| Artist |
| Agonoize |
| Title |
| Sieben |
| Format/Cat |
| CD |
| Label |
| Out Of Line |
| Style |
| EBM |
| Date of review |
| 13th January 2008 |
| Reviewer |
| Carl Jenkinson |
| Rating |
| 8.5/10 |
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I used to think that Agonoize were the band who beat Suicide Commando at his own game but they surpassed any such labelling a good couple of years ago. There's no doubt that the trio of Chris L, Mike Johnson & Oliver Senger have now found their own niche within the 'Hellektro' style, easily avoiding the 'soundalike' trap that so many have fallen prey to. There's certainly no doubt who you're listening to here which is more than you can say for some EBM bands & the Terrible Trio kick up a mighty storm once more, stating a pretty good case for their own religion on the opening 'C.O.A.' which presumably stands for Church Of Agonoize with a real 'punch the air' potential & typically juggernautic rhythms & sequences. I was wondering how they'd ever top the all-out power of '999' but they've managed to do that by increasing the dark emotional intensity of their music which makes this album more engaging still. The following 'I Against Me' continues the sonic blitzkrieg which barely lets up over the course of both discs. With so many tracks on offer it would be easy for proceedings to get a bit samey but there are enough unexpected tricks dotted throughout the album to keep interest up, not least the surprisingly funky edge of 'Deleted', another track that is sure to join the already-popular closer 'Koprolalie' as a massive fan favourite as well as 'Drowning In Isolation', where the effected voice adds an extra imaginative edge that makes all the difference.
Another crucial part of the album's ability to keep the listener fully engrossed throughout is that, for once, some of the lyrics actually have a much more human aspect, most notably the touching tale of a woman facing up to her imminent death on 'Last Days On Earth (with a triumphant chorus to boot) while 'Breakfast With Bundy' asks some pertinent questions concerning capital punishment. 'New World Disorder' brings the band's environmental credentials to the fore although, on a more down-to-earth note the 'waking up with an unknown woman' tale of 'Intoxication' is (hopefully) the closest the band will ever get to lad territory. But if it's the usual murder/suicide fare you're after then 'Suizid' and the penultimate 'Knick Knack/Slashed Open' will do you just fine and provide more musical thrills into the bargain. So if you're looking to get 2008 off to a powerful start this is about as good as it gets, proving as dark and forbidding as you could ever wish which can only mean this is another winner from the Agonoize Boize!!
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