Reviews (16)

Teasingly good
Wow.Boundery pushing EBM/electro/industrial.Good music.Unfortunately this is only a single for 7rain, but the versions on Still and Raw are both better than the Pulse version.For a single, this is a good solid listen, I only wish Pulse had the same feel that Still and Raw does all the way through.

First new material in ages
This is a quality EP showing a slight change in direction for Front 242. It's almost melodic at times with piano and keyboard motifs, but don't let that make you think that Front 242 have become passified by time, their music may have lost it's noise, but it's still edgy and scary.

Jean-Luc DeMeyer's vocals are more expressed and melodic than ever before, it's like he is actually singing now, much more than before where he sung with venom and anger to express the bands points of view.

'7Rain' is an excellent song with a low, rolling bassline allied to a tight electro beat. DeMeyer sings smoothly throughout it and the piano keys that wash over it are some of the most beautiful effects that 242 have ever done before.

'Still and Raw' is a top-notch return.

I want to cry
Front 242 has been my favourite band since 1990.Meeting JL DeMeyer and hearing "Soul Manager" =literally= saved my life from forces that were destroying me.The albums after Tyranny For You had their moments but the slow slant to disintensity was underway.Now, I have heard this EP and its associated album and cannot bring myself to buy them! The titles are SO stupid.The lyrics - what lyrics?! No fascination, no oddity, no juxtapositions undone-before by others.Now I can say for certain: bands should just stay broken up when they lose the inspiration.I don't know what's up these days with Cobalt 60, Jean-Luc DeMeyer's solo project, but I'll follow that if it continues, but not this.This has nothing in common with the Front 242 I literally fell in love with a decade ago.I get the horrid sense they're trying to attract the new "electronica" kids.Trying to attract a certain sector of listening population, though, is the QUINTESSENTIAL DEFINITION OF SELLING OUT - and of all the bands for this to happen to, why, why Front 242? I really am crying now, real tears. I am not joking. It's not even an RIAA album and I can't bring myself to buy it. Given 3 stars out of sheer faith and because if it weren't for the song "Soul Manager" off an earlier album I might not be here to type these words right now.Maybe I'll swallow my disappointment, buy it and hope it grows on me, in fact I'm sure I will at some point because you know how it is with your number one fave even when they fade away...but I know what I like - power! - and this is only an imitation of power. Pseudo-quasi-faux power.And once again WHAT is with these stupid least common denominator titles like "Still & Raw" and "Pulse"? Sounds pre-fit for radio airplay.They have more imagination than that, did someone give the band Thorazine or something? Okay, I've whinged enough now.(eyeroll to heaven and back)

Nice To Have Them Back
Front 242 have been gone for a while and it's nice to have them back on the music scene.The album is very reminiscent of their experimental days like "Off" yet this one doesn't sound like one long track.There are a few standout (read dance-able) tracks but mostly experimental sounds that are pleasing to the ear.If you've heard and liked their "Still & Raw" EP you'll not be disappointed with this album.

I would have given this 5 stars but I just don't think that this work stands out as much as "Up Evil" and "Tyranny For You".

Still raw after all these years
There's a certain stigma carried by bands in any given genre that are the definition by which all other similar bands are compared.While this may not be fair, it's nothing more or less than the nature of the human mind to make these comparisons.The band is held almost constantly to its own definition, and many of us refuse to accept any foray that is not perceived consistent with that definition.

In 1981, Front 242 created, in essence, what we would all come to know as Electronic Body Music.In a sense, we have never forgiven them for that.Too many people haven't let go of the Front 242 of the 80's and 90's.Was it classic?Yes, all of it.But if you can't, as an artist, redefine your own game, then you're no better than VNV Nation.How many more remixes of "Headhunter" is it gonna take, people?

I had to get that out of my system.

So, for the first time in no less than a decade, we've been given a new offering in EP form by the ones we herald so highly.Four entirely new songs, and two additional remixes.But unless you've got the ear for these things (and if you take out DeMeyer's vocals), you'd swear it wasn't 242.For the most part, there's no discernable song structure here, and certainly nothing that really makes you want to get up and shake your groove thang.Train your ears a little bit and look through those facts, now.Can you hear it?Right there, right in front of your ears, is the raw absolute of Front 242's equation: sound design.Okay, sound design and Jean-Luc.If you go back though any and all of the 242 back-catalogue, you'll find the very same elements.It's all there; you just have to listen between the lines.

At least a few people didn't like this EP.They can't be faulted for that, but I personally find this disc fascinating.You can listen to it all day (as I have), and find new elements in the music that weren't there last time.From the reflection of "7Rain" and the brooding of "Loud", to the stuttered, cut-up vocal track on "Strobe", I think this is an EP that I'll be able to listen to, with continued interest, for a prolonged period of time.My favourite track off here is the remix "7Rain (GHost)."The atmosphere is mellow and spectacular, and I particularly liked the added lyric stanzas at the end.

