Album Description

Nearly 80 minutes long, this value-packed CD takes all of the Ministry side projects and collects them in one place at last! Includes PAILHEAD - a collaboration with Ian MacKaye (from Fugazi and Minor Threat); 1000 HOMO DJ’s - a collaboration with Trent Reznor (NIN), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys) and others; PTP - a collaboration with Chris Connelly; ACID HORSE - a collaboration with Cabaret Voltaire ... Read more

Album Description

A revved-up, all-new remix collection, DIAMONDS & DAGGERZ features new versions of the Kult's most notorious tracks.Assembled by the band from loops and samples of their own work into something familiar yet terrifyingly new! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Does a talent for writing catchy melodies have to come at the expense of "industrial cred"? Norway's Stephan Groth, a.k.a. Apoptygma Berzerk, has been challenging his core audience with that question over three albums and numerous singles. But the man behind such downright tuneful industrial-dance classics as "Non-Stop Violence," "Deep Red," and "Love Never Dies" makes it clear on Welcome to Earth that he's moving in a pop direction, expectations be damned. The album opens with the hard-driving "Starsign," but don't be fooled by its dark, arpeggio synths and Groth's snarled vocals--come the chorus, he goes all wistful on us, turning what would otherwise have been a straightforward rivethead stomp into something that wouldn't be out of place on a Pet Shop Boys album. Along with the nimble, propulsive "Paranoia," it turns out to be one of the disc's few truly electrifying moments, though guilty pleasures abound. "Kathy's Song" marries a light house rhythm to vocals straight out of a mid-'80s Depeche Mode anthem, and "Moment of Tranquility" steals the bass line from the Twin Peaks theme and pins it to a disappointingly bland ballad. But Welcome to Earth's oddest (and perhaps cleverest) choice has to be Groth's cover of Metallica's "Fade to Black," which takes the plodding, dirgelike original and remakes it into a bubbly dance-floor confection. AB fans will either be annoyed by the album or find themselves seduced by its better moments. --Steve Landau ... Read more

Reviews (44)

welcome to EBM
Having started with an EP called the Second Manifesto, and then putting out CD's like Soli Deo Gloria, 7, and Apopcalyptic Manifesto I was pleasantly surprised and happy to hear the singles of Paranoia, and then Eclipse. I knew that the coming CD was going to be as different from the first 4 releases as house is to goth.

I am not saying House is the genre of this CD but it is certainly the most friendly EBM CD that kids who enjoy progressive house will ever want to get a hold of.

Along with a couple tracks which are purely samples from Blair Witch Project, Twin Peaks, and X-Files with weird and eerie music floating in and out some of the most memorable tracks are: Starsign, Paranoia, Fade to Black (Metallica cover) Eclipse, Soultaker, (on the TATCD047 copy the extra remix of Eclipse). these are by far some of the best danceable tracks EBM has to offer for the year 2000. and Songs like Moment of Tranquility reminded me that artists can write good ballads!

And for any who enjoy Metallica, I suggest picking up the Single for Paranoia which has yet another metallica cover "Nothing Else Matters".

Being a DJ, I believe that this CD will be quite hot for the year to come. and anyone who wants to be introduced to this band, This CD is the best one for you. Especially if you have more of a leaning towards Progressive house than industrial. Those who liked "7" and "Soli Deo Gloria" all I can say is Stephen Groth has at least continued to progress instead of staying in one particular field of expertize. THere is a definite talent behind this CD and I urge you to order it and take to the stars!

A mixed bag
This is a different sound for Groth. "7" was pretty aggressive EBM, and "Welcome to Earth", while much better-produced, is more uneven as an album.

It has some truly stellar tracks, like "Starsign" , "Eclipse" and "Paranoia", all of which fall into that hazy land where EBM and synthpop collide. There's the exceptionally poppy yet intruiging "Come Lie Next to Me." The good stuff is really good.

And the mediocre stuff is really mediocre. One track is essentially a dead-ripoff of the theme from Twin Peaks, minus the creepy ambience of the original. "Help Me" overindulges in bizzare effects to the detriment of the song. "Soultaker" is an attempt at a thrashy industrial song that doesn't quite cut it.

If you liked Covenant's "USoM" and "Europa", you may want to pick this up just for the excellent tracks. If you're a synthpop fan loking for something more agressive, this'll be fine. If you're trying to find the next Skinny Puppy, you're looking in the wrong place.

Go Berzerk!
Three years ago, one of my closests friends who is Norwegian American invited me to see APB in concert. I told him that I could not go. However he kept on telling me that I have to listen to this group because they were amazing. Being a Depeche Mode fan I took his advice. He gave me three songs for my listening pleasure. Once I heard Suffer in Silence I was hooked. Stephan Groth (pronounced "Growth") is Norways Jewel of techno synthpop and industrial-goth. He also has a great sense of humor. He realeased a rare two-CD album of his European tour of 1998. During a German music festival, Groth had to stop APBs' performance because the police had raided the area. Groth kept on taping and mocked the raid. This is on the disc. All of his works are great, especially this one which has Kathy's Song. Kathy's Song is his best work, and has been made into a lot of remixes. Go Berzerk!

Good singles, but lots of filler
This album marked a change in sound for this Norwegian band. The harder and darker elements of their earlier work are largely gone, replaced instead by punchy, techno-influenced beats and more current synth work. As with most Apop albums, there are a handful of very strong tracks (Eclipse, the Icon of Coil-penned Starsign, Kathy's Song, and a cover of Metallica's "Fade to Black" which inadvertantly nicks the piano line from U2's "New Year's Day"), and a lot of unremarkable filler tracks. Would've made a brilliant EP, but instead makes a merely decent album. Still, probably one of their strongest.

A Few Good Songs
Apop are a bunch of arrogant, primadonna, popgoths and I hate 'em. Still, they make half-way decent music and this is probably their best album. Kathy's song is lovely (although VNV Nation kicked this song's [rear-end] on the single), Starsign and Eclipse are good to dance to, and Fade to Black is a difficult song to cover, but Apop pulled it off. This album should be in any Goth's collection purely for the sake of completion, but I don't think it will turn many heads. ... Read more

Album Description

The highly anticipated, revolutionary 2003 studio albumfrom under ground industrial icons Razed In Black! Features the singles 'Share This Poison', 'Vision' (featuring AthanMaroulis of Spahn Ranch) and 'Blush'. Includes 8 remixesand 2 bonus live videos 'Master' (performed at The KeyClub-Los Angeles) & 'Overflow' (fan clips from 50 States).Deluxe digipak. Cleopatra. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Industrial Grist for Your Mind Mill
My latest indulgence of Razed In Black "Damaged" has proven to be a spectacular sequel to "Sacrificed" If you know IN you know what I mean. Toss Reznor, Metallica, VNV, and even a little Zombie and the best heart crushing industrial beat you can find in a rip blender and you have Romell Reglacion and the Black entourage. And to think this dude is from creating this incredible industrial sound in Hawaii. I bet a cover of Tiny Bubbles" by RIB would be better than the rush of monster tubes on the North Shore.

These discs haven't left my changer since they arrived and I'm investigating a bigger amp to pound out my favs- "Blush-V2 & Blush Neikka RPM Mix", I'll damage you", "Misunderstood", "Nevermeant-v2". And the rest of the second cd remixes are outrageous.

"Come back to me" is the most fluid of the tracks with a slower BPM but one cannot live at 120+ all the time.

I can't wait for my "Oh My Goth" special remix buy to get here.

A "must buy" if your into Industrial, messing with your neighbors and raging until dawn.

Melodically Malignant And Magically Delicious
"Damaged" is the VERY best, industrial, or other wise, CD I own! If you like f***able music, then make "Damaged" your new lover. It's so magnetic that when I listen to it, I feel as though I'm cheating on my significant other. "Damaged" fuses sweet remorse with undertones of deep desire in a way that is immaculate. It is audio heartbreak, lust and omnipotance all in the best sixty-two minuets and ten seconds since falling in love for the first time. Razed IN Black captures the essence of industrial in this CD and if you need a reason to wake up, "Damaged" will give you it to you!!!!

oh my goth
...damaged, is by far rommel regulation's best RiB work. each song is composed brilliantly using darkwave and industrial elements. each song tells a story of love and lies, at least thats how i took it. "visions" will make the price of this cd worth. best tracks are by far "visions", "ill damage you" and "blush". "come back to me" is the song most people would skip ( i know i do at time ). it lacks the RiB power that keeps me coming back for more. this abum is definitly a must-have for RiB fans or fans of darkwave all together.

Melodically Malignant and Magically Delicious!
"damaged" is the VERY best, industrial, or other wise CD I own! If you like f***able music, then make "Damaged" your new lover. It's so magnetic that when I listen to it, I feel as though I'm cheating on my significant other. "Damaged" fuses sweet remorse and undertones of deep desire in a way that is immaculate. It is audio heartbreak, lust and omnipotance all in the best sixty-two minuets and ten seconds since falling in love for the first time. Razed IN Black captures the essence of industrial in this CD and if you need a reason to wake up "Damaged" will give you it to you!!!!

I've been Damaged
This is Rommels descent into more of a trance/hypnotic style which I think comes at the right time. I know I preferred Apoptygma Berzerks later work over the older work for the same reason. There is still some decent industrial like sounds coming off of Damaged but it is more alluring then rib's past work. 'Come Back to Me' and 'Share This Poison' would be the more subtle pieces. 'Why' and a few others still have some aggression. So unlike past releases when all of the tracks sounded like one.. damaged flows like a mood swing.. pissed.. calm.. depressed.. pissed again.. Disc 2 on the other hand is more club oriented. I don't really have anything positive or negative to say about disc 2. But disc 1 does show growth and change. This is progression and heres hoping Rommel continues in this direction. I'm actually going to check them out next week when they do their live show. I never had an interest in seeing them up until Damaged. Damaged is not recommended to those purists who can only enjoy one style however. Gotta have an open mind. ... Read more

Amazon.com

KMFDM's previous album, Xtort, was a corrosive industrial metalfest that burned as deeply as most anything by Ministry or Nine Inch Nails. But fans expecting more gut-pounding, head-smashing euphoria are in for a surprise. The band's self-titled successor is light on the metal, heavy on the electronic--which isn't to say KMFDM are hopping on some Chemical Brothers/Prodigy bandwagon. They were futzing around with samplers and keyboards over a decade ago. It's just that diehard metalheads might find KMFDM's skittering beats and blipping keyboards a little too left-field. But for open-minded souls who like to dance and destroy, KMFDM should prove to be a hedonistic cauldron of carnal delight.--Jon Wiederhorn ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Their best
When we compare KMFDM's Symbols to earlier works such as 1986's What do You Know Deutschland or 1988's Don't Blow Your Top, the band's sound now is unrecognizable from what they once were. And true experimentalists they are, leaping from genre to genre, refusing to be pidgeonholed. In fact, the one constant about KMFDM is their trademark ultra heavy beat. No matter what genre they choose to tackle, the ever present disco beat can be found, flirting with their new sound. Symbols presents a compelling twist for the band, merging both new and old as it combines the 70's disco beat with 90's techno music. And what a sound it is. Having come full cycle, finally meshing early and modern dance music, this is without a doubt the band's finest hour.

The first song, Megalomaniac, sets the tone nicely for the rest of the album. Unlike previous hard rock/metal efforts Nihil and Xtort, The guitars are ever present, but pushed back into the mix as the electronics dominate. Within the first three of minutes, we've heard En Esch growling in German, Abby Travis' sultry female vocals, Sascha's unrelenting mechanical voice, Gunter's guitar work, name checking, and goofy yet tongue-in-cheek lyrics that will tempt you to sing along - all to a techno sound. Megalomaniac will raise a question mark above the heads of those who are experiencing KMFDM's work for the first time. But for those who have heard Angst, Nihil, and Xtort prior to Symbols, it will generate a smile as you bounce along happily to the rest of the song. Megalomaniac is almost an inside joke intended for the fans - in these six minutes, KMFDM tells their audience that they're still the KMFDM you know and love, but they've pursued a new direction and they've hit the nail right on the head.

