On the face of it, it might seem as though nothing has changed, there's still the unadulterated old-skool EBM sound very much to the fore throughout and if that's all you're looking for then tracks such as the opening 'Nothing But Black', where the instantly recognisable vocals offer a clue as to why this duo have quickly become the most well-loved of the 'old skool' crowd and 'Askew' as well as the stomping (but lyrically thoughtful) 'Hardcore Hooligans' will keep you more than happy. However, they're still capable of keeping the listener enthralled (even if you think you've had enough of this style) simply by showing the sort of imagination unseen since the halcyon days of Front 242 et al. For sure tracks such as 'Faustpakt' with its surprisingly melodic chorus (and the bassline which reminds me of the old Captain Scarlet theme!) and 'Allegiance' with its smooth, almost crooning vocals, both see them stretching their wings a tad while the manner in which 'Nonplus' changes tempo throughout is a simple but clever trick which adds yet another twist to the the album's appeal.

The second disc 'Dead Angle' (which I'm guessing is an accompanying EP) which holds 5 new tracks, 3 live ones (all from this album) and one so-so remix carries on the good work with 'Dead Angle' and 'Regardless' both providing another dose of the old-skool tonic although the stand-out tracks here are, without doubt, the humorous and quirky 'She Went...', the lyrics of which are likely to bring back some embarassing memories for most men (do some men really still refer to woman as 'dames'?) and, in the biggest contrast you could ever get, the beautifully bittersweet 'Dead By Midnight' where Pontius proves his worth as a crooner atop some lovely piano work on a track that is totally unlike anything they've ever done before and is all the more welcome because of that.

With this album Spetsnaz reaffirm their position at the top of the old skool pile with an album that sees them doing what they do uncommonly well which I'd say makes this one to aquire pronto.