I could have asked for something more, but I'm pleased with what was produced.I do wish the vocals were a little more prevalent, because J.L. DeMeyer still ownz in the vocal department.Supposedly the forthcoming full-length, Pulse, is going to be quite different from Still & Raw.Sadly, it'll have the same butt-ugly artwork.I can only hope that those who weren't satisfied with this one will be sated by the next.I'm sure I myself will enjoy it regardless. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

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

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

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

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

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

Bom bom bom duh duh dee a
This is a great CD but again you'll have to be patient with this CD . It's sounds more like Depeche Mode than what they would later do . But the songs do win you over in time except for GVDT which is immediate . You can't help but groove along to it and it's naive robotic charms . Recommended

Tragicly underrated for you...
While I know that I am in the minority here, I must say that Geography (with exception of Backcatologue) contains my favorite 242 material. This is a very sharp record. With 242's earliest work, they managed to predict what we all now know as IDM. While Geography may pale a bit when listened back to back with Richard Devine, the sounds 242 use are unmistakably similar to those employed todays most cutting edge electronic artists. The structures are interesting, and many of the beats are dislocated. A very nice ballance between vocal and instrumental tracks is found here. The songs are atmospheric and timeless. The lyrics are brilliantly existential and the sparse vocals mesh perfectly with the inorganic music. I highly recomend this cd to any Autechre fan, or anyone with an intrest in bleakness and sterility.

the first of 242 masterpieces
In my humble opinion, there're were 5 great electronic bands in the first years of the 80's: Kraftwerk, The Klinik, Skinny Puppy,DAF and Front 242. Kraftwerk released a wondeful LP 'Computer World', but was on their way down. DAF released some of the best EBM works ever. The Klinik was releasing very minimalistic electronic material, quite interesting but this band would later eclipse after their break-up. Skinny puppy put the ground for the darker electronic music ever known. And Front 242 was beginning to create the style later known as Electronic body Music; 'Geography' is their first LP and as almost every debut has its virtues and defficiencies; This cd contains some of the best electronic songs of that age ('U-Men', 'Operating Tracks', even the naive 'GVDT') which reminds me of what Die Krupps was also making at the time; But it contains too many instrumental songs, some of which are quite monotonous and add nothing. But 'Geography' was a touchstone, which would later develop in the typical 242 style with 'No Comment'; 'Geography' still can remind of Depeche Mode and synth-pop, but it was already clear that this band was trying to do something different, not as dark as Skinny Puppy, (and in fact they never defined themselves as dark but danceable) but obviously not Erasure or Ultravox. 'Geography' may be the worst 242 album but being the first it always occupies a space among my favourite cds.

Classic inudtrial music!
Geography is a rare gem indeed. Front 242 has managed here to bring out the best in body/industrial music. The lyrics have a double meaning that at first glance is hard to pick up on but becomes very apparent as one listens more and more to this masterwork. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Alternative Press selected tracks for this compilation from gifted artists whose work, though enormously influential, has existed perennially outside the mainstream. However, established fans of industrial music will be tempted by the previously unreleased tracks by Revolting Cocks and Nine Inch Nails. The CD begins with lacerating sound sculptures by Throbbing Gristle and Non, plus a bit of Cabaret Voltaire's early electropunk. Einsturzende Neubauten and Test Department follow with brilliant sonic onslaughts created through the use of metal percussion and sound bites. Front 242's "Funkahdafi" and Skinny Puppy's "Dig It" are early explorations into the intriguing possibilities of harsh yet sophisticated computerized music. Meat Beat Manifesto and My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult provide examples of industrial music's uncompromising mangling of electronic dance music. KMFDM's "Godlike" and Ministry's landmark "Stigmata" are paradigms of industrial artists' use of heavy guitar in conjunction with synthetic sound effects. For listeners interested in the origins of industrial rock, this CD is a must-have. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Outstanding compilation
This is a great, great compilation of industrial music and the perfect place to start if you are interested in the genre. I salute Alternative Press and Rhino. This album shows the progression of industrial and includes many of the great artists that have contributed to the genre throughout the years, as well as an informative essay on the genres evolution by Jason Pettigrew of Alternative Press.

Every song is great on here. Throbbing Gristle's "Hamburger Lady" is truly disturbing; you won't be the same after hearing it. "Nag Nag Nag" from Cabaret Voltaire shows how ahead of their time the band truly was. Non, the mighty Coil, and Test Dept. contributions are superb. The monumental Einsturzende Neubauten contributes a great song as well, "Yu Gung (Futter Mein Ego)".

The best song might be "Anything (Viva!)" from Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel, one of JG Thirwell's many Foetus variants. Interesting lyrics and amazing music. Of course "Dig It" by the wildly influential Skinny Puppy is great. Front 242, Clock DVA, and Meat Beat Manifesto's contributions are more techno-sounding, but just as good as the others. The legendary Ministry contribute "Stigmata." KMFDM show the uniting of brutal guitars with industrial music on "Godlike - Doglike." My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult's satanic sonics and the Revolting Cocks dirty industrial round out the set, which ends with an incendiary live performance of "Gave Up" by nine inch nails.

In short, ISMM is a great compilation that I think everyone should go pick up.

New sounds for me
I've not had much exposure to industrial music, so I bought this CD hoping to get an overview of the genre. I've certainly never heard anything like "Hamburger Lady". It still sends chills down my spine. Overall, I was enthralled by the sounds here. This is a challenging listen (I mean that in a good way.) ... Read more

Album Description

This best of CD includes performances from everyone. Trent Reznor, Genesis P Orridge, Flea and Jello Biafra. Disc 2 contains 80% unreleased material including performances from Dean Ween and Black Francis (Pixies). The sub-title is 'Preaching To The Perverted'. Gatefold digi-pack. 2001 release. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Best of Pigface
Great Pigface compilation put together by Mark Atkins (no relation to Atkins diet). 2 cd set, 35 songs, untold amount of listening pleasure. Put out in 2001 - I highly recommend. Nothing new on here, but it's all excellant Pigface selections.

