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Archived Reviews
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As well as promoting the new wave of old-skool EBM acts, the Vendetta Music label has also assisted the ressurection of several bands from yesteryear. Foremost among this latter group is Brain Leisure, the solo project of Frenchman Dominique Debert who returns with his first all-new album in 13 years, which comes with an additional disc of remixes featuring, among others, Wumpscut, Dismantled & Velvet Acid Christ that are a varied lot, as well as an excellent new version of 'Beyond The Limits' by Debert himself. The music mixes typical old-skool stylings with a more understated &, at times introspective mood, meaning that this isn't as immediate as might have been expected, requiring a couple of listens to really get to grips with. Not that this is ever a bad thing, of course, especially here as it gives the album a more distinctive, less derivative feel, proving that this is an original & inventive musician at work. For all that, there are still plenty of up-tempo numbers to enjoy with 'Behind The Mask', "Crawl In Vain', the pacey & action-packed 'Eaten Alive' & "Watch Me Fall', which further benefits from some melancolic piano work providing a nice contrast to the no-frills elements, all doing enough to grab the attention. Darryn Huss, who seems to be getting everywhere at the moment, turns up as guest vocalist on 'Repent', his easily recognisable voice working against Debert's whispered/harsh style & thus provides more of a focal point to latch onto while 'Take You Home' builds from its fragmented opening, which sounds as if one is recalling dimly remembered events, into an excellent & robust track with bombastic rhythms & soaring chords making for a most dynamic experience (is that Tom Baker's laugh in there?). 'Resistence' is actually quite reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails & has a fuller, more melodic sound & some nice effects here & there although I thought that the vocals on the closing 'I Am Two' did the music's emotive potential no justice at all, sounding pretty poor against the melancolic piano & strings &, to further rub salt into the wound, the short rhythmic section that ends the album sounds as if it were tacked on as an afterthought. It's a real shame as this could have been a spellbinding piece that not only ended the album on an excellent & thoughtful note but also saw Debert's mastery encompassing a greater range of moods & expression; it's still not bad but I can't help thinking how special it could have been. Overall, though, this is an intriguing & enjoyable album that's just a little different from most of its ilk. |