The second track, the mellow and slow paced Stray Bullet, is quite possibly the best song on the album. The music here is simply beautiful, and despite the lyrics, this song brings imagery of the Grand Canyon to my mind. Speaking of the lyrics, they are another reason Stray Bullet is notable. An attack on religion, this is as good as KMFDM's lyrics get. Perhaps the reason that the lyrics are so compelling is because Sascha's vocals have never sounded better. At the end of the song, his singing is unexpectedly joined and contrasted by Abby, resulting in one of the strongest closes to a KMFDM song.

The third track is Leid und Elend. By viewing the track name alone, you know you're in for a treat - in all probability, it's going to be En Esch singing solo in German. Leid und Elend doesn't dissapoint, though it does surprise. Instead of hearing something angry, pulsing, agressive and Liebesleid-style, your ears are assaulted instead with the most beautiful programming ever to come out of Sascha. It's a melancholic and sad tune, yet it seems too soft for an En Esch track. That problem is solved as Gunter's guitars come in, backing the melody and adding an agressive edge to create a stunning effect. The real surprise however, is as En Esch's vocals enter the picture. The man can actually sing! After all these years of hearing En Esch growl, he has revealed a hidden and unexpected talent. It's only unfortunate that En Esch has not to date re-attempted this style of song. Regardless, for a band known for its powerful music, Leid Und Elend is the band's only succesful attempt at a ballad.

Tracks four and five, Mercy and Torture respectively, are both excellent tracks in their own right, though not particularly notable. Torture, which features Ogre guesting on vocals, is recommended to Skinny Puppy fans.

Ogre is not the only guest on the album, however. After taking a break from from collaborating with KMFDM in Xtort, Mr. Raymond Watts is back for an impressive guest preformance on tracks 6 and 9, Spit Sperm and Unfit. Raymond, to this day, with his rough yet strangely sultry vocals, is perhaps my favorite vocalist. I'll be damned if Spit Sperm and Unfit dissapoint, because they're some of the best tracks on the album. The former is slow, sleazy, yet guitar heavy as it builds up to an awesome guitar solo. Unfit is similar - slow, sleazy, and electronics heavy as it builds up and then unexpectedly changes musical genres in typical Pig fashion. Though this change may puzzle KMFDM fans, it is sure to please Pig fans.

The third and final guest of the album is Tim Skold, lending his vocals on the almost fully electronic "Anarchy." A power ballad without substance, Anarchy is the only stinker of the album.

Track eight is Down & Out, similiar to Megalomaniac in the sense that it seems to be a bit of an inside joke made for the enjoyment of long term fans. And like Megalomaniac, this song is likely to generate a question mark from casual listeners. Down & Out has a marching band theme, complete with war samples in the middle of the song. The song however, is not about war. Not even close - it's about KMFDM. Almost a threeway dialogue between En, Sascha and Abby, there are no microphone hogs. The contrast between En's growling, Sascha's mechanical voice and Abby's beautiful female vocals is excellent, resulting in some of the finest vocal preformances of this album.

The last song, Waste, is the album's only real go-getter. Though the rest tracks on the album range from slow to speedy, they're all rather mellow. Fast and furious, noisy with heavy guitars, Waste wouldn't have been out of place on Xtort. A mosh pit inducing closing track for a near perfect electronic masterpiece.

Tied with Pig's Wrecked, KMFDM's Symbols is one of the two finest industrial-rock/electro-rock albums ever released. It's a pleasure to award it a score of 9.5/10.

Symbols is an amazing album, blending guitars and synths.
A truly amazing, and well put-together album. Real hard at some parts, while others are either dark or dancy. A great mix from a great band. KMFDM's follow up to Xtort is truly one of their best to date. Similar to Adios, but more guitars and more structure.

1. Megalomaniac - Excellent way to start of the album. Although a bit distorted, a very dancy, guitar and synth driven tune. 9/10
2. Stray Bullet - Amazing guitars and some pretty cool synths. Instant classic. 8/10
3. Leid Und Elend - An alright song. Probably one of those you need to listen to for a while until you start liking it, but has some pretty neat synths. 7/10
4. Mercy - This song is amazing. Every part is cool, and mixes being hard and mellow at the same time. 9/10
5. Torture - A pretty good song, featuring OhGr on vocals. Cool synths. 7/10
6. Spit Sperm - Whoa. Amazing synths and great guitars. One of the albums best. 9/10
7. Anarchy - A pretty good song, although it's repetitive. Good guitars. 7/10
8. Down and Out - Some pretty amaing synths, but nothing really else besides that. 7/10
9. Unfit - Great synths, and good hard driven guitars. 8/10
10. Waste - Real powerful, though not a great way to end such a good album. 8/10

Symbols is real amazing and has a unique sound. Lots of techno mixed with hard guitars and killer vocals. Deffinatley pick this one up.

"Nihilistic Mystics, Apostolic Alchoholics"
How can so much originality be fitted onto one disk, thats the first thing i thought on my first listen of this cd. KMFDM are back with their sophomore classic Symbols proving once again to be enjoyable and experimental. On this album KMFDM have shocked us once again by releasing a totally different album to their previous as always by making this album somewhat extremely different to their previous album Xtort which had a very noticeable metal edge to it, however KMFDM decided to release a more electronic album crossing over the borders on being more on the techno side, however the thing you have to give KMFDM credit for is that they are always trying new things out and seem to get the approval of many of their fans no matter what they try out, and one of the best things about KMFDM is that they are extremely unpredictable hovering all over many genres and styles.

This album is very good with its electronic 70's disco beats, distorted guitar sounds as the background done by industrials best guitarist Gunter Schulz, and you can't go wrong with the vocalists such as Sascha's mechanical vocals and En Esch rasping in german is always nice to hear, and Raymond Watts hellbent, rough vocals are great on the two tracks he sings on giving this album a touch of evil, and as for Tim Skold i couldn't care for him with his annoying what i call fake-goth-whine which should remind you of Marilyn Manson or Orgy's singer.

While most(emphasises on most) of the tracks are good on this album their are some better than others, and like that i don't high light almost all the tracks i'll just tell you about three of the best tracks on this album. The three tracks worth taking note of include "Megalomaniac" with its catchy fun-to-sing-along-to lyrics(see title as example) done over a looped beat with a fun synth and guitar druven tune, "Stray Bullet" starts off with a pleasing slide guitar intro and not long after starts off with a fun(emphasise on fun) chorus to sing along to, its just a well done guitar driven track with most of the elements yuo would find in a KMFDM song. "Spit Sperm" is a unique and dare i say creepy song with Raymond Watts on vocals. Nice synths and guitar riffs in this song.

Why not five stars? Well while i really hate to give this album four stars and wish to give this album five stars, the main problem i have with this album is the Tim Skold influence which most certainly doesn't make things better for them and i also find the album to be a little incosistent seeming it starts off with the all mighty classic "Megalomaniac" and that the rest of the songs on the album just don't seem to live up that song 10/10 song. Otherwise this is a very good album that i would recomend you get if any shop your at sells it. All in all this is a great album, which will be remembered for its beauty, and great impact on music.

The best KMFDM CD for a DJ
DJing 3 nights a week this is a must CD for me! Both Anarchy and Megalomaniac are two of my top ten requested songs! I also play "Torture" a lot, can't go wrong with Ogre from Skinny Puppy fame singing!

Beautiful
Symbols, or 'Explosionskullbombspiralfist' as I call it (more fun to say), is a good balance of electronic beats and heavy metal guitar riffs. Some songs get very electronic, but usually have some guitar in there to complement.

If you aren't familiar with KMFDM, you may want to try out some of their older stuff as this album is KMFDM at its techno extreme (there is a metal extreme KMFDM goes through as well, if you are interested). Metal fans will still love Symbols however, I know I do.

Highlights from this album include of course 'Megalomaniac', 'Anarchy', and Stray Bullet'. As always, KMFDM has incredible lyrics.

Beautiful, this album may be KMFDM's best. ... Read more

Album Description

The third album from one of the premier bands in the electro pop genre. Pummeling beats, sympathetic vocals, anathematic melodies, and sweeping synths are just a few reasons why no speaker is safe from Icon Of Coil's bombastic onslaught. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Dancefloor Hits Abound But Little New Ground
IOC has always bneen adept at churning out formulaic, hammering dance anthems. However the lyrics have always been, well, pretty lame and the music usually linear and predictable. Needless to say, fans have been looking for some development... well keep looking. Don't get me wrong these are good songs and certain to be favorites in the DJ booth. The issue is the lack of originality with a couple of exceptions.

As always Icon tries to pummel the listener into a fine paste with crushing beats. They also craft some razor sharp hooks that will stick in your head. The first exception to the originality issue is "Shelter", filled with infectious melodies, a killer beat and some unexpectedly decent lyrics. Actually this song isn't new ground in the scene, but at least it sounds a whole lot like a Covenant song - and that's not a bad thing. "Existence in Progress" is the next in line of the IOC anthem collection so get those boots pumping. "Faith: Not Important" is clearly an effort by Andrew to carve out new territory and you have to applaud the effort. However you can just see that he isn't good at writing songs outside of his box as this falls flat. Where groups like VNV, Covenant and APB can slow down, turn down the machines and give you some of their best, IOC just can't achieve that yet. Still I like the try.

"Transfer: Complete" jumps right back into the formula and it works as well as it always does - no better & no worse. Uh oh, "Dead Enough for Life"... pretty dumb title, could it be? Yes, it is - another IOC floor slammer with slick Teutonic synths, beats turned up to 11 and super dumbo lyrics. "Android" feels like an FLA song from 10 years ago (think 'Tactical Neural Implant'). "Sleep:Less" may be the best song on the album; it's certainly the only time I've ever heard IOC slow down without failing. This is pretty good stuff and shows the most growth on the CD. Still it won't be able to shake the obvious comparison to (yeah, I know your getting tired of it) Covenant. OK - back on the floor robots. "Pursuit" cranks it up again at hyper speed. The vocals are repetitive and rage-filled making this sound like a Cubanate or Inertia song.

I know that I (and many others) have complained at the lack of new ground or originality. Still I think this is well worth owning if you like electro or forceful dance in general. Few can churn out drum machine punishment and unbearably catchy hooks like IOC. And while the lyrics are often less than genius, the choruses have a knack for burrowing their way into your skull. Besides there are 1 or 2 signs of growth on this album. Go ahead and get it.

Not since Nitzer Ebb...
Has an album sounded so good to my ears. Icon Of Coil just passed all the people in their league (VNV, APB, Covenant, Pride & Fall, Seabound, etc..)by a longshot.

Honestly, I cannot remember flipping over a "first listen" since I heard APB's Welcome To Earth in 2000.

Ok enough foaming - seriously, every song on this album is excellent. A perfect blend of danceable beats and aggressive intent. Paints a bleak picture of the world, even WITH what some consider less than stellar lyrics. I for one love the simple (are they THAT simple?) lyrics because the incredible music behind it just make them stand out like anthems.

Ok, so I mentioned Nitzer Ebb ....So how many of you old school fans remember hearing Murderous on the dance floor for the first time? Join In The Chant? It was a cool sound that took the genre to new heights. At least the people I know feel that... And Machines Are Us does the exact same thing. Takes the best of the rest and mixes it all up with a nice, dark, moody, aggressive package.
No, this is not Funker Vogt or Suicide Commando, but it is dark in it's own way.

IOC have a distinct style in this "genre" and I cannot put my finger on what makes them stand out, but this album propels them up with the "classic" bands I grew up to love.

If you like the first 2 IOC albums, then this one will blow you completely away.