Pigface: A Side Project to End all Side Projects.
Pigface has put out so many releases in the past ten years that it has been hard to keep up. For me, only Fook was consistently good, but the other albums had some really brilliant tracks. I applaud Martin Atkins effort to combine all this brilliance on one CD, Ok, 2 CD's. The first CD is a proper "hits" package with the strongest tracks culled together from Pigface's 11 releases. The second CD contains remixes, radio spots, and unreleased material. All in all, this is an excellent introduction to Pigface's impressive oeuvre. Who can deny that a collaborative project featuring members from groups as diverse as Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy, KMFDM, Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Dead Kennedys, Throbbing Gristle/Psychic TV, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Shonen Knife, Pixies, Big Black, Jesus Lizard/Scratch Acid, PiL, and more would result in some of the strangest, most provocative msuic that no one has ever heard? If your musical tastes border on the unusual, the experimental and the downright weird, you NEED this one. Fans of Butthole Surfers and/or any of the abovementioned artists (and their myriad of side projects) would revel in the sound contained within these two CD's. Check it out.

Didn't live up to my expectations
With Ogre (Ohgr), Trent Reznor, and Al Jorgenson being among the special guests on several of the songs, this CD did not live up to my expectations. I like experimental music, but I think you'd be better off getting some Coil, Current 93, Naked City, Lard, or Einsturzende Neubauten. IMHO. Maybe I'll like it better when I listen to it more, but I've had this CD for three months, and haven't wanted to put it in again.

from a new pigface fan
I've only become familiar with Pigface recently. I was compelled to buy A New High in Low after hearing Martin Atkins' work with Damage Manual. The first disc contains the album versions of the songs. The second disc is a remix disc. Both are excellent.Pigface is for those looking for something different. Don't bother if you want more of the same old stuff. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A masterpiece of electro-industrial style from the masters
Front 242 packs in the sound of their previous works and updates it for the 90s. It's all here : heavy beats, live drums, screeching guitars, melodic noise, ambient noise, and lyrics that reflect the darker side of humanity. This is a seminal work from one of the groups that defined electronic music in it's popular infancy. If you buy only one Front 242 album, make it this one.

revolution? evolution? a masterpiece, anyway
I know some purist fans hated this album, but I think that after 'Tyranny For U' 242 needed a change in their sound and this is what they did, and did it brilliantly. In my opinion, it is the first 242 work in which there's no mediocre song; some are real master songs, some are simply good, but definetely no filler here. The album begins with 'Crapage', a very "baroque" song full of layers over layers of sound and noise, with De Meyer's voice better than ever; After a fully electronic passage comes 'Waste', a more 242 song wonderfully crafted, agressive but melodic, 'Skin' is more palatable and danceable, while 'Motion' presents a more typical 242 melody very catchy and less dense than previous songs. Then comes 'Religion', the less 242 song, with distorted guitars and more agressive than usual, can remind us of NIN (or should I say the other way round, since this work is earlier than NIN's masterpiece 'The Downward Spiral'?) 'Stratoscape' is one of the smoothest tracks here, with De Meyer whispering and widening his spectre of voice. He is defintely with Reznor the best voice in the industrial scene. 'Hymn' and 'Fuel' are quite interesting songs, with distorted guitars perfectly fused with a very dense electronic ambience and more 'rock' style. 'Melt' is even more rock, it's a very good song though, anticipating maybe what Nitzer Ebb would later do in their disappointing 'Big Hit'. After a longer passage which some have compared to Eno's remixes of Depeche mode's 'I Feel You', comes 'Flag', one of my favourites even though at first listenings may be overshadowed by more potential hits like 'Crapage', 'Religion' or 'Motion'; some female vocals add interest on this track; the masterpiece ends with 'Mutilate', a ballad!!! which represents a new 242 style but really really cool!!! De Meyer's voice sound full of melancholy here, and then one of the best works iMHO not only inside the industrial scene ends; the extra tracks are an instrumental version of Crapage and another remix of 'Religion'. 3 reasons make me think this is the best 242 album even if it's not the most representative indeed, and a masterpiece: 1: the range of sounds are broader here, using all the elements at their hands (guitars, distortion, samples, hard electronics, EBM beats, rock influence...) 2: every song here is good. 3: De Meyer's voice is perfectly fused with the music, and he can sound agressive, sensual, can scream and whisper, add lots of interesting nuances to the music. I think 'Up Evil' should have deserved a lot more interest on the part of outside the industrial scene, as it foreshadows in a way what NIN would later do in 'The Downward Spiral' 2 years after. Now it's almost sure that there will be a new studio album by this band at the end of this year 2001. I don't know what surprises are in store for us, but i hope they will be able to restart a wonderful career; I know they will add more techno elements but I hope they won't fall into Prodigy-like style; ah, just an advise: if you love 242, you should get C-Tec's 'Darker' and 'Cut' (don't be afraid of Cubanate's Heal pressence here, C-Tec is very interestingb and contains De Meyer's best performance ever) or Cobalt 60.

