Tinfed - Synaptic Hardware~, Hypersonic Hyperphonic*, Tried+True^

Name: Tinfed
Album: Synaptic Hardware~, Hypersonic Hyperphonic*, Tried+True^
Year: 1993~, 1996*, 2000^
Style: Industrial, Electronic, Nu Metal
Similar Bands: NIN, Fuel, System of a Down, Smashing Pumpkins, God Lives Underwater, Filter, Gravity Kills, Stabbing Westward, Cop Shoot Cop, Bush^, OK Go^
"One-Word" Review: Electro-Clash Industrial Dentistry~* Snotty Alt-Rock^
Based Out Of: Sacramento, Ca
Label: Primitech Releases~, Cargo Music*, Re-Construction*, Hollywood Records^, Third Rail Records^

Cover & Fold out~

Liner Notes & Lyrics, CD, CD Case Back~

Cover & Back*

Liner Notes, CD & CD Tray*

Cover & CD Back^

CD, CD Tray, Lyrics and Liner Notes^

Center Photo^

Synaptic Hardware (1993)~

1. Blood 4:39 (single)
2. Burning 4:01
3. Dominion 4:39
4. Turned Off 4:41
5. Interjector 5:51
6. Reverse Encryption 4:15
7. Cleansed 5:03
8. Mannerism Project 4:55

Hypersonic Hyperphonic (1996)*

1. Thinwall Turmoil 4:27
2. Whatever 4:13
3. Wait Suspension 4:26
4. Dis-jointed 4:20
5. Insulin 5:16
6. Elliv Noir Am 4:09
7. Doubtless 3:10
8. Unfamiliar 5:06
9. Dis-jungle 4:32

Tried + True (2000)^

1. Arrange 3:04
2. Way Thru 3:14
3. Immune 3:48
4. Drop 3:58
5. Never Was Sure 4:17
6. Always/Never 2:45
7. Halo 3:22
8. Mouth As Sharp 3:41
9. Idol 3:44
10. Overrated 3:02
11. Dangergirl 3:50
12. It's Late 4:16

Album Rating (1-10):
~ 5.5

* 5.0

^ 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Eric Stenman - Guitar, Bass, Programming, Engineer, Construction~*Writer^ (Elegy, Bureau of the Glorious, Skinny Puppy, Death Valley High)
• Victor Krag - Mixing~
• Paul Stubblebine - Mastering~
• Trevor Henthorn*
• Rey Osburn - Vox, Guitar, Programming Construction~*Writer^ (Elegy, Ghostride, Death Valley High, Platypus Scourge, Deathline International, Vampire Rodents, Deftones, Slave Unit 
• Giovanni Mercado - Construction, Drums~ (Exhale)
• Chino Moreno - Vox^ (Deftones, Palms, Saudade, Team Sleep, Korn, Strife, Far, Soulfly, Skinny Puppy, Hersher, Cypress Hill, Tommy Lee, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Dead Poetic, Norma Jean, Dance Gavin Dance, Zach Hill, Methods of Mayhem, Whitechapel, Lamb of God, Como Asesinar A Felipes, +++, Ray Ramos Y La Sonora)
• Chandler Broggs - Electronic Art & Graphic Production~
• Matt Bassett - Artwork*
• Angi Kelly Lewis - Photography~*
• Scott Torguson - Photography~
• Nick Dickerson Frederick - Bass* (Bureau of the Glorious, Exhale, Pitchfork, Thornucopia, Wet the Rope)
• Rick Verrett - Bass^ (Team Sleep)
• Matthew McCord- Beats, Deprogramming*^ (Elegy, Death Valley High, Bureau of the Glorious, Drop Acid, Platypus Scourge, Cake, Fleeting Joys)
• Ed Buller - Mixing Producer, Engineer^
• Enrique Gonzales - Producer, Mixing, Engineer^
• Howie Weinburg - Mastering^
• Jeff Gros - Photography^
• P.R. Brown - Design^
• Tom Osborn - PR Direction^
• Seth Lichtenstein - Legal^
• Demetre Arges - Web Design^

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of Tinfed, but somehow, probably through a friend ridding himself of some unwanted CDs, I got 3 of their discography. It shows growth from album to album in design and procedure of liner notes, but i still don't know what they sound like, except they apparently all program instruments, on top of the basic guitar drums and bass. From the design, i get the impression that they are sorta like Fuel, with a more tech-centric approach. Nu Metal and pop is my guess based on the last album's band photo.

