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Archived Reviews
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Benjamin Samson is the brains behind this 15-track (11 originals and 4 remixes) album that seems to be aiming for a hard EBM sound but, for a number of reasons, doesn't quite make it. Part of the problem is that their sound seems so clinical and minimalistic and while this does give them a more distinctive flavour, the unadventurous arrangements and compositions leave the music sounding rather lacklustre and lacking any sense of dynamics or drama. This, in turn, does Benjamin Samson's unprocessed vocals no favours, they just sound like someone yelling and thus, they lack the charisma needed to carry off such lyrics as those on the opening 'I Found Her' which appear to be about Necrophilia while calling another track 'Rape Your God' again seems to be just trying too hard (although, to be fair, the spoken female voice that backs the chorus is one of the more imaginative touches to be found here). Likewise, the explicit porn clip that opens 'Wet' ensures that the album ticks all the controversial boxes, just because that's what EBM bands do, it feels like, and on another note, the screams that pop up on 'The Game' are just plain irritating! The one exception to this rule is 'Obsolete' where the melodics that grace the chorus add a touch of real feeling and are thus a step in the right direction but overall, this sounds more like a demo from a band which could have a good future but needs to refine their skills first. This lack of imagination is thrown into still sharper focus by the remixes, starting with NG-PRO whose dynamic remix of 'Global Killer' is superior to the original in every sense, the haunting violin adding a hauntingly emotive edge while XP8 transform 'Wet' into a furious and action-packed offering. Likewise, the harsh shouted vocals of 'Rape Your God' actually sound better when incorporated into Peoples' Republic Of Europe's ultra-hard industrial remix and if XMH are going to make their mark on the electro scene then they'd do well to listen to these remixes and apply the same level of inspiration and variety to their own sound and then we might be getting somewhere! |