Great industrial/EBM
This album has a very unique sound. It's a lush blend of F242 electronics, with some serious beats, and several guitars thrown in. The memorable wah-wah in Religion and Melt dominate the album, but the rest is a dark and brooding scape Belgian industrial nightmare. Unfortunately there are some aspects of this album that are a little too rock-conventional, and the synth bass doesn't measure up to some stuff on the companion disk 05:22:09:21 OFF or their previous TRAGEDY >FOR YOU<.

What a Difference a Producer Makes
This is far and away my favourite studio album from FRONT242. It is the only album where the songs sound better from the studio than the stage. It is more overtly experimental than most of their albums but it all works so incredibly well together. It is an album that must be listened to from start to finish to be fully appreciated. Conversely, I find it's companion piece, 5:23:11:13 OFF, to be largely forgettable. If you are just getting into Electro-Industrial/EBM, this album is a must-have for your collection.

Last gasp from Belgian industrial...
It's been a full 10 years since Front 242 dished out 06:21:03:11 UP EVIL and 05:20:09:12 OFF, believe it or not. In case you forgot or never learned, Front 242 was a Wax Trax favorite among industrial music in the late eighties/early nineties, among such acts as Nine Inch Nails, Frontline Assembly, Skinny Puppy, et al. 06:21:03:11 UP EVIL should definitely be part of your collection; it is perhaps their hardest and coldest release (save Official Version). Much more lush than earlier releases.

In case you were wondering what the cryptic numbers are in the title, it's not hard...each number corresponds to a letter in the alphabet. 01=A, 02=B, etc. You figure it out. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This is THE industrial CD.
If you love industrial, you must own this CD. In my opinion, "High Tech Low Life" itself is worth buying the entire CD. It is one of the best songs I have EVER heard.

A greatest hits album by the master of the Industrial
Die Krupps, the name inspires industrial fans everywhere. Driving hardcore beats, heavy distorted guitar, and strong germanic vocals, this band has been filling houses of Industrial fans everywhere since their inseption. Starting with the theme song of angry young men 'Metal Machine Music' This album delivers non stop brain crushing reduce the world to ashes and stomp gleefully on the remains heavy metal thunder. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

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

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

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

It is pretty unusual.

Great dark-wave stuff!
This German band manage to combine darkness, beauty, and depth with intricate and innovative song structures. The perfect blend of orchestral/synthetic music with foreboding introspective lyrics.A must have for any dark-wave fan!

Diary of dreams
Diary of dreams is god of mixing(in my opinion asfar as i know). His voice is perfect for the music.The musics a mix of a lot of goth and industrial techno and dance...I also reccomend Gridlock for his mixing and voice.

Dark and Beautyful
This is definately one of my favorite albums.
Take the darkwave feeling from the music of 'The Sisters of Mercy' and mix it with the beautyful keybord based soundscapes of 'Depeche Mode' then add the brilliant lyrics and vocal work of Adrian Hates, and you'll have a masterpeice-album like 'One of 18 Angels'. Around 70 minuttes accompanied with catching melodies and mind-challenging dark poetry is what you get when you feed this one into the CD-player. ... Read more

Album Description

CD single features 3 versions of their cover of 'TheseBoots Were Made For Walking' & 'Back In The U.S.S.A.'. None of these tracks will be on upcoming album 'Attack'.Metropolis Records. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A great surprise from KMFDM
To be honest, when I first listened to BOOTS, I started laughing. It was only because it seemed random that KMFDM would do a cover of Nancy Sinatra and their new version is just so different. I can no longer picture a little girl in a skirt prancing around in boots. Definitely a single worth checking out. The first track is the cover by KMFDM, the second track is a remix by KMFDM, the third track is a remix by some other guy (Don't remember and honestly don't care), and fourth track is a new song by KMFDM. The first two tracks are great new versions of "These Boots Are Mad For Walkin'," but the second remix was too redundant and boring. Finally, the new song "Back In The USSA" I was hoping it'd be a somewhat cover of The Beatles "Back In The USSR" but this is an original song by KMFDM, which is quite good. Expectations for the new album are looking good and I think after MDFMK, Sascha and Tim make a good team and the rest of the collaborators on KMFDM are doing great too.

P.S. Isn't it funny how some people hate musicians, yet they know their whole life story and can't stop talking about them? (Review: artsy from la)

A fun little single.
I always love it when KMFDM does a cover of another artist. The results are usually so unique yet work well with the lyrics, just listen to their cover of Madonna's "Material Girl". This album is no exception.

1. Boots (original mix) - Pretty good, the looney-tunes sound effects in the middle are distracting though, B-

2. Boots (bomb remix) - Definetly the better mix. It really help to have a female for lead vocals on this song, A-

3. Boots (candy remix) - Waaaay too long and slow. Maybe for a lazy cruise around town it would work, C-

4. Back in the USSA - A lot of people thought this would be an adaption of the Beatles "Back in the USSR". Unfortunately, it's not. Instead it's a "We're baaaack!" from the band. Not very deep or political like their early stuff. But I get the feeling they had fun doing this one, B

Overall, B

What the hell?
This remake sucks. All of them do. And so does the new song. But the issue that really pissed me off, was the EVERY REVIEWER FAILED TO MENTION MEGADETH(my personal favorite band) COVERED THE SAME SONG!!!!!!!!!! All you nu-metal kids dont even know who megadeth is. The megadeth version is better. KMFDM=boo

