Velvet Acid Christ - Maldire, Metropolis Records MET 820

Mr.Velvet Acid Christ was one of the most prominent electro-industrial/harsh electronic bands in the 90s, providing rough, aggressive electro-industrial in a unique mix with psytrance rhythms and samples accompanied by haunting ambient-like parts. He lost his way for six years, which include a very disappointing album, and then he returned back to the old character of VAC with "Lust for Blood", which had all the elements that made him famous, but in a much more elaborate, E.B.M.-influenced package and less aggressive. Another excellent album followed, and now comes "Maldire", his latest creation.

For all those who liked the previous two albums you won't be disappointed. VAC provides 100% the same character, without getting boring and repetitive though. This is probably the most atmospheric of his last works, having however tracks with well "hidden" raw power which on the right hands can be turned into headbanging aggrotech top hits. A characteristic example is "Inhale blood" which starts in an industrial/minimal ambient rhythm and evolves to a psytrance track following a perfect flow; absolutely amazing!!!

Congratulations again cause VAC, in comparison to other acts, still remains at the forefront after 20+ years of existence. Highly recommended for your CD collection.

Really, is there anyone who can just listen this song for a first time and don't say that it is Velvet Acid Christ? 100% character.

VAC-Inhale Blood by AbyssMariner
 
Please, someone remix "Inhale Blood" quickly and make dance floors collapse!!!!

The Day is coming...

Brighter Death Now - Very Little Fun, Cold Meat Industry CMI 209

Do you like industrial? I mean, pure industrial, like in the Throbbing Gristle era. Perhaps, with some ambient twists? If the answer is yes, this is the album that will play in your LP/CD player for the next months (years).

The latest creation of Mr. Karmanik, founder of Cold Meat Industry, is an album completely out of time. It's the only album for many years that has given me the same feelings as the first time I listened to Throbbing Gristle. I adopt the term "Death Industrial", since it gives exactly the picture of this album. Unbelievable mixture of industrial/dark ambient/minimal which makes your blood chill from the first track. In fact, its beyond description.

If you are fans of Brighter Death Now, probably you already play this album endlessly for the last year. If not, hey guys, we're talking about an album that makes "Necrose Evangelicum" sound like as if it was made by a 15 year old bloke.

I think that the genre "Death Industrial" has finally found its absolute masterpiece, that which should be listened by everyone in experimental electronic stuff. Grab your studio headphones, nothing less, and rejoice.

Diamonds shine in the dark, especially if they are black.

Napalm Death - Utilitarian, Century Media 9981651

I gladly present the new album of Napalm Death. 3 axioms:

i) There is no band more extreme than Napalm Death
ii) There is no band more extreme in its live performances than Napalm Death
iii) You cannot claim that you are a deathster/grinder if you don't acknowledge that Napalm Death is the most extreme band ever.

Now, let's continue with the very brief review. Utilitarian travels us back to the weird era of Napalm Death with many new elements in their sound. You will listen a couple of songs which resemble the attitude of "Time Waits For No Slave", the most outrageously extreme album EVER in the genre, but most of the songs have a more "experimental" attitude. Of course, it is still 100% pure grindcore.

Napalm Death are possibly the ONLY real activists in the "music industry". They never cared to release an album that will sell thousands of copies. They just play grindcore because
I) they created the genre
II) they like it

Therefore their albums cannot be treated as a typical musical creation since it is mostly an expression of political views. Napalm Death represent the opposing force in today's society.

Excellent album. Excellent lyrics. Excellent artwork.

In a society where your whole existence is equalised with a national insurance number and a bank account,
In a society where the lust for money makes wars, destroys generations and obliterates social structures,
In a society that works under the illusion of democracy, with fascist mass media controlling the future of whole nations,
In a world that is driven towards one government, one currency, one religion
the answer is to react by using the most precious weapon you have,
your brain

DEAD CAN DANCE WORLD TOUR!

No album review this time...

Dead Can Dance, with albums reaching No.1 of Top World Music Albums Charts, are reunited after 14 years and fans worldwide will have the chance to see Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry on stage once again!

Two of the best voices (for me, THE BEST) together again, and I hope they will perform again some of the ethereal/neoclassical genre defining masterpieces from "Spleen and Ideal" and "Within the Realm of a Dying Sun". Hurry up because half of the events in Europe are already sold out, almost 6 MONTHS earlier!!!!

My personal pick, the amazing (open air of course) Lycabetus Hill in Athens, which resembles an ancient Greek odeon; no better choice for a group like Dead Can Dance worldwide!!!See the rest of the places here

www.deadcandance.com


In today's struggling world, their lyrics are more timely than ever...

In times of great vexation
When one must choose between what’s right and wrong
Freedom, so they say,
Amounts to the choices you have made
Through all the arbitrary rationale concerning liberty
Freedom, I must say,
Exists within unconditioned minds

Reason has come of age

How can you be satisfied with things the way they are
When all that surrounds us now and so much more
Remains inside the keeper’s dark embrace? 
The insatiable thirst for power has made
Idols out of mortals, gods into clay
Soldiers into heroes, children into slaves
All damned
Desires
Their hopes betrayed

Who will suffer the laws
That say you can't decide your child’s education
Unless you pay the price? 


Who will suffer their laws? 
Who will suffer their minds? 
Who will suffer their words? 
Who will suffer their designs?

Dream, oh my dear..., and renounce temporal obligations
Dream, oh my dear..., it's the sleep from which you may not awaken... 

Eyeless In Gaza - Pale Hands I Loved So Well, Uniton Records U004

Eyeless In Gaza are one of my favourite bands. Basically due to the extensive use of Arabic elements in their music mixed with electronic elements when electronic music start to emerge from the very first industrial movement. Here I gladly present "Pale Hands I Loved So Well", their 1982 album. Really, I cannot describe this. It is one of the most experimental works I have ever listened to. Just to give you an idea, in discogs, the poster has written

Genre:Classical, Electronic, Folk, World & Country, Rock
Style:New Wave, Classical, Free Improvisation

To these I add industrial, ambient and minimal...

It's not an album that you will just listen to and expect to get a positive or negative feeling. Probably one has to spend more time listening to the album than the time that it took the band to record it. A diamond, the brightness of which grows stronger and stronger in time...Recommended for all musicians especially. And keep in mind that this thing was recorded 30 years ago...

Lock Up - Necropolis Transparent, Nuclear Blast NB2740

The latest album of Lock Up, founded by the fathers of grindcore Shane Embury and the late Jesse Pintado. The lineup consists of other great musicians: Nick Barker who used to play in despicable bands deserving oblivion but soon he made the right choices, Tomas Lindberg (At The Gates and many more), Anton Reisenegger of the cult Chilean band Pentagram (now he plays at the thrashers Criminal) and guests Peter Tagtgren of Hypocrisy and Jeff Walker of Carcass.

The first album of Lock Up was a blast, the second not what I expected, and the third a nuclear bomb exploding in your cd player. Pure old school death/grind, which annihilates everything on its way and teaches lessons to new bands of what extreme music is. Deathsters/Grinders, rejoice...Long Live the Code