Album Review: The first album takes a page of NIN's playbook with emotive, screaming vocals in parts and an electro-techno-industrial rock sound with dialogue snippets imbedded in the music. It would be easy to imagine this being on the Crow soundtrack. Hypersonic continues the seemingly experimental industrial-via-electro-clash style and adds to it with dentistry noise. even with a creepy, cavernous ambient instrumental "Unfamiliar," followed by a remix of Disjointed called "Dis-Jungle." which doubles down on the clanging and industrial Stomp. Throw in a song titled Insulin- an unrepresented subject within pop music, and "Wait Suspension," which has a similar base line to Bjork's "Army of Me," and you have a building, dark-techno-wave follow-up.

The third album, from the first note is more straight forward radio alternative produced. The vocals are melodic, not shouty, and the guitars are more prevalent, and the industrial tek is missing. It sounds a bit like Bush with a whiny, Jamiroquai vocal set. Although there is the song Halo, which employs a very NIN style synth and similar vocals. It seems to be an homage/tribute/ripoff of them.

Their height came right before their 2000 major label debut, as they got their single "Immune" on the Mission Impossible 2 soundtrack. Many critics at the time felt they may have had their best years in front of them when they were at the end of their career. 

Stand Out Track:~ Turned Off

* Dis-Jointed

^Halo

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Swinging Pistons - I Love the Sound of Machines

Name: Swinging Pistons
Album: I Love the Sound of Machines
Year: 1986
Style: Punk, No Wave, Industrial Techno
Similar Bands: Quintron & Miss Pussycat, Gang of Four, Crash Course in Science, En Vogue, B-52s
"One-Word" Review: Dance-Funk-Industrial-Punk in Synergy
Based Out Of: New Jersey
Label: RD3 Records

Cover, Record

Back, Record

I Love the Sound of Machines (1986)

1. (ever since i was young) I Love the Sound of Machines 3:21 /
2. (ever since i was young) I Love the Sound of Machines (Mechanized Mix) 4:28

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

• E. William Tucker - Vox, Guitar, Bass, Writer (Ministry, My Life With Thrill Kill Kult, Pigface, Chemlab, Chris Connelly, Regressive Aid, KMFDM, Revolting Cocks, Foetus, Darling Kandie, Hyperhead, Scornflakes, Thanatos, Final Cut, 16 Volt, Everplastic, Chainsuck, Illegal Teenage Bikini,  )
• Andy Gomory - Backign Vox, Keys, Programmer, Engineer, Writer (Groceries, Dennis Young)
• Judy Jones - Vox (Soul Train Gang, Mandrill, Charles Jackson, Pattie Brooks, Munich Machine, Brooklyn Dreams, Jeff Kutash & Dancin' Machine, Twennynine w/ Lenny White, Stacey Lattisaw, Allan Anthony, Lou Rawls, Najee, Paulinho Da Costa, Earth Wind & Fire)
• Greg Frey - Engineer

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but I got this because i liked the homemade nature of the cover. I didn't realize when i bought it that this was only a one song single with a remix on the back, but I was interested to see what this record, with the industrial sounding name and song title, would be like.

Album Review: Barely an album review, as it is just one song, but there is a lot of depth to the song. It is part kitchen sink-industrial  with a cold wave dance beat that comes off a punk, but more approachable, perhaps because the chorus is a soulful & sexy woman singing the title (think En Vogue). Maybe a little playfulness too like B-52's minus the surf aspect as well.

There is not much out there about this record/band, except for the information surrounding William Tucker. After this release, Ministry's Al Hourgensen picked him up to play on tour. He's from Jersey, so he has ties with Ween where he was in a band with their early producer/bass/keyboard player Andrew Weiss, and he gave guitar lessons to Deaner, AKA Mickey Melchiondo. He unfortunately took his own life in 1999.

Stand Out Track: (ever since i was young) I Love the Sound of Machines

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elvis pelvis obit

Pop Will Eat Itself - This is the Day...This is the Hour...This is THIS!