Interesting cover
Gotta love KMFDM's twisted sense of humor. What other industrial band would think of covering the Nancy Sinatra classic "These Boots Are Made For Walking"? At the time, I got this single because it wasn't going to be included with the band's album "ATTAK". Being the diehard KMFDM fan that I am, I just had to get it. I wasn't so hot for the original song "Back in the USSA". The song really didn't do much for me. It wasn't bad, all I'm saying that the song wasn't one of the band's best songs that they have ever done. As for their version of the Nancy Sinatra song, I absolutely loved. They managed to turn a polished pop song into a killer industrial song. The original mix KMFDM did was aggressive yet catchy. The remixes were excellent. Dorona Alberti's vocals were excellent as usual. For new fans of KMFDM, Dorona Alberti sang on KMFDM's earlier albums (most notably "Nihil" and "Money"). I never thought about it but Dorona's vocals reminded me of the band's current vocalist Lucia Cifarelli. I loved both remixes however I think the candy remix is slightly better partly due to Raymond Watts' vocals. Gotta love that man's ferocious growl. Overall great single.

Boots
"Boots" is actually done rather well by Kmfdm. I just have a problem with the original song to begin with. Its annoying. And "Back to the USSA" is a cover to I think. Its nothing great. If you are a hardcore Kmfdm fan, then buy it like I did, just for the purpose of adding it to the collection. But really, its not that great of a single. ... Read more

Album Description

Japanese edition of their 1997 album with three bonustracks: 'Megalomaniac' (Excessive Force Remix), 'Anarchy'(Scold Remix) and 'Megalomaniac' (DJ Tara Remix). 13 trackstotal, also featuring the single 'Megalomaniac'. An AvexGroup release. ... Read more

Album Description

Sister Machine Gun was started in 1990 by Chris Randall. He made one record for Wax Trax!, three for Wax Trax!/TVT, and one for himself. They're all pretty good, if you like that sort of thing. All of his records would certainly go under the heading of "critically acclaimed", but other than that, it's hard to pin a style on the music, which sounds like a strange cross between The The, Nine Inch Nails, and the Rockit-era Herbie Hancock. We prefer to call it "neo-industrial-dada-funk", but you're free to call it whatever you like.Sister Machine Gun's fifth album, [R]evolution, is independent recording at it's finest - everything a band can be when it has full control over it's own destiny. Recorded over most of 1998, the record was released to the SMG fan club in April of 1999, and to the general public in May of 1999. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The GrooveMan Cometh
And his name is Chris Randall. Yes, the man at the mast of Sister Machine Gun is at it again with [R]evolution, SMG's first release on Positron! Records, and I must say, he's got da funk!

An album unsullied by corporate intent, [R]evolution is a definite step forward for Chris and SMG. Displaying elements of everything from Jazz, to Blues, to Funk, to Electronica, to Industrial, and even good old fashioned Rock 'n' Roll, this album has something for everyone, all cohering nicely with a touch of Randall's trademark keyboard prowess.

Newcomers and old SMG fans alike will not be disappointed...so do yourself a favor: pick up a copy of [R]evolution, and see just _why_ they call it "Music for Sex and Dancing"!

Diverse music hits the spot
Chris Randell began to explore new and exciting sounds with the album BURN which was the first he produced on his own. With the next release he created a modern masterwork of pure rock and industrial dance grooves.

He has gone further into that groove on (R)Evolution. There are the standard rock heavy tunes like SMASH YOUR RADIO and CARBON COPY, but soon there after his interest in blues, jazz and even a little funk creep in and really begin to influence the music, and for the better I might add.

If you want music that stays in one very particular corner, never venturering to break its reigns then go elsewhere. But if you brave, soulful industrial rock, then SISTER MACHINE GUN is your ticket to ride.

SMG's weakest effort.
This is an interesting effort and the first to be released on Chris Randall's own Positron Records label, and the independence definitely shows. This album isn't quite as listener-friendly as previous albums.

The albums starts out with solid tracks like Carbon Copy, Got To Be, and Smash Your Radio, but Transient One and Two interrupt the feel of the record and then Closer To Me and Wrong only depart further. The sound comes back around with Vibrator and then loses ground again as the album winds down.

Overall, it's not terrible but it simply doesn't have the consistency, flow, and continuity of albums like Sins of The Flesh or Burn.

Loses steam part way through....
Starts out exceptionally strong and slowly loses steam. After half the album you want to skip the rest. Certainly not as good as their previous CD Burn. Only worth the effort for the first 4 songs. "Carbon Copy Man" is a strong radio friendly hit and that is the only thing that will save this album from sale bins everywhere.

Decent but not their best
A good collection of music from SMG. Mostly groovy stuff, but a bit tame for dancing. Sort of easy listening for techno fans. Metropolis and Burn are better, IMHO. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Not so shocking, now
I'm not the most qualified person to review an Alice Cooper tribute album.Growing up as a Jehovah's Witness kid kinda precluded my shock rock listening habits, so I got a rather late start.I am, however, familiar with Alice's crazy stage antics.He influenced all sorts of performers, from the disgusting G. G. Allin and the animal activism shows of Nivek Ogre to the better-known prince(ss?) of shock rock, Marilyn Manson.

