| Artist |
| XP8 |
| Title |
| The Art Of Revenge |
| Format/Cat |
| CD FACT3087 |
| Label |
| Infacted Recordings |
| Style |
| EBM |
| Date of review |
| July 2008 |
| Reviewer |
| Carl Jenkinson |
| Rating |
| 8.5/10 |
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If there's one band about whom you can definately say 'they've come a long way', it's the Italian duo of Marco & Marko, alias XP8 (formerly the Anglo-Italian trio until Paul Toohill upped sticks). Having overcome the handicap of having their debut album Forgiven released without even being mastered (I think there's a review of it in the archives) they've since come on in leaps & bounds via 2005's 'Hrs MinsSecs' which mixed poppy elements with harder styles & onto this full-on danceable stomp which sees them beefing up their sound a lot, making this their finest release to date by some considerable margin. The opening double header of 'Juggernaut' & Our Time' get the album off to a dynamic start, both being surefire dancefloor fillers & while the latter does have a greater 'song-based' feel (with melodic vocals that should appeal to those who don't like too much of a harsh sound) the album wouldn't have the versaility it has if the danceability was all it had to offer. Instead these elements are mixed to perfection with some seriously infectious songs that make for a far more involved listen in the case of 'Downaload Me' for one, which benefits from an attention-grabbing mix of insistent yet imaginative backing effects & fine melodics (that Marko's vocals have never sounded better is another bonus!) while a mix of funky rhythms & harsh vocals along with some effective guitar strumming make 'I.C.E.' another standout track. And talking of standout tracks, 'Your Nature' is certain to prove a big favourite with its battery of muscular & powerful rhythms setting the scene for another robust offering although, as is proving to be the duo's wont, the infectious theme makes it a big hit in any environment (just as long as no elderly relatives or faint-hearted types are involved, there is a tiny bit of swearing in there!!!). As the album progresses, such dynamic tracks as 'Dead Sky (Still Lives Redux)', 'Cracked' & the infectious title track all prove their worth while the lighter mood that graces the still exciting 'Waiting' should appeal to fans of Icon Of Coil & the like. As it reaches its climax 'Ready2Go' starts slowing proceedings down a little before 'New Self' sees the duo expanding their stylistic & sonic pallette with a mix of more organic-sounding sounds & grittily authentic rhythms (that are later augmented by some breakbeats which, it must be said, do sound a little jarring) that gives the track a more lo-fi feel than is the case elsewhere, ending this fine album on a pleasingly imaginative note. There can be no doubt that XP8 have really hit the spot with this one, it's a consistently excellent & exciting album which should make 2008 the year they hit the big time; on this showing they deserve no less.
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