Machines are us
I wasn't really sure if I wanted to get the new Icon of Coil cd for some time. I wasn't impressed with "Soul is in the Software" (my introduction to IoC) but I loved "Serenity is the Devil". Eventually over time I decided that I wanted "Machines Are Us". I finally got around to buying "Machines Are Us" (after I couldn't find the new Imperative Reaction cd). I think I rushed to judgement when I first listened to "Machines Are Us" and then wrote a review of the cd for Amazon. I have been listening to "Machines Are Us" non-stop for the past week. IoC may not be VNV Nation or Apoptygma Berzerk, my two favorite futurepop bands, but they sure as heck has a ear for good dance beats and "Machines Are Us" is a superb example of their ear for melodies and aggressive yet danceable beats. The more I listened to "Machines Are Us", the more I grew to love the album. I think it has even outdid "Serenity is the Devil". One of the best tracks on the cd is "Shelter". I just love the lyrics to this song, especially this line "I can't find shelter in this world, I'm searching for an other world, where I'll feel safe". That really spoke to me. Then there is "Dead Enough For Life". I just love how big and epic the beats are to this song. It completely envelopes the listener and put him or her into a trance like it does with me. I wish a lot of artists nowadays wrote lyrics that were as intelligent as IoC's music is. IoC's strength really lies in the lyrics which almost borders on existentialism if you think about it. They aren't your atypical 'life sucks' songs which I find absolutely annoying. If "Machines Are Us" is an indication to what to expect from IoC, then I can hardly wait to hear more music from this excellent futurepop band. I definitely rank them as one of my favorite EBM/futurepop bands next to Apop and VNV Nation.

Not bad (although more like 3& 3/4 Stars)
IOC's Machines are us has many good points. The first of these is that the music is incredibly good at conveying the atmosphere (that of a cyberpunk Gibsonesque techno-hell) and the sound is slightly harsher in tone than their first album, Serenity Is The Devil.

However, their music can get too repetitive and simplistic, and I would hope that LaPlegula and entourage can fix that up before their next album.

Furthermore, there are only a few standout tracks, although these are spectacular. Remove/Replace, Existence In Progress and Transfer: Complete are all excellent floor-packing stompfests.

Overall, this Album is quite good, but nothing spectacular.

Excellent, well polished, energetic and fun, intelligent
So I listen to a lot of industrial and recently picked this up. I've been amazed, and this has spun in my cd player constantly. I really like their intelligent lyrics, well polished sounds, catchy synth lines, and high energy. I have not heard previous IoC albums so I can't compare.. but I'm now considering picking up an earlier album.

A lot of industrial music does NOT have intelligent lyrics (which is fine sometimes), or when it does, you often can't understand them. So one of the major things I enjoy about MAU is that I hear and agree with the lyrics, and relate to them. This is the kind of stuff that you share with uninformed folks to get them into industrial music.. its so well-polished, catchy, full of life. I recently watched the final Matrix DVD, turned down the volume during the battle scene, and "Pursuit" make a fantastic soundtrack. (yeh i know that's corny, screw you.)

I don't know if its you're thing, but its most definitely mine, so I give it 5 stars.

Shoutout to TommyT @ www.cyberage.cx/www.dsbp.cx who got me turned onto this particular release!

BUY THE CD, DON'T STEAL THEIR MP3s. this music deserves much better than 128kbit/sec compression or whatever you can find from hoarders who don't even listen to their music collection. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Very, very nice
When I first listened to Wreath of Barbs by :wumpscut:, I didn't like it. It didn't seem to grab me the way the earlier releases did. However, the more I listen to the album, the more it grows on me. The tracks are very repetitive, and this was what first detracted from my enjoyment. Now I see the repetitiveness is actually a strength. The repetition creates an eerie trance-like reaction, and the music leaks into my mind like thin blood spreads into surrounding muscle.

Okay, now that I'm through with the cheesy doom and gloom metaphors, I can get down into the technicalities of the songs. Wreath of Barbs is a slower-paced album than earlier releases. There are no stompy club hits like Soylent Green. However, the downbeat tracks make up for the loss of tempo with sheer chord power.

:wumpscut: makes use of anachronistic sounds, mixing orchestral strings and antique-sounding harpsichord settings with very electronic chord patterns and digital drums. The title track and "Deliverance" both make use of vocoders. Augmented vocals used to be de rigueur in industrial music until they became cliche. Now they've apparently come around full circle, because the vox manipulation works very nicely.

The result is a down but danceable album that will remain in my CD player for a long time to come.

Setting Fire to the World
With this album it seems that you are either going to love it or hate it. Obviously by giving it a 5 star rating I am of the former and think it is the most complete album Rudy has yet released. Although there are higher highs on albums such as Eevil Young Flesh and Embryodead, on Wreath of Barbs every track is great. For me the best tracks are those in which the music is at it darkest in tracks such as, Opening the Gates of Hell, Deliverance and Line of Corpses. In addition, I also very much admire the tracks that Aleta Welling contributed to, including Dr Thodt, which maybe a bit over the top, but appealing none the less, especially to those with a morbid outlook on the world. But then again, I don't know many shiny, happy people that listen to :wumpscut: anyway. Another jewel on this album is Welling's version of Eclipse, in which she provides hauntingly beautiful vocals that are a nice contrast to the rest of this albums chilling intensity.
Besides the standard :Wumpscut" fare, that we have all come to love, this album also has several very catchy and dancy songs, such as Christf*ck and the title song Wreath of Barbs, that compliments nicely the more sinister and brooding atmosphere created by the rest of the album. If you like the :W: of Soylent Green and Eternal then by all means you will enjoy Wreath of Barbs, which for my money is one of the best industrial albums to come out in the last few years. And as one of the songs ominously proclaims, it seems that Rudy really is opening the gates of hell with this one. Enjoy!

Has Its Moments and Shortfalls
I really give this about 3.5 stars but since that isn't an option...

WoB has its great moments to be sure. Unfortunately there aren't enough of them. The standouts have to be the dancefloor crusher "Deliverance" and the angry, sacreligious "Christf*ck". "Delieverance" is a bit of a hybrid between the old grinding, rage-ridden :Wumpscut: style and the new cleaner Futurepop style that is prevalent in much of the scene. The vox are not nearly as harsh and the beat in crisper and less distorted than his earlier work.

"Christf*ck" is more of a throwback to his aggressive industrial assault. The most creative element is the way the sampled single word "Christ" is repeated along with the hammer strike to form its own sort of beat through spots of the song.

Outside of the standouts is where this release falls short. Compared to previous releases there is just more filler here and a couple of songs that are quite lackluster. Rudy certainly needs to do something to revamp the interest in :W: and get back near the top of the scene, and trying female vocals was no doubt a good idea. The issue is that the songs featuring Aleta Welling simply are not well written songs. These sound more like rehash than a new direction to me.

Given that I have interviewed Rudy several times and listened to :W: for over a decade I consider myself an expert here. This is not one of his best albums and despite what you may have read elsewhere, this is a very poor starting point. Try 'Embryodead', 'Bunker Gate 7' or 'Dried Blood of Gomorrha' first.

Good in its own right
I've grown accustomed to Wumpscut's albums that punch you to the floor, spit in your face - only to offer a hand to help you up again and then slap you on the cheek. However, this is a quality album with attention to detail.

I could have done without Opening the Gates of Hell as the first track. It's not a terrible song, but I don't think it sets the mood of the album. The tracks here are amazing, mostly slow-paced, but danceable and melodic. I notice many people hate Dr. Thodt, but I'm actually quite fond of its music, but the bloody words and singing are awful.

The thing that sometimes ruins the album for me in general is Welling's voice. It actually prevents me from listening to some songs. Line of Corpses, for example, is a beautiful, haunting songs, but her voice is just plain annoying, especially at the pointed where she says "corpses". The moment I hear her say "eclipse", I shudder and turn the song off, which is a pity when I actually sit down to listen to the song.

Overall, it's a good album with a few weak points. If you are more into the hammering stuff, I would suggest Eevil Young Flesh and Embryodead.

Aleta Welling costs Rudy a star here.
My first exposure to Wumpscut came in a form of homemade EverQuest raid video, set to 'Torn Skin', and got me hooked instantly. Like Bunkergate 7, 'Wreath of Barbs' is by all means an excelent album. But I have to say, any song that has 'Aleta Welling' in the credits is markedly less appealing than songs stamped with Rudy Ratzinger name alone. Dr. Thodt is especially bad.
Still, despite Aleta, this CD definitely delivers. Just skip Dr. Thodt and listen and 'Wreath of Barbs' twice. :) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Proving that unbridled aggression isn't always needed to effectively get one's point across in industrial dance music, Norway's Apoptygma Berzerk take a melodic, almost synth-pop-like approach on their second full-length, 7. This domestic issue of an album originally released in Europe in 1996 proves a great introduction to the thoughtful music of Stephan Groth (a.k.a. Grothesk). "Love Never Dies" establishes the gothic tone of the disc, starting things off with grand-guignol organ music that gives way to driving synths and beats, followed by Grothesk's unprocessed vocals and a few sampled refrains from Carmina Burana. "Mourn," a delicate, stripped-down electro track dedicated to Kurt Cobain, shows off Groth's talent for melodic songwriting, a rarity in a genre often criticized for its lack of subtlety. Other highlights include the energetic Front 242-isms of "Non-Stop Violence" and the sharp techno inflections of "Deep Red" (complete with Laibach sample!). --Steve Landau ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Got your sites set on some great European electronic?
Got your sites set on some great European electronic? Then take aim on Apoptygma Berzerk's simply titled CD "7". The elegant blend of industrial and electronic brings immediate recognition to the sound of Depeche Mode and some of Nitzer Ebb's less industrial oriented material. Catchy but not synth-pop, heavy yet not Industrial, the choruses will have you singing along while the Euro-beats will keep you jumping. The male vocals are heavy yet appealing, and every other track seems to offer a different female back-up giving the album a variance throughout.

The album is anything but ordinary, as the first track 'Love Never Dies Part 1' quickly proves. Church organs open into quick electronic glory, with a gothic choir chorus that gives goose bumps as the volume climbs into the upper decibels. The depth of the band goes beyond the music with 'Mourn'. With a dedication credit to the late Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and Kurt's guitar sample in the track, the song will immediately get in your head. The knowledge of the dedication makes the song even more relevant and allows for reflection on what's really important in light of the tragedy of the late grunge star's short life.

By far my favorite of the album, 'Non-Stop Violence' is everything you can want in an electronic beat, with all the right build and crescendos, and a chorus that's to die for. Political influences are conveyed with samples relating to the Bosnia conflict. A minute before the end of the track leads you into a great piece that sounds familiar but just can't place, but see no way any other artist could have done any better than the electronic perfection served up here. Things get a bit surreal over the next few tracks, starting with '25 Cromwell St.', a slower track with whispered vocals on the verse reminiscent of the likes of AutoVoice.

The track flows directly into 'Rebel', a dreamlike piece with elements of Kraftwerk. The song brings up the band's Christian perspective, and makes you think twice about whom Jesus Christ was. The only vocals are spoken, in an echoing interview style over this really cool electronic beat. With the statement starting with "For me it's really important to see Christ not as this sort of like mythical, Santa Clause type creature...", the band brings up a point that makes you really consider what it means to wear those little "W.W.J.D." symbols going around the wrists of teens today. The surreal sci-fi aspect continues into the first minute or so of 'Deep Red' before diving head first into a heavy KMFDM style track.

We slow back down for the beautiful and ethereal, ballad-like 'Nearer' before thumping again with the rapid BPM 'Half Asleep' which will leave you thinking of the band Front 242. One of the tracks on the album definitely deserving to be mixed to infinity is the Cobain dedicated 'Mourn', and it's given great dance-floor treatment in 'Mourn (Reprise)'. Same great chorus with the energy turned up past the red line, and the female vocals make the track absolutely beautiful.

'Electricity' is just plain catchy, leading into the dreamlike acoustic guitar number 'Love Never Dies Part 2', with its female lead vocals carrying you away.

This brings me to the only draw back to the album, an issue I have regardless of the album it's on. I'm talking about the gap of silence. For five minutes after the acoustic three-minute piece, there is nothing but silence. I don't mind this if it's on the last track, or there's nothing of interest at the end of the track. But Apoptygma Berzerk makes great music, regardless of where it's at. So more often than not, my lack of patience gets the best of me and I miss out on the great material placed at the last six minutes of track 11.

The track-11 medley starts out with a two-minute catchy mix of the chorus of 'Non-Stop Violence', which lasts just long enough to leave you wanting more. Following for the remainder of the track is a piece I can only term as heavy electronic industrial, incorporating vocal samples and electronic versions of metal pipes and rhythmic distortion over catchy synth. There's even a brief 70's polka sample under a bit of German thrown in, because we always need a bit of polka in our lives. The untitled final Track 12 wraps things up with an almost pop-like number with a fantastic chorus. It's almost like a dessert after eating a satisfying electronic 5-course meal.