I'm also familiar with Alice's album _Welcome to My Nightmare_, and with the comic series written by Neil Gaiman.And, to top it off, I have more than a passing familiarity with many of the bands on _Mutations_, having been an industrial DJ for over ten years.

Sweet 'n' sour credentials aside, this album is spotty.The music varies from techno to industrial to rock 'n' roll, and the compilation bears an unsettling resemblance to the dime-a-dozen tribute albums put out by Cleopatra Records.The Invisible Records sound is mostly missing, here.The only real difference between this and a Cleopatra album is the fact Electric Hellfire Club doesn't have a song on this album.

Some of the tracks on _Mutations_ are very strong (Bile's "Clones", Godhead's "Hey Stoopid"), but predictably enough, others are just plain annoying (Parallax 1's "Halo of Flies", Lorin Richard's "I'm Eighteen").

Some of the songs disappoint me.I was very fond of the original version of "Cold Ethyl", an anthem to necrophilia, but Written in Ashes' version lacks oomph, becoming just another goth rock track.Chris Connelly does a decent rendition of "Hard Heated Alice," but his tremelo seems a bit out of control and makes me feel dizzy.

On the other hand, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult get back to their Satanists-just-wanna-have-fun roots with "Hallowed Be My Name."It's the best song I've heard by them in years.Acclimate's rendition of "Is It My Body" is suitably creepy, with its slippery-slidey-sounding vocal treatments.Slick Idiot's version of "Under My Wheels" sounds, predictably enough, like another KMFDM industrial rock anthem, but one that will make you shake your booty on the dance floor.

I don't think I could recommend the album as a whole, but the stand-out tracks are certainly worth checking out. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Left-field Magnum Opus - Mad Life On The Road w/ TKK!!!
This CD marks the moment when Thrill Kill Kult outgrew the more stoic portion of their fanbase. After the satirical, sample-slam, Goth/Industrial devilry of their first 3 albums, and then the satirical, sampladelic, creepy-cheesey celebration of SEX and Disco on "Sexplosion!", AND then the perfect consolidation of both on "13 Above The Night", TKK opted for something new. And old, per se.

This record is a satirical (surprise!), sampladelic, b!tches brew of clashing sub-genres that obliterated expectations in 1995. Greasy biker-trash imagery reverberates hard across a musical landscape of demented, 60's surf-rock cliches, spaghetti western motifs, strip club glitz, the REAL soundtrack to "Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas". Being on tour in a bus of madness for years, really coaxed the definitive Road Epic out of Thrill Kill Kult. A fantasy of desperate decadence.

Because this started out as a vehicle for the chicks in the band (Bomb Gang Girls), CinderellaPussy, and Jackie Blacque garner alot of the vocal spotlights on this disc. Having seen them live numerous times, these bunnies really kick, and their off-kilter howlings about their nutcase adventures are hilarious AND earnest.

"Glamour Is A Rocky Road", "The Golden Strip", and "Babylon Drifter" are the anchors that frame this disc, and rank as 3 of TKK's best songs ever. A bonfire of humor, disturbing notions, and wild abandon.

"Hit And Run Holiday" is absolutely cinematic, and will stand as one of My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult's most fully-realized, and outrageous artistic achievements.

Get it while you can.

B. Dakota

"Hit & Run" is different, but fun.
As stated by others, this is not your typical "Thrill Kill Kult" release. There's still doses of sex and drugs, but Satan has left the building and gone to the beach. It's really hard to compare this to anything, but that 50's-campy-surf vibe isn't far off, just with a "TKK" edge. Not every track here is a winner, but I'll always keep this for the title track, and "Glamour Is A Rocky Road" alone. Both are awesome. The rest is decent, and it ends with a nice little instrumental number, which I never thought I'd say of this band. Overall it's a long way from their dark debut, but it's still the "Hottest Party In Town".

original
this album is better now then when it first came out. Havnt spun it in a long time I was surprised how innovative the album was for its time. If you put this on at a party your gauranteed to have people asking who it is (if they never heard it previously). I dont mind when bands put out an album here and there that is totally different from their previous works. Sometimes it works sometimes it fails. This album surpassed my expectations

Left-Field Magnum Opus! - Mad Life On The Road With TKK !!!
This CD marks the moment when Thrill Kill Kult outgrew the more stoic portion of their fanbase. After the satirical, sample-slam, Goth/Industrial devilry of their first 3 albums, and then the satirical, sampladelic, creepy-cheesey celebration of SEX and Disco on "Sexplosion!", AND then the perfect consolidation of both on "13 Above The Night", TKK opted for something new. And old, per se.

This record is a satirical (surprise!), sampladelic, b!tches brew of clashing sub-genres that obliterated expectations in 1995. Greasy biker-trash imagery reverberates hard across a musical landscape of demented, 60's surf-rock cliches, spaghetti western motifs, strip club glitz, and speedfreak drumming; the REAL soundtrack to "Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas". Being on tour in a bus of madness for years, really coaxed the definitive ROAD EPIC out of Thrill Kill Kult. A fantasy of desperate decadence.

Because this started out as a vehicle for the chicks in the band (Bomb Gang Girls), Cinderella Pussie, and Jackie Blacque garner alot of the vocal spotlights on this disc, & hallelujah! Ms. Blacque takes all the usual diva-crooning, while Ms. P. is the PERFECT, raging foil for Mr. Mann. Having seen them live numerous times, these 'Devil Bunnies' really kick, and their off-kilter howlings about their nutcase adventures are hilarious AND earnest.