Name: Pop Will Eat Itself 
Album: This is the Day...This is the Hour...This is THIS!
Year: 1989
Style: Electronic, Techno, Industrial, Rap
Similar Bands: Sigue Sigue Sputnik, EMF, B.A.D., M/A/R/R/S, Einsturzende Neubauten
"One-Word" Review: Eastern European Industrial Rap
Based Out Of: Stourbridge, England
Label: RCA, BMG

Cover & Record

This is the Day...This is the Hour...This is THIS! (1989)

1. PWEI is a Four Letter Word - 1:12
2. Preaching to the Perverted 4:25
3. Wise Up Sucker 3:16 (single)
4. Sixteen Different Flavours of Hell 1:23
5. Inject Me 3:51
6. Can U Dig It? 4:31 (single)
7. The Fuses Have Been Lit 4:02 /
8. Poison to the Mind 0:57
9. Def Con One 3:59 (single, US #30 Mod Rock)
10. Radio P.W.E.I 3:37
11. Shortwave Transmission on "Up To The Minuteman Nine" 1:01
12. Satellite Ecstatica 3:33
13. Not Now James, We're Busy 3:08
14. Wake Up Time To Die 6:41

Album Rating (1-10): 5.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Flood (Mark Ellis) - Producer, Mixing
• Dave Pine - Engineer & Re-Mix Engineer
• Karl Broadie - Asst. Engineer
• Robin Goodfellow - Engineer
• Mr. X & Mr. Y - Producer
• Mark Dodson - Additional Production
• D. Steele - Producer
• A. Cox - Producer
• Robert Gordon - Producer
• Cenzo Townshend - Engineer
• Frank Booth - Guitar (Situation B)
• Kerry The Buzzard Hammond - Guitar (Yeah God!)
• Twig the Wonder Kid - Backing Vox
• Mastermix - Turntables (Hardnoise, Beatmasters, Cookie Crew)
• DJ Winston (Hazel) - Turntables (Forgemasters, Supafix, The Step, Winston & Ross)
• Vestan Pance - Words & Music Pseudonym for PWEI
• This Is The Designerstar Republica - Sleeve Design, Artwork
• Phil Wolstenholme - Computer Images
• Kevin Cumings - Live Photos
• Craig Jennings - Worldwide Rep
• Paul Boswell -UK Agent
• Ian Copeland - US Agent
• Graham Crabb - Vox Keys (Golden Claw, Wild & Wondering, Je Suis Crabbi, Primitive Race, Vile Evils, Fuzz Townshend)
• Adam Mole - Keys, Programming  (Wild & Wondering, From Eden, Kut Loaf, Vile Evils)
• Richard March - Keys Programming (Wild & Wondering, Bentley Rhythm Ace, Charlatans UK, Wonder Stuff)
• Clint Mansell - Vox, Guitar (Wild & Wondering, From Eden, Buddah Boys Choir, Cerebral Fix, NIN, Lavish, Vile Evils)

Unknown-ness: I have heard of them, but i know not what they are like...from the artwork ( i do like how the initials PWEI make up the 5 "monsters" attacking the biohazard clock in the middle), and mention of BPMS on the back, i imagine some sort of future-techno EDM band, but for some reason, i think they may sound like Nitzer Ebb or Low Pop Suicide or Stabbing Westward...maybe part of the industrial KMFDM / Front 242 genre, which is not a reach from the formerly listed bands. 

Album Review: This one required some research, as the style of music had an origin in the UK and is called Grebo Rock, a subculture and genre, adopted from a slang term for long hair bikers and/or rock music fans in the late 80's. When grunge and brit pop took hold in the early - mid 90's PWEI was shuffled over to the Industrial sub-genre, but they were a posterband for the Grebo niche. Their big trivia bit is that they were the first Western independent band invited to play the Soviet Union in 1988. The songs on this album are similar to the back of the album: a collage of bits and pieces strung together with samples, turntables and beats that bear a strong association with cold, mechanical industrial sounds. Sometimes the vocals have melody, sometimes, they are like an Eastern European cold wave rap. Def Con One uses samples of "Funky Town" and "The Twilight Zone" among a string of other musical borrows. They are still around, as a 2020 tour was planned in NZ, alas, everything was postponed Mar/April to Oct, so maybe?