You're going to be hard pressed to find better electronic music coming from a European sector that tends to define the genre.

-Chad
-The Edge On-Line

Almost a classic
I'm pretty harsh when it comes to reviewing albums... the worst thing I can say about Apop is that when I first heard "Love Never Dies, Part I" (in a club in Albany, NY of all places) I figured it was just another remake of Carl Orff's "O Fortuna." Eventually I heard the entire album and it grew on me. A lot. "Mourn," a tribute to Kurt Cobain, is catchy as all get-out, and "Non-Stop Violence" (a Kosovo protest song) is phenomenal... if anything it sounds like what Front 242 has been trying to do their entire career and Apop did it in one song. The sound quality of this record is amazing Out of all the albums I've heard in the "electro" genre, this is among the best. Since Metropolis Records picked this album up it will be a lot easier for people to get a hold of it as well. My only regret is that at the moment when people think of electronic music, they'll immediately focus their attention on acts like Fatboy Slim and the Chemical Brothers while foreign artists such as this band, Haujobb, and others get ignored.

where is my stuff
I have never received this cd.It was supposed to arrived already month ago.Still waiting.

Marvelous - Top 10 in Electro History
Apop is clearly one of the leaders in the international electro scene and this is the disc that forever cemented that reputation. Having built his reputation with aggressive, melodic EBM on 'Soli Deo Gloria' and some early singles, Stephan Groth (Grothesk) further developed the sound with this release bringing in much more texture and atmosphere. The harshness is greatly reduced also putting the strong melodies and vocals on display.

There are 3 clear masterpieces on '7'. The 1st is the powerful "Love Never Dies Pt 1", a slow-building Goth stomp backed by a potent vocal chorus and samples from Orff's 'Carmina Burana'... the only unfortunate thing is that Orff's work was sampled by so many other sources, including Guiness beer commercials, after Apop did it so new listeners may not be as blown away as we were 10 years ago. The next is "Mourn" dedicated to tortured artist Curt Cobain and featuring a subtle Nirvana sample. The 3rd is "Non-Stop Violence" which is the most-EBM of any track on the disc. Other standouts include the dance tracks "Deep Reed" and "Half Asleep". Both are fast and razor-sharp floor fillers.

As for the criticism that the slower songs are misses, I refute that wholeheartedly. I actually think that songs like "Rebel", a tribute to non-other than Christ himself, "Nearer" and "25 Cromwell St" are some of the most interesting on '7' and grow on you with each listen. People need to realize that it takes bravery to strip down electronic music this much allowing the lyrics, storytelling and minimal melodies to stand on their own to such great extent. APB's wonderful use of tones and percussion make even the most stripped-down song a joy. It's easier to hide behind a big beat than expose yourself the way Stephan does on these songs. "Nearer" may be the best industrial love song since Project Pitchfork's "Souls". The slow songs are a critical part of what make this an very complete album.

Fans of electro/industrial/future-pop will likely agree that '7' is one of the great albums of all time. Synth pop listeners from all walks should pick this up to appreciate its beauty and power; trust me, this one has great appeal beyond just Goth/Industrial.

3.5 Stars. 3 Great Songs
I do not love this CD. I love 3 songs on it. "Deep Red", "Non-Stop Violence" and "Love Never Dies Part 1" are utterly brilliant pieces of art that ravage dancefloors around the world, and quite justly. However, apart from those songs, the rest is childlike filler with very little danceability.

Deep Red is probably the harshest track on the album, although only a four year-old Britney fan would call it harsh. It has an insanely infectious tempo and some pretty dark lyrics for an Apop song. It begins like distorted computers and ends with some beautiful piano, and Groth delivers perfect snarling vocals.

Non-Stop Violence is a brilliant song, again using a melody primarily based upon those blippy computer sounds that Groth loves so much. However, it does create genuine melody, and is structured in a highly anthemic manner to create one of the most catchy Futurepop songs ever written. The percussion on this song is very rock-like, and pulls it off perfectly.

Love Never Dies Part One was written by Groth as his alternate theme to Bram Stoker's Dracula. This song is a smashing hit! You cannot get gothier than the church organ at the beginning of this song (outside of Bauhaus and Joy Division anyway)and the dramatic, VNV-Nation-Esque sound is pummelled by exquisite synths throughout, creating truly cinematic music.

However, these songs are the only really good sounds on the album. The rest is slow synthpop that bores me to tears. Good synthpop is Iris, and Wolfshiem, with larger soundscapes than this. Apop is too minimalist to slow down!

Overall, I would probably recommend buying it on the grounds that it has three of the best EBM songs ever written. Other Apop songs that are brilliant are Starsign (on Welcome to Earth (regarded as the first ever Futurepop album)) and Until The End Of The World (On Harmonizer), but, like Covenant, Groth has a tendency to suffer from making a few brilliant songs and turing these into albums using bad filler. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A prediction: "Torpedoes" will soon feature prominently on goth-industrial play lists around the world. It's got a good beat and, boy, can you dance to it. The demise of KMFDM appears to have been good for former members Tim Skold and Sascha Konietzko, who with the addition of former Drill singer Lucia Cifarelli have acquired a new lease on musical life. MDFMK is less techno, more noise, fewer politics, more emotion, and sounds more like a collaborative effort, as opposed to an assemblage of pieces that fit together really well but never quite jell. It is, in short, really good stuff and incredibly addictive, especially the aforementioned "Torpedoes." Other notable tracks include "Rabble Rouser," which often shifts rhythmic gears; the thoughtful "Stare at the Sun"; and the aptly titled "Witch Hunt," which seems to refer to the unfortunate correlation between the release date of KMFDM's final album and the Columbine High School shootings. Turn on the strobe lights and bring on the noise. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (86)

Nice try, gentlemen. Let's have at it!
MDFMK, a worthy attempt of recreating the blend of drum'n'bass-style beats and thrashing guitars reminiscent of XTORT. Although much of this record is a little slower paced than most of the tracks off XTORT, it hits a lot harder and below the belt. Skold serves his purpose as a whiny metal-style singer and a simplistic but accomplished guitarist and programmer. Sascha, a czar in the industrial world, never fails to wow us with his dazzling array of corroded electronics and robotic Eurotrash vocals. Newcomer Lucia Cifarelli amazes us with her sexy pop-rock vocals.

This album felt complete at the first listen and is always worth listening to again. Like most records, it leaves a filthy aftertaste and leaves something to be desired, but don't let that discourage you from buying this record. its worth it if you're a KMFDM fan.

FUELING THE REVOLUTION AND SAVING POP CULTURE!
For the past five years or so, I've been a huge fan of both KMFDM and Drill. I'm all but in love with Lucia Cifarelli. So, when I heard KMFDM and Drill both broke up, I was CRUSHED, in a word. But there is a musical god, because she combined two of my favorite bands! The debut album is amazing. My favorite tracks are "Get Out Of My Head" and "Hydro Electric". The great thing about MDFMK is the diversity. Fans of metal, industrial, and even dance get into this album (my friends are proof!) and there are two singers-- male and female-- so you don't get sick of hearing the same person on every track. I would recommend this album to anyone who liked KMFDM and Drill. Also to fans of Nine Inch Nails, Leaether Strip, Cubanate, The Genitorturers, and Stabbing Westward.

Surprisingly good
From the ashes of KMFDM, here is MDFMK; consisting of former KMFDM members Sascha Konietzko and Tim Skold with Drill singer Lucia Cifarelli. Even though this album wasn't well received, MDFMK is packed full of catchy dance beats and rhythms, plus loads of excellent guitar work; much more so than many of KMFDM's material. Standout tracks include "Rabblerouser", "Get Out of My Head", "Torpedoes", "Be Like Me", and "Control"; all of which display MDFMK at their best. While the album falls just a tad short of being something truly special, in the end we are left with an album that was a blueprint for something that could have been (KMFDM eventually got back together not long after this album's release). All in all, MDFMK is something that is definitely worth listening to if your a fan of industrial/techno music, or even KMFDM (although that doesn't aply to everybody; many KMFDM fans did not embrace this album). If you like what you hear here, I strongly suggest picking up the Heavy Metal 2000 soundtrack which features an MDFMk tune called "Missing Time", which is probably the best song from this outfit.

If you love good music, you'll hate MDFMK
First off, I want to say that I blame Tim Skold for this terrible album. KMFDM use to be good, but then he got into the mix and started MDFMK with Sascha when the rest of the KMFDM regulars started to notice that Tim was stinking up the place.
Sure, its got its catchy pop moments and a few hooks, but none of them last for more than a few listens. This is one of the few CDs I own that I NEVER listen to.
Boo I say to you Tim Skold! Boo!

Top notch
This is a great CD to buy because it fills in the gap of 'Adios' and 'Attak'. The songs are great, and the rhythms are awesome. I especially love 'Rabble Rouser' with the angry yet cool sounding vocals, 'Torpedoes' with it's catchy rhtyhm which you can pretty much dance to, and 'Witch Hunt' which has a really catchy chorus. Hopefully MDFMK will make another album, though I am very excited about KMFDM's new album 'WWIII'. I don't care who releases an album first, they will both be great. Great going guys! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The evolution in metal
über alles continues the space odyssey that began with Transmission from Uranus with it's sci-fi style. now enter über alles. We are now into a very wagnerian space-opera. The music is furious, intense, and very breathtaking. The integration of industrial and metal music brought us to the mainstream Ministry, then White Zombie and then Static-X. Following the tradition of high quality industrial-metal, Hanzel ünd Gretyl can now claim the place of the best industrial-metal band. With the military-style Third Reich from the sun, the ultra-catchy ich bin über alles, the groovy komm zu ens to the decadant fury of SS Deathstar supergalactic (listen it right now. I'm serious), this album is sure to please everyone who can accept that putting electronic into metal is a good thing. This is the evolution of metal, and bands shouldn't fear using technology to do their music. Hanzel ünd Gretyl does it incredibly.

Uber Alles
"Uber Alles" is my first Hanzel und Gretyl cd. I recently renewed my subscription to Outburn magazine and had a choice of several cds to pick for free. I chose the new Hanzel und Gretyl cd because I wanted to expose myself to more of their music. A good friend of mine had burned a couple of songs by the duo of Loop and Vas Kallas in the past and I dug what I heard. One would automatically think that having a female vocalist like Vas Kallas would mean her vocals would have an ethereal, angelic sound ala Sarah Brightman or Evanescence's Amy Lee. That isn't the case here. Vas Kallas has one of the most ferocious voices around in music, man or woman. She just rips through the music like a saltwater crocodile does with a water buffalo. Vas is simply intense. Normally I don't dig listening to a woman sing like Vas does (like the women in death metal bands Otep and Arch Enemy) but I absolutely loved Vas Kallas. The music was simply brutal and aggressive. A nice mix of industrial, techno, and metal. The first time I listened to the cd I wasn't sure what to make of it but as I listen to "Uber Alles" for a second time, I am totally loving every second of the album. Despite the fact that I don't know any German, I still enjoyed the songs that were sung in German (as well as the songs sung in English). A lot of metal bands today definitely could learn a lot from Hanzel und Gretyl on producing the most intense and aggressive music around. "Uber Alles" turned me into a huge Hanzel und Gretyl fan.

Industrial Metal at it's finest
I was given this album by a friend of mine shortly after it's release, i had never heard any of HUG previous work but i had heard good things about them. I listened to this album and was blown away. From the opening overture to the final note this album is spectacular. My favorite tracks are "Third Reich from the Sun" "Komm Zu Uns" and "SS Deathstar Supergalactik" but every song on this album is good and very intersting. If you like Nine Inch Nails then you should definatly give HUG a try.