"Glamour Is A Rocky Road", "The Golden Strip", and "Babylon Drifter" are the anchors that frame this disc, and rank as 3 of TKK's best songs ever. A bonfire of humor, disturbing notions, and wild abandon.

"Hit And Run Holiday" is absolutely cinematic, and will stand as one of My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult's most fully-realized, and outrageous artistic achievements.

kooler than anything
all i gadda say is this cd changed my life forever. this is absolutly the best TKK ever put out. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

HOORAY FOR :BLONDI:!!!
YAYAYAYAY :BLONDI: IS SOOO CUTE!HE'S A NICE WIDDLE MONSTER.. AWWW!CUUUUTE!

The CD is good.The remixes are neat; not the greatest, but definitely good to have.The original track of :Rush: freakin' ROCKS. I'll be playing that in the club for sure.I love it.If you aren't big on singles and/or are tight on cash, I'd recommend waiting for the full-length album which will undoubtedly include the original of :Rush: but not the other songs though.

:Blondi: is just the creature. He doesn't have his own song.

DJ Raven ^_^

Ahh, yes
This highly anticipated single has arrived, and it's barely been a year since Bone Peeler.For all the haters out there, maybe "Rush" will get your blood pumping again, but for the rest of the progressive thinkers and listeners, this entire EP should satisfy."Rush" is straightforward :wumpscut:, making the most of today's technology.The remixes of this track alone are quite varied, enough to keep things interesting.The second track featured, "Don't Go", appealed to me even more as I listened to this disc.Overall, I think this shows a good future for Evoke...but of course, as always, fans are sure to be divided, if not but for the lack of Rudy remaining what they think :wumpscut: should be. ... Read more

Album Details

Third installment in this series. Featured artists include Psychic TV, FM Einheit (Einsturzende Neubaten), Scorn (Mick Harris), Dead Voices on Air, RIOU, Pyhlr, & more. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Results Are Negative
Drug Test 3 Just Simply Can't Compete With DT 2, But Worth The Listen. There's Nothing Ground Breaking Nor Moving About This Particular Album. The Remixes And Originals Are Bland Cuts From Previous Works By The Likes Of Pigface And So On. A Few Possible Yawns Here And There, But Bearable Overall. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

MBM's debut rocks.
This album was created after the original master tapes for MBM's intended debut record were destroyed in a studio fire. Despite that, it's an incredible and very strong effort full of great hip-hop influenced beats, funky guitars, funky basslines, Jack Dangers' suprisingly masterful rapping, and plenty of cool samples. This is where it all began. And it almost never got any better than this. I consider this album to be among the very best MBM material.

A very interesting thing about this album is that it contains 4 songs that are spread out across 14 tracks. "God O.D." is divided up into 4 parts, "Re-Animator" is divided up into 4 parts, "Strap Down" is divided up into 3 parts, and "I Got The Fear" is divided up into 4 parts. Some of the parts of each track sound like an extention of the part that came before, while some of the parts sound like a new song alltogether (for instance, part 4 of "God O.D." sounds nothing like the other 3 parts). I think it's really a very cool concept.

I highly recommend this, along with 99% and Satyricon, to anyone interested in MBM. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

There's something about Godlike. Seriously.
Unlocking the secret to the uncanny appeal of KMFDM's Godlike would probably reveal quite a bit about the hidden workings of human nature. From the harsh opening guitar riffs, this minimalistic and repetitive song and its deep thumping beat, eerie, echoing samples of a young Dutch girl pretending to speak English, and mismatched smattering of semi-political, culture-shock induced lyrics have an almost hypnotic effect on listeners of all tastes and persuasions. Upon its arrival, Godlike instantly eclipsed Don't Blow Your Top, Virus, and other early KMFDM hits to become their signature song, and has been very persistent in that position ever since despite such powerful contenders as Light, A Drug Against War, Juke Joint Jezebel, and Megalomaniac - rather Sascha and the rest of KMFDM like it or not. Although Sascha wants to be thought of as an innovator, and therefore seems to be frustrated by his inability to break free of Godlike's legacy, even he recognized the importance of this inexplicably monolithic anthem well enough to have it remixed and included in later albums twice (Money - Track 7 : I Will Pray and also in the 1994 re-release of Naive.) The poorly produced yet hard-hitting original heavy metal version of Godlike was included in the first release of Naive and then reappeared in Agogo. KMFDM has produced many beautiful, sophisticated, and stirring songs which really should be more impressive than Godlike in every way, yet simply aren't as mysteriously captivating as this one awkward Frankenstein monster of an industrial classic. In KMFDM's Beat by Beat video, what one song do you hear their fans shouting out for? Godlike, of course.

Great
I like this cd so much because it really shows how good KMFDM can be! Godlike is my favorite song from the out of print Naive cd, orange cover, This single, up until Agogo was the only place to hear a good version of Godlike! I recommend this cd if your really into KMFDM, because you might not want to start off with this cd as your first KMFDM cd.

Pretty good, coulda been better
Godlike is a good solid song (I like the version on the new Agogo CD more...), with this weird voice echoing in the background through a good portion of it :)

Crazy Horses kinda sux, but after KMFDM shoots out soooo many good songs you have to expect them to do a bad one once in a while!

