and multimedia fans alike.