UBER ALLES INDEED
Hanzel und Gretyl have put together a rougher sounding album than either of their first two, which had some lighter techno. Uber Alles is straight-up industrial rock, but harder than most. The real pleasure in this album is how hard it strikes you. Songs like "Komm zu uns" and "Let the Planets Burn" are total moshing songs, with strong vocal impact from Vas Kallas. Every song on this CD is good for a different reason: some for their rythym like "11:11", some for their catchy-ness like "Third Reich from the Sun". The downsides are that the lyrics can be repetitive and not very imaginative. The German is not perfect either. If you're looking for quality lyrics and music with deep meaning, this isn't for you. The theme to the whole album seems to be Sci-Fi Nazism. If you're looking to push the limits of your car audio system, this is mandatory.

Let the critics burn!
When I first saw the review in the Village Voice, I thought, "You've GOT to be kidding me!" The abyssmal music industry has put out some nasty stuff, but how they let this un-PC album through.... Then I read further and had to check it out. I've heard HUG a few times on WSOU back in the day but never did it for me. It was KMFDM, Rammstein and Metallica.

I must say, looping seig heil in a track takes balls even if its a parody. What caught my attention was the use of air raid sirens and warning buzzers through the album and the sound of a bolt action rifle being racked in 3rd reich from the sun. AWESOME mixing; her vocals and guitar work didn't trip over each other like so many other bands. There's a good balance between guitars and electronic, a good flow.

I assume 11:11 refers to "But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them."

Fukken UBER! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Buy this--now!
If you are a fan of NIN, or any other controlled chaos/industrial/punk electronic violence, you will love this. Trust me-I'm extremely picky when it comes to these things. Although a very minimal amount of music, clocking in at around 15 minutes, this EP is worth every penny. This is one of the few new CDs out that has actually managed to spark my enthusiasm. The energy and rhythm on the whole are superb, especially on "Burn in Hell."

Say "Hello" to the evolution of music
Error's recently released EP is an instant classic. For fans of Nine Inch Nails, 12 Rounds, Skinny Puppy, and Pigface. This 5 track album has an epic listing of songs, including the wonderfully covered version of "Homicide".
The production on this album is tested by none. It stands up to production giants (such as Trent Reznor, referred to from now on as 'El Rezzo') From start to finish the transfer of electronic sound to true distorition is not contested by any. interesting samples and intriguing lyrics (while there may not be many on the final track; as they are only 'lets just f*ck our brains out my love')
The track that truely sets this album apart from most others of the common genre is "Jack The Ripper", while it has a simple concept, it is perfectly executed and plays wondefully throughout the evening.
With the exception of the album clocking in at a whopping 18 minuets, this album is phenominal on a level not yet discovered. It's going to be quite interesting to hear what this band has to offer in the coming months.

Embrace the machine to love this disc.
3-piece experimental all machine stripped down post-punk music with vocals, including Epitaph Records founder Brett Gurewitz. The album is an EP, and despite its brash and grinding beats it provides a unique combination of punk simplicity through drum machines and sonic blips. Though contradictory, the industrial effect will bash your cerebellum, and leave you wondering whether this project will ever will be the product of a live tour. The cover does itself justice; proclaiming to be "electro-hardcore-punk" Recorded and mixed down completely at Atticus Ross's house, it has the production akin to the darker of Ministry's work in the 1990s. Error is Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross, and Brett Gurewitz with mixed-in vocals by Gregg Puciatto. Definitely one of the more twisted EP's I have encountered simply due to its innate weirdness. If you like gothic or hardcore this is up your alley.

Welcome to hell
In the vein of "The Damage Manual" comes this very refreshing dose of industrial electronic punk. Atticus Ross is not a member of NIN, as a previous reviewer stated, but he is supposedly helping in a producer fashion on "their" forthcoming album; "bleedthrough".However Atticus is/was? a member of the oft ignored 12rounds.
But back to the matter at hand, Error has managed to make a great album that conjures a strange amalgam which includes PWEI, NIN, DM, and the spastic drill and bass of someone like squarepusher. Like listening to NIN's Broken while tripping and being attacked by haywire machines. Jack the Ripper and Nothing's Working are my two picks for the stand out tracks here but every song is very worth your time. The only negative, like Broken, it's just too ... short. Oh well, hopefully they will actually release a full length album like they say.

A Flawless Error
This is easily one of the best albums of the year, and it's only late February.

Error is the side-project of members from Bad Religion and Nine Inch Nails, with the Dillinger Escape Plan's vocalist as a guest. This band is considered punk, but it's oversaturated with electronic sounds that completely run haywire. You almost think the members of the band are at war with their instruments.

As for the album's integrity, all I cay say is "wow." That's not a word I use often. This album (which is only an EP, might I add) is a dark trip through nihilism and hell itself, or so it seems. It's absolutely amazing. Every single song stands out, from the panic of "Nothing's Working," the forwardness of the cover of 999's "Homicide," to the nihilism of "Burn in Hell," intensity of "Jack the Ripper," and f**ked sounds of remix song "Brains Out."

My personal favourite song is "Jack the Ripper." Don't know why... All the songs are equally good. Buy this album immediately and make sure you don't have anyone faint-of-heart around. This stuff kills grandparents. I love it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Front 242's music moves the body and the intellect with equal efficacy, and this album is definitive of that sound. Musician/programmers Patrick Codenys and Daniel Bressanutti brilliantly hold forth with multi-dimensional layers of percussion, noise, keyboards and spoken-word fragments. Gliding over and slashing through this thoughtfully aggressive din are lead singer Jean-Luc DeMeyer's low, ominous vocals. He deploys his trademark rumble with dangerous accuracy on the moody "Untold", with matter-of-fact despair on "Tragedy For You." "Rhythm Of Time" is an electro masterpiece, invigorating and foreboding. Backing singer Richard 23 is given the spoltlight on "Moldavia," with Codenys and Bressanutti adding colorful mutilation to his confident wail. Also of note are the chimerical instrumental pieces, in particular "Neurobashing" and the "hidden" track "HardRock." --Mark McCleerey ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Classic industrial dance
Many industrial aficionados pooh-poohed Front 242's major-label debut, but repeated listenings to this disc show how wrong they were. Yes, not all the songs are great (some seem, in fact, to be little more than filler), but several tracks stand out as among the most brilliant the legendary group have ever recorded. "Rhythm of Time" is a roiling stomp, all aggressive beats and growled vocals--a quintessential 242 track. And "Gripped by Fear" is as close as you'll come to an industrial ballad, an almost symphonic piece that manages to be devastating and beautiful at the same time. These songs alone are worth buying the album for, but of course you also get other gems, such as "The Untold" and "Soul Manager." Not a bad deal at all.

Perfect Moods 3
When I first heard this album in 1991, I wasn't quite sure what I was hearing. It was very dark and angry, but with a mechanical sophistication. One of the reviews states the lyrics are repetitive...I think he missed the idea here. Not only has Front 242 been fairly minimal lyrically throughout their 20 year careers, but Tyranny was a descent into the darker part of their music. And even so, most tracks on this album have varied verses with repetitive choruses, which I believe most other bands in existence are guilty of as well. The most commercial sounding track on this album is definitely Tragedy For You, which was featured in the film "Single White Female". It is certainly happier than the other tracks on this album. Neurobashing and the Untold are great tracks, with samples from war and horror films. If you are looking for a deliberate and dark industrial album with a good electronic and guitar edge, Tyranny For You is one of the best.

Industrial classic.
I can't say that I know everything about industrial rock. Nor can I say I know alot about "Front 242". But I do know that this album is essential to both. It's not as dated as some cd's of the time, and still sounds good 13 years later. This reminds me some of Skinny Puppy's "Rabies", and Ministry's "Land of Rape and Honey". If you enjoy either of those, you should like "Tyranny (for you)". I really like the sound of this guys voice, and it adds alot to the single "Tragedy (for you)", as well as the rest of the cd. My favorite track is probably the opener "Sacrifice". Overall this is a solid industrial rock cd that I would highly recommend, (for you).

Indispensable
Front 242's 1991 release "Tyranny For You" is that most precious of gems: the album you must have and can never get rid of. Though some fans of Industrial music and Front 242 in particular do not rank it at the top of the list, for me this album is a monument. Every track is carefully crafted and Jean-Luc DeMeyer's lyrical talents and deep Belgian voice are coming into their prime. This is the CD that one can put in his or her single disc player on repeat without ever feeling the need to skip ahead or press stop. It is an impressive work from Industrial music's most important group in which it is eerily easy to get lost .

Under-rated electro-classic
EBM, electro-industrial, whatever you call it, most of it seems pretty embarassing these days, heavy metal BGM for Blade II, Tekken or worse. However, some albums remain as strange and threatening as they seemed 10 or 15 years ago: Too Dark Park by Skinny Puppy, Naive by KMFDM, Hole by Foetus and, yes, Tyranny For You. It goes without saying that the music still sounds like no electronica made before or since; the real surprise is that the lyrics (so often the Achilles Heel of industrial-pop) are as unusual as they are unforgettable. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This was Al Jourgensen's first full-length venture into the darker possibilities of electronic music. Harsh synthesizers, brutal drums and cynical lyrics defied the easy classification of"techno-dance" when this album was released in the mid'80s. The programming is proficient and creative, taking the limited sound technology of the time into new areas. "Just Like You" and "All Day" make early use of processed vocals and cryptic spoken-word fragments. In "We Believe" and "Over The Shoulder" Jourgensen renders ominously driving bass lines and metallic percussion to project pessimistic visions of a cold, technocratic society. The album's second half is dominated by a long drum & noise piece: an interesting experiment that would lead to intriguing sound collages on subsequent albums. --Mark McCleerey ... Read more

Reviews (33)

A Good piece of Dance Music
Twitch is a sort of "middle ground" in the Ministry catalogue of albums. Pre-Twitch, you have the catchy, breezy, euro-synthpop of With Sympathy and The Twelve-inch Singles. Post-Twitch, Ministry is darker, harsher and heavier, beginning with the landmark industrial album The Land of Rape and Honey. On Twitch, Al Jourgensen begins to move away from the melodic synth-pop and into a slightly more grating, unconventional approach. The breezy pop stylings of previous works can still be found in tracks such as The Angel, Over the Shoulder and the All Day remix, however the rest of the music, for the most part, takes on a darker direction. Twitch showcases Al Jourgensen's talents as an electronic artist before he fell in love with the guitar riff.

My favorite Ministry CD
Maybe its all the memories I have being a kid in clubs and hearing tracks off this cd being played or watching the video for "Over the Shoulder" but this is my favorite Ministry CD hands down. As a DJ its also a great CD to have, a lot of tracks that work on industrial dance floors still.

Good dance floor tracks include
We Believe (my favorite track on the cd)
Over the Shoulder
All Day
Just Like You
Angel

Its not the harder type of Ministry you might know (Land of Rape & Honey, etc) nor is it the 80's candy type Ministry (With Sympahty). Its great electronic type sounding industrial with my favorite Ministry vocals, the only other semi recent band that comes anywhere near this release that I can think of would be "Contagion" (another great release by the way).

felt i had to say something.....
This album is was a big part of opening my mind to music. I'm not really a general fan of industrial/blah/blah whatever... i eventually know (though maybe not at the time) that if i find myself saying "what the hell did i just listen to?" both baffled and intrigued, rewinding/skipping furiously listening over and over again forcing my mind to absorb this fresh, new perspective, that i've stumbled onto something wonderful.

"Twitch" did this for me. From the album cover art to the "Over the Shoulder " video to going from anywhere from getting a huge energy rush to having it calmly lull me to sleep ( "the Angel" is awesome for that, and has some serious structures foreshadowing what much of the rave scene would eventually term as "build-ups" and "breakdowns")it has stood the test of time and even though may sound "dated" in it's technology, no other rendering would seem to otherwise fit just so.

Like any form of art i have encountered and been greatly influenced by, I Find myself years later, especially if i haven't come across it in a while, understanding and appreciating it in ways i had never done previously - old Frank Miller Daredevil comics, and Alphonse Mucha's paintings also come to mind. This album has never gotten old no matter how many times i've played it. I found it funny that many of the minions of Metal-heads who ran out and bought Psalm 69 so they could wear out "NWO" and "Jesus Bulit My Hotrod" would just look and give these wierd stares and blank looks and wonder why this band with the same name sounded so lame and "techno". Thank goodness Metallica is around to divert them.

It's a great record, tongue-in-cheek, playfully cynical and a hint to what sounds would evolve into future Ministry albums.