Stand Out Track: Def Con One

Links:
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touring NZ 2020 & playing this album in full

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trouser Press

Cherry red records

Neon Judgement (The) - Blood & Thunder

Name: The Neon Judgement
Album: Blood & Thunder
Year: 1989
Style: Cold Wave, Industrial, EDM/EBM
Similar Bands: Borghesia, Ed Schrader's Music Beat, KMFDM, Front 242, Cabaret Voltaire, Nitzer Ebb
"One-Word" Review: Electric Propeganda Cow Punk
Based Out Of: Brussles, Belgium
Label: Play It Again Sam Records, Waxtrax

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Blood & Thunder (1989)

1. Facing Pictures 5:27
2. 1313 4:44 (single)
3. Damned I Love You 4:41
4. Games of Love 4:06 (single) /
5. Don't Wish Me Luck 3:58
6. This City 4:36
7. Ritual of Earth 5:43
8. Le Suicide Beau Serge 7:18

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Jean-Marie Aerts - Producer, Slide Guitar, Percussion, Bass (Lala, Louisette, Luk Vankessel & Spirit, Specimen & the Rizikoos, TC Matic, more)
• Luc Van Acker - Producer, Guitar, Backing Vox (Arbeid Adelt!, Danceable Weird Shit, MLYTTKK, Noise Abroad, primitive Race, Revolting Cocks, Spinegrinder, Three Angry Poles, more)
• Dirk Da Davo - Vox, Guitar, Samples, Synths, Korg DDD1, Bass, Percussion (Neon Electronics, Implant, Dave Inox, If It Moves, Vandal X )
• TB Frank - Guitar, Vox, Korg DDD1, Bass, Synths (Aimless Device, Neon Electrics)
• Beatrice - Backing Vox 
• Fats (Mark Devroy) - Harp
• Stoy Stoffelen - Hi Hat, Drums (De Ritme Kings, Lenny & De Wespen, Luk Vankessel & Spirit, Machitun De Chile, Specimen & the Rizikoos, The Centimeters, The Millionaires, Raymond van het Groenewoud, Big Bill, Snaar, Urbanus Van Anus, JM Troisfontaine, Garden, Chirojeugd, Walter Verdin, Jan De Wilse, Jean Blaute, De Kreet, Pas De Deux, Roland, Kazzen, Anne Mie Gills, De Nieuwe Snaar, Dr Feestkapoentjes, Hugo Matthysen, Koen Crucke, Kamagurka, Won Ton Ton, De Kreuners, Tom Wolf, Bart Kaell, Johan Verminnen, The Choice, Suske En Wiske, Bart Van den Bossche, JMX, K's Choice, Yevgueni, Raf Coppens, Aroma Di Amore, Wreed & Plezant, De Grugblavers, Stef Gie & Chris)
• Christian Ramon - Remastering
• Michel Dierickx - Engineer
• Ferre Baelen - Bass (Afro Erotica, Aimless Device, Air of Gloom, Edwards & Armani, inocube, Lala, Le Mystere, Little Little, Panthera, Partisan, Revenge 88, Rossi, Sleepwalker, Stagebeast, TC Matic, Trance Trax, Two Thumbs, Von Coburg & Armani, Zsa Zsa "La Boum", Tjens Couter, Sonia Dufour, Jo Lemaire, Ginger Morris, Niki Mono, Kamiel Kafka & Co, Arno)
• JP Everaerts - Engineer
• Jean Le Belge - Percussion, Bass, Vox 
• Daniel Muffat - Congas (Patrick Nuissier, Johan Verminnen, Vaya Con Dios)
• Wim Wenders - Sleeve Pics 
• Hugues De Wurstemberger - Inner Sleeve Pics
• Stephan Barbery - Sleeve Design

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band, but from the bleak photo and an americana mid-western landscape. I can only imagine this will be a sort of western sweeping soundscape record. The packaging reminds me of the band Lone Justice for some reason. 

Album Review: The album does begin with a harmonica, but the synth drum beats added in give it a sterile western vibe. The vocals have an authoritarian Eastern European delivery to them, not unlike Ed Schrader. Some of the tracks are a little dancier, but still with that cold propaganda appeal. The band consists of two members, who have programmed mechanical cold dance tracks since the early 80's, and are somewhat considered to be pioneers in the EBM genre. The album before this one was their first break into the US market. Their last effort (as of 2020) was in 2012.

Stand Out Track: Facing Pictures

Links:
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dark entries

Pankow - Gisela

Name: Pankow
Album: Gisela
Year: 1989
Style: Electronic, Synth, Industrial
Similar Bands: Borghesia, Nine Inch Nails, Nitzer Ebb, Einstürzende Neubauten, Crash Course in Science
"One-Word" Review: Industrial Gothic Fusion Dance
Based Out Of: Italy
Label: Wax Trax

 Cover, Lyrics, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Gisela (1989)