KMFDM Doin' it again!! ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Dark,Spooky,Harsh but good Industrial
this album hits you like a Razer blade slashing at you while burning from Napalm. Wumpscut Delivers Hard hitting beats and spooky Calm beats and makes you not know whats next. The vocals go from Trent Reznor's low hissing in Such Songs to Loud Vocals with might be heard from Ministry. i had to stop then play this album just to keep my breathe.

The best that wumpscut put out
Out of all the albums that he made, I feel that this is one of the best. From the hard banging beats to the soft calm beats, every song plays its own story. Listening to this album, you will never know what to expect form the next minute. One of the best that I ever heard. You wont be upset buying this CD

Industrial at Its Finest
Bunkertor 7, or Bunker Gate Seven, is some of Wumpscuts best work. Rudy Ratzinger crafted an excellent album here, laying down some solid tracks like Die in Winter(clearly a long time favorite of his), Torn Skin, Capital Punishment, and the last track Red Water("Untitled Track"). This a softer album when compared with many of his other releases, where as EMBRYODEAD is harsh and angry, and EEVIL YOUNG FLESH is dancy and upbeat, Bunker Gate Seven is peaceful and reflective.

To buy or not to buy?
Buying industrial albums is like a game of Russian Roulette, except 4 bullets sit anxiously in the chambers instead of one.
If the Amazon samples of the album were to your liking, you will probably enjoy this album, as the samples are only the tip of the iceberg.
If you didnt like the samples but like industrial, check out the other Wumpscut albums I mentioned.
Lastly, if you dont like industrial at all, why are you reading this?

Typical Expectations
This is a wonderful :wumpscut: album, like I expected from the other :wumpscut: cds I've heard. I especially like the songs "Corroded Breed" and "Mortal Highway" being two of the more harder songs on the album. "Thorns" is a very soothing, beautiful piece, but some of the songs are repetitive, giving the cd a same through out sound, but all in all its a good cd. I like it alot, knowing most of Rudy's work.

Wearing the Skin of Another Man
:wumpsut: is the byproduct of a dark stream of sound traveling through a brooding canvas of thought. Sometimes the voice behind it, shrouded in a garb of heavily-voxed words, tries to make a profound statement, and sometimes he forgoes the supposed nobility in that and goes for the primal pounding of beats thrashing against the acceptability of thinking grand thoughts. Whatever he's doing, though, its almost always overcast and foreboding, assaulting the mind and many of the things people hold in high regard while shoving the taboo in your face. And that's actually been a refreshing facet of the band and the growth its undergone, making it a joy to watch grow.

Bunker Gate Seven carries within it all sorts of sounds, ranging from electronically slow arrangements to assaulting sounds, and its perhaps one of the more cohesive pieces I've bought from :wumpscut: (omitting the remixes, of course). It begins with the intro "Open Gate," building sounds, and then follows with an audio clip prelude for the driven "Dying Culture;" an angry piece musically resounding like the byproduct of a machine shop in overdrive. That then leads into "Bunker Gate Seven," also driven and totally masked in Germanic lyrics, and then moves into the slow-starting, boldly stated, "Capital Punishment." In it, the lyrics speak of confusion and the crimes we all bring tot he table, heralding a question on Capital Punishment via religious documentation and how we were abandoned, not given the forgiveness we were promised, and spitting into the empty skies that ask us to beg on bent knees to. This then travels into "Die in Winter," a more electronically-melodic sound that creates a bleeping canvas to carry those voxed lyrics, and then to the again-driven "Mortal Highway." That then travels into one of my favorite songs on the album, the build-piece "Torn Skin," that asks you to "give me your warm skin, I'll wrap it around. You'll get it back when your corpse is sound." That then leads into other, equally foreboding lands; two more mixes of "Bunker Gate Seven," and Haujobb edit of "Die in Winter," the musical "Thorns," and the suicidally-questioning "Tell Me Why."

I personally found the album worth listening to as a whole, and I thought that both the atmosphere of the music, the sometimes disturbing imagery in the songs and in the sleeve accompanying the album, and the engineering of the quality of the sounds was great. It fit into the :wumpscut: range of work nicely, having some very rewarding songs in it, and the remixes were done aptly. For anyone that likes their music dark, driven by thoughts of demise, anger, and a brood sea of aggression, then this would be something for you to feed from. In fact, most of what :wumpscut: does would be - albeit experimentally from time to time. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

not the most origanal, but good industrial.
I found out about this band and Penal Colony on a Cleopatra Gothic and Industrial music video tape.The video for breath and taxes is good, it had that kindof black and white industrial artistry going on (mildlycheezy) but i would have to say this is the catchiest (and best) song onthis album.Not the most original of industrial bands, but when you wantsome industrial that isn't too out there, this is the kind for you.......

good music
this is must for people that love cleopatra lable bands bye it no ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The greatest Hellfire album out there
Evil never sounded better. This is an excellent chance to get the best Hellfire album there is for an awesome price. The South Of Heaven cover alone is reason enough for you to get this masterpiece. Also includes instant Hellfire classics like Hypochristian, Whores Of Babylon, and my favorite I Dream Of Demons. Do yourself a favor and buy this today. Your darkside will thank you. ... Read more