C'mon get out here....CRASH AND BURN!!!
Al Jourgenson is a genius in my book and this cd proves it...using a medium he started out with, synthpop and turning it into something that is unique. I'll bet not many people get into racket induced noise over predominantly dancy or poppish beats but I enjoy it. Heck, its hard to believe this is the same guy who did the sugar-sweet "With Sympathy" a few years earlier, it sounds nothing like it at all. Well...some songs are still blatantly synth-pop oriented like "All Day" and "The Angel" yet I enjoy those just as much as the darker stuff. I heard Al didn't even want "All Day" on here...that would suck because it wouldn't be 'Twitch' without it IMO.

The album starts off with the somewhat bubble-gum sounding synths of "Just Like You" yet the whole attitude of the song seems to suggest something sinister lying beneath the fun...the crashing beats and frequent conveyor belt twitches dispel any notion this is a walk in the park. Next up all happy feeling is dispeled with "We Believe", Al paints a picture of paranoia
and cyncism over a bass driven line with tinny synths punctuating the airall over the place. "All Day" puts us in a awe-inspired trance with its beautiful synth work and catchy melody. "The Angel" quiets the mood with a lightly doleful yet beautiful ballad of the supernatural. "Over The Shoulder" turns the mood, mixing conga-like beats with harsh noise and punctuating drill beats. "My Possession" puts us in a mood for a dark dance floor full of strobe lights while Al tells us we're all slaves to some higher power. Then comes the ultimate head-trip...the 12 minute saga of "Where You At Now". Sounds kinda innocent, even flat for the first five minutes with frequent vocal shouts and occasional crash. Then all of sudden you hear "Crash and burn" and its time for part 2...sounds like someone set a whole bunch of VERY noisy machines going and let them play. It's time to 'twitch' and thrash baby. Then after about eight minutes of factory ecstasy, its slows down for the third part for some slower machine noise and even....a flame thrower. Now its time to revisit an old friend...yeah, "Over The Shoulder" is back for a remix with some interesting noise variations. Then to end the album is the incredibly trancy "Isle Of Man"...sounds like something a pirate would have sang (imagine Jack Sparrow singing this...he's who I thought of) about polluting the world as we know it.

The album is over...and Twitch is one of the coolest industrial experiences ever IMO. The most played ever of the Ministry albums I own and definitely a top album of all for me. I already appreciated factory noise induced music and this has only inspired me to perhaps carry on one day as the next racketeer. Al has of course moved into guitar-oriented territory but that stuff is cool to. Hats off to him for this classic.

Industrial forever!

Marketing garbage aside - view of Ministry based on truth
When I first met Al J. He was a transient young man with a guitar, the clothes on his back, and bad pre-1980's Californian musical taste. He was a very talented guitar player but his musical direction was provided by the band he joined Special Affect - a predessor to Ministry, as an equal member of the band he contributed to that band, and later to Ministry which took half of Special Affect's members and was financed totally by the bass player on Ministy's 1st CD - With Sympathy, so there were no record companies telling him to do this or do that, he did what most progressive bands wanted to do then, create music in the synth pop vein prevalent in those days, and later when most of the band left him due to his heroin problems he continued in the same direction the band would have gone on anyway without his heroin problems (mostly due to the good advice of the folks at Wax Trax) with the possible exception of his last few albums. Well with the capital provided by his fame, he managed to destroy in record time his life, his friendships, and his investments (Wax Trax Records/Labels, etc.) and later managed to rebuild his life (hopefully) but I think Ministy's music including With Sympathy, Twitch, and the rest is alot more understandable with a view of reality instead of a record company or a rock star trying to cover up his own mistakes. As a human being I wouldn't leave $3 on the coffee table if he was my house guest, but as a musician he has been part of a group of people who have contributed heavily to the techno-industrial scene and today's music as well, and everyone should buy every one of their cd's if you ask me, and for being a part of that Al J. deserves major kudos. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Clearly refreshed by his hiatus, not to mention his guitar-and-noise-driven side project MDFMK, founder Sascha Konietzko brings renewed vigor to the reactivated KMFDM in the form of Attak. Arriving three years after their "farewell" album, Adios, Attak is in a more chaotic mood than the band's latter-day recordings. But the songs slide together neatly, making for a forceful collection--harness this thing to a dynamo and you could power a small city. Songs like "Sturm & Drang" and "Risen" simply beg to be cranked up; even with the volume down, this album soundsloud. Attak is KMFDM's first CD on aggressively indie industrial label Metropolis Records, and it seems as though the move to a new label has reawakened the group's core sensibilities. It's a mature album (no one would mistake this for an early KMFDM recording), but it's also crisp, fresh, and razor sharp. KMFDM is dead--long live KMFDM! --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (53)

KMFDM is back with a vengence!
I have been looking forward to the new KMFDM for the past couple of months now. I immediately bought "Attak" the same day it was released. It was definitely well worth the wait. Unlike "Symbols" and "Nihil", I had to listen to "Attak" a few times before the music started to sink into my head. I noticed on the first listen that "Attak" had a slightly different sound, particularly on songs such as "Superhero" and "Sleep". I got the impression that Sascha Konietzko had been listening to drum & bass during the band's alleged break up and after the tour with MDFMK. The drum and bass influences is quite evident in "Superhero" and "Sleep" but not necessarily in a bad way, just interesting that drum and bass would be incorporated into the band's abrasive, caustic industrial sound. Definitely light on the metal this time around. My two personal favorite songs on this album are "Save Me" and "Risen". "Save Me" in some weird way sounds as if it would have been perfect for the "Symbols" album. It reminded me a bit like my personal favorite KMFDM song "Anarchy" with Skold's vocals. "Risen" is just a killer song with that loud thunderous industrial beats that needs to be played at top volume. Now while I can't say "Attak" is better than "Nihil" or "Symbols", I definitely have to rank "Attak" next to those two albums as my favorite KMFDM album of all time.

Fortunate Son
It's like the ... grandchild of Naive, Angst, Nihil, and Mdfmk. That's good because we needed it. After two and a half years of no KMFDM and an uncertian future for MDFMK and the formation of rival band Slick Idiot by former KMFDM crooner En Esch and guitarist Guenter Schulz, this is an Ultra Heavy Breath of fresh air for fans of UHB's and KMFDM in particular. It starts with a bit of humor and ends with the bittersweet 'Sleep.' In between are some of the most well orchestrated electro-industrial tracks in a good long while. KMFDM hasn't thinned their mix of politikin' and satire floating in a dark gritty pint. Welcomed back to the fold are Pig frontman Raymond Watts and the loved Dorona Alberti. First impression tracks are Attak/Reload, Dirty, Urban Monkey Warfare, Yo Ho Ho, Superhero, Sturm&Drang, Risen and Sleep. Every KMFDM fan will find something they like on this album.

Attacks your former idea of KMFDM and builds a better one!
Attak is my all time favorite KMFDM cd. If you want to start listening to KMFDM, or just want to keep growing your collection, this is THE cd you must get. It satisfies all the means! "Attak/Reload" starts the cd off with a great beat and great vocals. "Dirty" may just be my favorite track, for Waitts perfectly distributes his voice to the dark, heavy riffs. "Urban Monkey Warfare" keeps the beat strong, while "Yohoho" brings the cd to a new section of a sweet drum beat, and great vocals. "Strum & Drang" is another of my favorites because of its shear power! Over all, the cd is like a bliss of overwelming, splendid music. GET THIS CD! I'm SURE you'll love it!

A DIVISION among fans
Any band that has been around for 20 years is bound to have a wide group of listeners, unless their style went stale (Aerosmith, Rolling Stones, etc.)

I personally like the GUITAR HEAVY stuff. Some people want more SYNTH.

I started out with ANGST, XTORT, and NIHIL. All excellent, as most agree. To me, these albums had great guitar, and appearently, good synth stuff as well. Both worlds were happy.

I then got SYMOBLS and don't like it as much. They moved away from the guitar too much for my tastes.

I then went back and got MONEY. Same deal, only they hadn't quite discovered the good guitars yet. One great guitar track (Money) and another song with a recycled Jimi Hendrix riff. Their even earlier stuff is mostly electronic and not my taste.

ATTAK is a return to the heavier GUITAR sound that I love. Great stuff includes URBAN MONKEY WARFARE and SAVE ME. I love this album, and think it's one of their best.

SO: if you love good guitar, this album did it for me. If you're more of an early KMFDM fan, or big on the SYMOBLS album, you probably won't like it as much.

Tim Skold ruins this album ...
OK, maybe he doesn't ruin the album but there are two things that people must accept about this CD: 1) Sascha and Tim Skold are not the best guitar/bass players, and 2) This is one of the least cohesive KMFDM albums. So for the most part, despite the poor guitar playing (who can compare to Gunter Schultz anyway?), this album is decent ... the three Watts tracks are great and the programming/beats are overall well done. HOWEVER, if you're *new* to KMFDM I suggest WWIII (great playing, very tight, fans will not be disappointed...Skold free too!), SYMBOLS (the most cohesive, progressive album they've put out), NIHIL (classic KMFDM), ADIOS (basically Sascha/Skold's *electronic* album, still great ...), and MONEY (the best of the older albums, still sounds fresh today). If you're still thirsty, check out XTORT (at your own risk) ....

Sascha is god! WWIII!!! ... Read more

Album Description

They took the electro dance floors by storm with their last album 'Welcome to Earth'.Their latest album is a BPMmarvel full of electronic textures, and persuasive beats.11 tracks. Metropolis. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Definitely Original
APB's previous album Welcome To Earth took a step into a more synth pop sound, adding their electro and EBM flavor to the mix. Their new album Harmonizer goes back a bit and when I listen to it, I'd think it would have come out between 7 and Welcome To Earth, because it sounds like a blend of those two albums. The intro song is definitely an awesome EBM dancefloor hit, reminding me of the power "Starsign" had with it's catchy chorus and hardhitting sounds. The slow intro is like an engine revving until it's fully ignited. There's more dance and EBM songs that are catchy as well. But some tracks seem lost and don't really go anywhere. APB definitely has their own style of music and layering, but some of it I just don't get. Overall, this album is definitely worth getting for EBM fans and for those who love Stephan's lyrics that come from the heart.

Apop does it Again !
I thought that Welcome to Earth was awesome, and I was eagerly expecting the arrival of Harmonizer.

Well, I finally received the Album, and here's my thoughts, after listening to it a bunch of times.

I'm really liking this Album, there are some killer tracks on it. My favorites are Until the End of the World, SpinDizzy, Unicorn (with Claudia Bruchen from Propaganda!, one of my fave 80's bands), Rollergirl (Massive Vocoder song, with catchy chorus), Pikachu (Ambient, slow piece),Something I should Know (Depeche mode circa 1982 !)

Harmonizer is bound to produce a bunch of Hit Singles, at least in Europe. The Production & Sound is also top-notch, the best of any Apop release , so far.

There might be some Hardcore Industrial people, who might be upset over Apops change in direction, once again, but many, many more fans, including myself, are happy with this new direction.

Bottom Line: Some really strong, catchy SynthPop songs on this album, that have killer choruses & strong beats.

I predict that Harmonizer will be bigger than Welcome to Earth.

Oh dear-
"Welcome to Earth", while by no means a perfect album, showed a lot of promise for Apoptygma. Unfortunately, "Harmonizer" doesn't live up to it. Of all the songs on here, the only one I liked was "Unicorn", a pleasant synthpop track. The remainder were either totally disposable filler or unbelievably cheesey attempts at commercialized dance music like "Suffer in Silence". Even the production seems like a step back from "Welcome to Earth". Given that this band tried recently to cash in on the whole Electroclash scene with their failed Fairlight Children project, I am not holding my breath that the next Apop release will be any less commercial.

Overrated and Overpriced
This album is pretty disappointing. When you get past the first three tracks (of which "Suffer in Silence" is the only outstanding one) the rest of the album is unfortunately quite [bad]. Songs like "Pikachu" have minimal content to them (what ... were they thinking?) and the others are just boring. They're not danceable, they're not ambient enough to be thought-provoking, and they're not exciting enough to even be considered for radio play. An album most APB fans could and should go without, there is no way to justify paying list price for this piece of shiny plastic.

Harmonizer sucks
I love apoptygma but hate their new CD. It's is so electronic and so not like them and so not dark nor tempting. I give it one star for the one song on it I like. This CD is only good for techno heads who want to expand themselves. If you value Gothic, industrial, synthpop, and or 80-'s or darker do not buy this album. Sorry Apop, but I still would recomed 7 & Welcome 2 Earth with 5 stars. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Totally Rad
This is, hands down, one of the greatest pinacles of pop music achievements. The sounds you will find here is very organic, human and ugly created by seemlessly layering real instruments with synthetic sounds and voice samples. When IDM picked up after this it has seemed like a step backwords to which they would never be able to catch back up with. If you really want to make this album even better, download La Human 8 and Left Hand Shake to replace Killing Game and Inquisition (Both good songs but not in league with the rest of the stuff here).

One for the ages
This album will forever be a timeless cyberpunk classic. A unique and calculated piece of genious. MOST industrial music of the 90's had little to NO variation but our lovely 80's industrial bands that made it to the 90's had some analog, drum machine, loop, tape and synth that was just amazing. Skinny Puppy themselves played live shows with actual drums and guitars quite often. I first heard Skinny Puppy in the fall of 1992, I only remember it so clearly because I'd never heard anything remotely like it(I was a 16 year old punk rocker) and I distinctly fell in love with the album and soon all thier albums and much industrial music.

After thier first albums being more personal in nature Skinny Puppy represented alot of thier views on animal rights and over-industrialized society in their lyrics and especially... thier music. Something about Skinny Puppy's too often imatated sound could never begin to hit the mark. Industrial music was a landscape of unique interpretation that became as so many forms of music... a way to express the meloncholy dribble that swarms the bleeding hearted money market and sure enough makes us dig much deeper to find significant originality.

Skinny Puppy is passionate music in any way you can see it. This album is truely devloped in thier craft. (For music vaguely as unique to industrial and inspiring as Skinny Puppy's I would suggest Clock DVA, Phallus Dei, early era Coil, and mid era Neurosis)

make it go away, make it go away. (insert laugh-track here)
track 11, Download, has to be the greatest original song of all time. I can only think of some deconstruction remixes which compete. It is like Japanese noise artist Merzbow if Merzbow had more texture with contrasting alterations and less volume. The rest of the tracks make use of unusual changes, I wouldn't use the term improvisation because it's obviously meticulously crafted to achieve each desired effect, but each carries an erratic feeling similar to extreme improvisation.

industrial memorial
As far as I'm concerned, the finest industrial album ever created. This is in spite of some huge flaws, especially towards the end of the disc as it gets into the garbage track "Download". The first six or seven tracks stand on their own.

The beginning of this disc overshadows almost any indescretion: pure, raw, savage noise. "Knowhere" is unlikely to be surpassed -- crushing madness seething and building to an inescapable conclusion, driven by a wall of noise and some of Ogre's most inspired vocals. In that nearly perfect track, I think there's a fully perfected few seconds of industrial that just shames later acts' attempts at the genre. Following industrial pretenders should've just stayed home and knit some scarves or something.

Don't bother listening on headphones. The volume should be loud enough to break concrete.

last rights, left out in cold
ok, its now 2003, and i was not around when pups was "big", but, i can tell you this, you dont have to like a certain music to like skinny puppy. they are psychological energy, and this album proves to carry that. this isn't an album you'd expect to hear an underground hit such as "dig-it" or any other song that is a mass-loving song. now, this is a very emotonal album, with quite the array of emotional songs. killing game is a prime example, which come people dislike, but i dont see why, maybe they dont see the whole picture to this album, but it is a very moody album, and does have a movement. the only track i kinda dont dig too much, is download, but thats cause the original track, "left hand shake" couldnt be used on the album. download is just sound clips altered beyond hell, and it does affect you, its just kinda not really a song. i reccomend this release later on in your puppies collection if you are a new fan, otherwise, pick it up, it creates quite the mood...peace ... Read more

Amazon.com

An unusual album by Front 242,the band's two singers were not directly involved in its construction. It is, however, first-rate electronic music with remarkably creative programming and flawless production. It features a female singer (Christine Kowalski), another surprise for longtime Front 242 fans. Her voice is wrathful and distorted on "GenEcide" and "Modern Angel," longing and resentful on "Crushed"--a touching song about loss and isolation. Menacing drum sounds and an enigmatic chant propel the portentous "Serial Killers." Intricate percussion patterns and sweeping synthesizers make for some of Daniel Bressanutti and Patrick Codenys' most memorable programming, particularly on "Animal," and the remixes "Junkdrome" and "Skin (Fur Coat)." --Mark McCleerey ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Headphone Trippy Front
Enough about Dark Side of the Moon already, here's the 20 years later-headphone trip waiting to happen. In an explosion of creativity, 242 released this phenomenal set of 'twin' LP's in 1993. 'Up Evil' and 'Off' are outstanding productions that deserve about 9 stars total in my book. Though released in the same year, these albums each have distinct styles and complement eachother quite well. 'Off' is the band's foremost techno-industrial venture, while 'Up Evil' sticks with more of a purist industrial sound. If you're looking to buy only one, fans who liked 1991's 'Tyranny' seem to prefer 'Up Evil,' while 'Front by Front' fans will probably groove to 'Off.' I'd choose 'Off' as the preferred disc, as the Frontmen seem to be at their most ambitious here, going for a more futuristic sound. It's probably their best produced work- coming from a band that championed top-knotch production in the studio. As other reviewers have commented, the female vocalist does add a lot to the album. These albums are the icing on the delicious 242 cake.

A somewhat patchy album
Always rated better than the same year's 'Up Evil' album, I have to disagree. Though a much more ambitious and less commercial sounding album than 'Up Evil', it's journey's into sound exploration and harsh vocals are too unsettling sometimes.

On this album they seem to be getting more and more into KMFDM territory and other industrial bands, who despite their similarites, have a totally different sound to Front 242.

They just seem to be trying to be a band that they are not on this album. I like some of the sound collages. All sweet, sprinkling synths and then drowned out by huge, whailing barrages of industrial sound, but on the whole this album does not do it for me. It's neither EBM nor Front 242 electronics in the truest sense.

Top quality record
As far as the influence over the industrial scene is concerned, few bands can rival Front 242. This album shows the band still at its creative peak. It sounds somewhat different to what we came to expect from these guys, first of all, because there's almost no 242's trademark Jean-Luc de Meyer's singing. Instead, the female singer dominates most of the songs here. She sounds very convincing, with menacing distortion in certain tracks, and soothing melodism in others. There's a lot of techno influence on the record, and the pulsing of synth lines is entrancing. Overall feeling of the record is dark and disturbing, with hard driving rhythms, though the variety of the tracks is impressive. My favorite is perhaps "Happiness" where hard techno rhythm is mixed with operatic female singing. What's peculiar about this work, is that certain melodic themes and rhythmical structures are used throughout the record, mixed into the tracks structure here and there, as a sort of industrial conceptual record.

This album was the last in a series of studio greatness from Front 242 that continued on from their debut in 1982. "05:22:09:12 Off" is a must have for any industrial or EBM fan.

Speed Tribe precursor
Proving that electronic music can move into the most amazing dimensions, providing everything you get with traditional rock and so much more. This work is electrifying and adrenaline producing. Powerful arrangements of diverse sounds and energy send punishing and soothing vibes through your nervous system.

Font 242 invent and stay on the cutting edge. Check out Speed Tribe, one of their latest incarnations!

Absolutely incredible electronic experience...
This album is just beyond words. It really is that good. Everything about it, from the beats to the lyrics just kicks .... It's full of extremely rich soundscapes, captivating vocals and lush, atmospheric sounds. This album isn't what I would call dancey or clubbish, but rather futuristic or visual. Whenever I listen to it, my mind conjures up visions of futuristic cities and vehicles. It makes excellent music to read to or draw/paint if you're an artist.

Front 242 is one of my favorite bands of all time, but I don't really care for their older EBM stuff. This album, Up Evil and Tyranny For You is really all I like. I would definitely recommend this over their older stuff, as it has a very modern sound and easily competes with anything else out there right now.

I can only hope 242 releases some more excellent material in this vein. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Over a decade of Conceptial Continuity
Ah... where to begin. This is my third favorite KMFDM album(behind Symbols and Nihil). Xtort is almost like a reunion album for KMFDM, since it features various people who have been in and out of the group for the last decade. The ablum is highlighted by the tongue-in-cheek track Inane. If you are a big KMFDM fan, you are more likely to pick up on Inane's humor than a casual listener. (Hint: almost all the lyrics are the titles of past EP and LP releases). In addition to Inane, the best songs are Power, Rules, Son of a Gun, and Wrath. The only song (or suedo-song) I do not like is dogma. The song of course is aptly named Dogma because it discusses the groups' views (or lacked of views) on Western Society. However, Dogma's spoken lyrics and attempt at humor quickly gets old. The album's ending is rather weird because of the hidden track after Wrath. Overall, I give the album five star because the album continues what was a long streak (starting with Angst) of excellant albums by KMFDM.

another KMFDM classic
Amazing how KMFDM managed to crank out so many awesome albums. Most bands (AHEM, pearl jam) dry up so quickly. But not these guys! In typical KMFDM style, they give us 8 or 9 great tracks at the expense of one or 2 wastes of disc space. On this album, the real winners are Rules, Dogma, Inane, Ikons, and Wrath. Son of a Gun, Apathy, Blame, and Power are all good stuff too. Overall, the album continues the evolution of KMFDM towards a higher, louder, and more heavy metallic plane... Ikons, Wrath, and Inane are much crunchier than previous KMFDM offerings. Dogma is quite unusual; it's a spoken word criticism of post-industrialist Western culture, and one that yields a dozen quotable witticisms. "Ask not what you can do for your country; ask what your country did to you!" etc. Craze, unfortunately, makes my ears bleed. It's a shame they had to mar an otherwise great album with it. but hey, you can always just skip over it and get on to the rest of the killer songs on the album! Buy it.

simply amazing
xtort... simply an amazing recording,this is one of the best albums i have ever listened to. this is a great album to buy as a new kmfdm fan. xtort gives you everything that is kmfdm for example heavy guitar riffs and a great electronic beat. in my opinion there is not one bad song on this recording, xtort is worth every penny you spend on it and is a cd that you will listen to over and over again. pretty much great band great recording. go out and buy it trust me you'll love it

After a few listens, you'll love it.
Bought it and put in it. And i'll admit. It's different and didn't know what to really think. Had already heard a few songs a while back. Downloads and Retro (something else new KMFDM fans should ponder). Standout tracks. Of course it's obvious that the drums on Ikons are the exact same on Jihad off of WWIII. But it's safe to say both are completely different and great. A bit surpized with the fact that En Esch only did one solo. And only one song. No vocals. No backuup. Just a solo. Better than nothing. But at least he did a favorite of my on symbols. Leid und elend. Also a bit disappointed with the absece of Raymond Watts. One, who in my opinion made Nihil what it was. Huge factor, at least.

This is a huge departure from everything in the past. Much like a final album with symbols being a new beginning with more electronics and synths. Definately a must have for any person who calls themselves KMFDM fans. Definately one of their best. And harder than the rest.

Strong follow-up to the band's best record
KMFDM's previous effort, "Nihil", was the band's strongest album to date. It was a hard task to follow its steps with a similarly strong album, but KMFDM almost made it.

The record sounds typically for KMFDM, with catchy guitars providing riffs over industrial dance rhythms. Those who dismiss the band for sounding repetitive, won't change their opinion. But those who actually likes their music like that, will probably love this record, too. It's generally faster than "Nihil", and the songwriting is almost as quality (though failing to reach the highest standard in a number of songs). And the song "Dogma" is a definite highlight, being a slower track with female spoken vocals and a strong social message.

If you love KMFDM, you probably have this record already. And in any case, this album should be your 2nd KMFDM purchase after "Nihil". ... Read more

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Greatest Fits spans many years of the band's history, from their industrial dance breakthrough "Land of Milk and Honey" to a pair of previously unreleased 2001 tracks. In that sense, this 13-track compilation is a great overview that careens from one jagged sonic peak to another, including the dizzy "Jesus Built My Hot Rod" (with guest vocalist Gibby Haynes calling out his nonsensical lyrics like he's at a nuthouse square dance), rarities (a dark, charged live version of "So What," the spare efficiency of "Reload"'s 12-inch remix), and the '90s MTV fodder of "Just One Fix" and "NWO." But those tracks also underscore the fact that while Ministry may have evolved dramatically from '80s synth-poppers to a pioneering '90s industrial powerhouse, their formulaic mix of thrash guitar riffs, monstrous mechanized bass and drum grooves, and occasionally clever samples seemingly ran out of gas mid-decade. And if one doubts Ministry's troubling cliché potential, check out Steven Spielberg's A.I.; when mainstream cinema's most successful director wanted a sleazy house band for the film's WWF-meets-SRL Flesh Fair sequence, he turned to Al Jourgensen and company to essentially play themselves. Ironically, their contribution to the film, "What About Us?" (along with a new cover of Black Sabbath's "Supernaut") offers some hope; the group's ever-assaultive take on the Ministry sound is at once stripped down, better structured, and--dare we say it?--more accessible. Why, we're whistling it right now. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (21)

familiar songs repackaged and resold....
I saw this new Ministry album and had to have it. Being an avid fan of the band, though, I was struck with a scary thought when I noticed the familiarity of the tracks listed on back: Does this greatest hits album somehow signify that Ministry is on the verge of calling it quits? I'm not kept abrest in the gossip loop, and have no idea what's going on with the band, but the idea of this legendary group splitting up puts a stitch in my heart.

That being said, 'Greatest Fits' is a pretty thorough compilation of classic & more recent Ministry tracks. Most likely anyone who's into the band already owns what's on this CD, but it is worth it just to have all the strong tracks on a single disc. There is a new song (done for the upcoming movie "A.I.") called "What About Us?" which echoes 'Dark Side of the Spoon' and is pretty average. Also included is an alternative live version of "So What," a 12" version of "Reload," and "Supernaut," which I believe (but am not sure) was previously unreleased.

Overall, this is an ideal sampler to get someone started on Ministry, but anyone who's been following the band for years will see it as nothing more than an attempt by the band to milk out some extra $. As far as getting a lot of good songs from several albums on one CD, this is a solid compilation.

A good overview of Ministry's career
After disappointing albums like "Filth Pig" and "Dark Side of the Spoon", Warner Bros. decided to part ways with Ministry; but not before they could try to make a quick buck with this greatest hits release. However, "Greatest Fits" does provide a satisfying overview of Ministry's career, and offers some bonuses as well. Beginning with "What About Us", a song written for Steven Speilberg's wanna be blockbuster film A.I., and going forward with Ministry classics like "Stigmata", "Land of Rape and Honey", a ten minute live version of "So What", "N.W.O.", "Just One Fix", "Jesus Built My Hot Rod", a 12' remix of "Reload", and a cover of Black Sabbath's "Supernaut". And while this is an all around great collection of Ministry tunes, one can't help but wonder why fan favorite tracks like "Psalm 69" and "Burning Inside" aren't here. I would rather listen to those any day as opposed to "Bad Blood". All in all, "Greatest Fits" is a good overview of Ministry's career, and is a nice introduction for newer fans of the band.

The ideal "hits" compilation
Before Ministry were dropped by their Warner label, they decided to release a "best of album", dubbed "Greatest Fits", respectively. This is probably the best place for new listeners to start, and always a delight for long-time Ministry lovers. This 13 track, 70+ minute treat is a near flawless display of Al and Paul and the incredible music they've made over the years. It basically spans the last 13 years and 5 albums made in that time, with such classics like "Stigmata", "Just One Fix", "Thieves" and the only real "hit" single, "Jesus Built My Hotrod" are of course always highlights. This album literally is their best songs, but with a few exceptions. Now, don't get me wrong, their cover of Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" is great, but I think they could have picked some better song off "Filth Pig", like the title track or "Dead Guy". Same thing with the tracks off "Dark Side Of The Spoon". They should have included "Kaif" or something. All complaints aside, this album is perfect and essential to any Ministry fan, especially for the "rare" tracks like "What About Us?" (From the movie "A.I.") the 12" remix of "Reload", the awesome 10-minute epic of "So What" (live) and let's not forget the awesome cover of the Black Sabbath classic "Supernaut". If you don't own this cd, get it NOW I promise you'll love it.

Most of the "Fits".
All in all, a fine collection that's only short a couple tracks. The bigger "hits" are here, like "Stigmata", "Thieves", and "Jesus Built my Hotrod", as well as the new "What About Us?", the "Reload 12", and an awesome live "So What". I think the Bob Dylan cover of "Lay Lady Lay" is a nice touch too. If I could throw a few more on, I would take "You Know What You Are", "Burning Inside", or "Dead Guy". But again, other than being only 13 tracks, it's a great industrial/metal collection from "Ministry". It will go nicely with your "NIN" and "Skinny Puppy" cd's.

Great Introduction To Ministry.
This is a pretty good introduction to Ministry for the beginner. And yes, there are some items thrown onto the collection so that the diehard fans will buy it. First of those is "What About Us?", from the movie "A.I.". Awesome song, and worth the price of the disc on its own. The second non-album track is the ten-minute live version of "So What" from an Australian show in 1994. This version just rawks. The third "raritiy" is a 12" version of "Reload". I already had this on a single, and I think if they really wanted to add a great song from the album "Filth Pig", they should've used either the title track or "Dead Guy". The final "goody" on this disc is also the final song. It's a cover of Black Sabbath's "Supernaut". I'd assumed that this was the same version they did as 1000 Homo DJ's, BUT IT IS NOT. This is a different version from the WaxTrax! "Supernaut" ep.

... ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Not there Greatest, But Still Really Good
Supposidly, the "last" KMFDM album (Attak and WWIII to follow in the new millenium). Although not the greatest album they've produced, Adios centers more on electronic based music, with a mix of guitars and horns/percussion. Really hard, and dark in most places, Adios certainly deserves a spot in anybodies KMFDM collection.

1. Adios - Although the album should have opened with D.I.Y., Adios is still a really good song. 8/10
2. Sycophant - Great drums, and a good follow up from the previous track. 8/10
3. D.I.Y. - Also known as Destroy It Yourself, KMFDM's ground-breaking song on the album. Great loud horns and vocals. 10/10
4. Today - A really good track with Skold on vocals. Has sort of a sad, dark techno feel. Great tune. 8/10
5. Witness - This song is the worst on this entire album, only because Nina H. did vocals. Maybe SK felt sorry for her? Who knows... 3/10
6. R U OK? - Real hard and gritty, but still a great tune nonetheless. Great synths. - 8/10
7. That's All - A memorable KMFDM track, great vocals, great synths. Probably the second best tune on the album. 9/10
8. Full Worm Garden - Dark song with OhGr on vocals. Pretty good, but nothing special. 7/10
9. Rubicon - Pretty cool synths, but nothing much else outside of that. 7/10
10. Bereit - For a last album, the last song isn't that great of an ending. Cool synths, vocals are in german, which is pretty cool. Nothing special. 6/10

Overall, a pretty good production from KMFDM, although lacking in a lot of areas, a great disc for your CD player.

Not What Sascha Claimed, But Still Nifty
Well, Sascha pulled through for us again. While I've been an addict to Tim Skold & his vocals on "Anarchy," he & Sascha together isn't the combination I dreamed of, and I fear for the future of (the new band) MDFMK.

The Plus Side: Programming is better than ever; Skold's vocals leave nothing to be desired; Nina Hagen's presence was far beyond impressive; Ogre pays a visit; some nice ditties, including "Adios," "Witness," and "DIY."

The Negative Side: Where's Guenther when you need him? I miss the hard guitars of "Nihil;" Bill Rieflin needs to be playing some live drums somewhere; lyrically, this album lacks a lot, though it's still better than "XTORT;" very little of En Esch is to be seen, and his influence/writing on the "Symbols" album was great; Raymond Watts would've been a nice guest; overall, I think KMFDM does a better job when they have more writers than just Sascha & Skold.

The album is still worth buying - it's great, in fact - but it's not a very good end to such an illustrious career...I think Chris Connelly should've been called to the rescue.

The best KMFDM album
I see that alot of people don't like this album very much and i can't understand why. I think that this is their best. I think the electronics especially stand out more on this album than any other, and this album is one of the most diverse as well. You get everything from the frentic beginings of the song 'adios', to the AWESOME 'full worm garden' (i think this is the best KMFDM song as well as the best song i've ever heard ogre sing) - to the cool electronica of 'witness'. There are also a few "classic" sounding KMFDM songs like 'd.i.y.' and 'bereit.'
This cd is not as metal sounding as most of their others, but it is definately worth a listen if you want something a little more different.
I would rate this CD right up there with NIHIL and ANGST as my favorites (though it sounds very different to those two).

Mostly boring techno.
Adios has a few decent tracks, but overall it's a weak album, at least when its compared to Kmfdm's other previous works. I'll get right to the point. "Adios" the first song, is probably my favorite. Catchy beginning that hooks you right in. The lyrics have kind of a dark, violent feeling to them that fit the cover art of a man being run over by a car with a gun in his hand. The whole setting kind of reminds me of HBO's "spawn." (if you've seen it, you know what I mean.) "Sychophant is also pretty good. This song is extra techno just to let you know. "D.I.Y" is also a classic. It features the vocalist from Pig, which is always a plus. "Today" and "Witness" are average songs. Nothing special, as is "Full worm garden." But let me say this, the remaining songs on Adios that I haven't mentioned are just god awful in my opinion. You might like them if you are a fan of Orgy's poorest material, and that definitely means very bad to me, because I think Orgy is bland to begin with and way to "pop."

Adios isn't a total failure. It has its good points. That's why I gave it two stars instead of one. If you are a fan of pure techno, than you might actually like this album. But if you are hoping for classic Kmfdm industrial, I would avoid this one, or at least buy a used copy. The only reason I own it is because its Kmfdm and I need the entire collection. But be warned, this is far from a masterpiece

Adios?
Adios, supposedly KMFDM's last album until they re-formed and released Attak, is hardly the bands strongest effort or best album as far as song structure goes, but it certainly stands on its own and is a great release, however distant from their old sound it may be. For one, there is hardly a live instrument to be heard on the album with the exception of a very few distorted guitar parts. The rest is made up of electronic beats, synthesizers and samples. While industrial music is supposed to be machine driven more than anything, I think KMFDM did their best when they let the guitars do a fair share of the talking. For evidence of just how creative of guitarists the crazy Germans are look on the albums Symbols and Angst, where riff-driven industrial rock prevails more than electronic techno pop. However, KMFDM don't necessarily do the electronic thing badly, as they come up with some wonderful synth lines that a lot of programmers are sure to envy. The techno influence is very obvious and its good to see that KMFDM really had a go at it during their career. I say that simply because KMFDM has brought in the influence of so many musical genres that trying pure, programmed techno rock seemed bound to happen eventually.

Thankfully, there are no bad songs on here as some might argue are scattered here and there across other KMFDM albums. The only ones which are slightly below the rest are "Witness", which is cool experimentally but suffers due to the inclusion of Nina Hagen's vocals. "Full Worm Garden" is also not as good as the other tracks but Ogre's low, distorted vocals certainly make it listenable. One of the best points of listening to Adios is that Tim Skold did the vocals for a good portion of the album; a fact which may irritate some fans but pleases me to no extent after hearing Skold's awesome voice on "Anarchy" on the Symbols record. The female vocals prevelant throughout the disc give the feel of the music a very house or trance-like vibe. As I said before, it's pretty obvious that the band members were listening to a lot of house, big beat, and trance at the time this was being written.

This may not be their best album, but it certainly is worth picking up. It does not lack creativity, is full of hooks and wonderful synths and sound effects and is an important step in the bands career. Start out with Angst or Symbols or maybe Nihil and then grab this. Standouts: "Adios", "Sycophant", "Today", "Bereit" (reminds me of "Lust"), and "R.U. Ok?" ... Read more