1. I'm Lost, Little Girl 5:20
2. Warm Leatherette 3:50
3. Die Beine Von Dolores 2:59
4. Let Me Be Stalin 4:35
5. Pankow's Rotkappchen 3:00 /
6. Me & My Ding-Dong 4:35
7. Happy As The Horses Shite 4:27
8. Deutsches Bier 3:50
9. Madness (Danke Gisela) 2:16
10. Follow Me In Suicide 4:06

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Maurizo Fasolo - RE301, Samples (FM & Paolo, Kowp, la Corte Di Orfeo, LAShTAL, Scudcrow, Hardsonic Bottoms 3, Diaframma, De Glaen)
• Alex Spalck - Vox
• Paolo Favati - Samples (Die Larm, Exit, FM & Paolo, Kowp, Pippola Music, Poppers, Templebeat, Vanish Memory, Verdiana Raw, Wave Workers Foundation, Meathead)
• Alex Gimignani - Drums (Circosmosi, Exit, Gezz Zero Hrup, Indoeuropean Music Ensemble, Kowp, London Underground, Neon)
• Carlo Rossi - Recording, Space Guitar
• Adrian Sherwood - Mixing, Erased Sounds
• Rico Conning - Mixing, Editing, Helicopters
• Paola Faggioli - Mad Girl
• Nardo Lunardi - Guitar
• Alessandra Micheli - Delightful Girl
• Michela Crociani - Female Voice
• Daria Piccini - Record lending
• Carlo Mauro - Choir 
• Helnwein - Cover Painting
• G Von Toma - Cut

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band...it came into the oddball thrift store I used to volunteer at. From the label Wax Trax, and the unnerving cleft palate painting on the cover, I can only guess it is some weird dark industrial shit.

Album Review: So this band is a pioneer in the EBM (Electronic Body Music)/Industrial scene, as they started 10 years before this record came out. The sound is exactly as the genre dictates: Industrial meets synth punk electronically. There are a bunch of samples, mash ups, and style changes, but underlying it all is a dark, cold industrial soundscape. The music could be interpreted and used as futuristic music in films like Robocop or a bombed out Russia, to show what the anarchist kids are into. "Die Beine Von Dolores" and "Follow Me In Suicide" are nearly vocals only with minimal music accompaniment.

Stand Out Track: Warm Leatherette (cover of The Normal's song & sounds like CCIS)

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T.C. Matic - L'Apache

Name: T.C. Matic

Album: L'Apache

Year: 1982

Style: EuroRock, Industrial, Post-Pumk

Similar Bands: Killing Joke, Gang Of Four, KMFDM, Borghesia, 

One Word Review: Barren Aggressive Propaganda Machines. 

Based Out Of: Brussels, Belgium

Label: EMI Belgium

 L'Apache - Cover, Sleeve, Record

L'Apache - Back, Sleeve, Record

L'Apache (1982)

1. Middle Class and Blue Eyes 3:16
2. Que Pasa 2:45
3. Touch Me 2:59
4. Rip-Off Poppoff 2:40
5. Mon Ami Louis 2:23
6. Just Another Joke 2:50
7. Le Java 3:30
8. I'm Not Gonna Listen 3:46
9. Les Zazous 2:53
10. Stay Scared Stay Alive 3:04
11. La-Bas 3:31

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:
Danny Willems - Cover

Jan Bultheel  Cover

Jean-Marie Aerts - Executive Producer, Writer, Guitar (Jo Lemaire, Urban Dance Squad, Plastic Bertrand, Big Bill, Johan Verminnen, Sonia Dufour, The Neon Judgement, Arno)

Arno Hintjens - Writer, Vox (Tjens-Couter, Freckleface, Sonia Dufour, Charels and the European White Trash Blues Connection, Machiavel)

Ferre Baelen  - Bass (Tjens-Couter, Sonia Dufour, The Neon Judgement, Arno)

Rudy Cloet- Drums (Tjens-Couter, Sonia Dufour, Arno, Yasmine)

Serge Feys - Keys (Tjens-Couter, Sonia Dufour, Arno, Noordkaap, The Candy Men, The Bollock Brothers)

Christian Ramon - Engineer

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band...or is it one artist? Not sure. Picked it up, and hopefully will not regret it, as it looks like it might be tedious jazzy lite-rock, with overproduced synths and an uber-smooth sheen. I probably should have left this to sit in the bin, but since I was just starting out (this is an early record I picked up) and I'd never heard of it, I bought it for a dollar or so.

Album Review: TC Matic was a band from Brussles, Belgium, and experimented in an odd mix of styles and genres from American rock and new wave to industrial, blues and avant garde styles. They made four albums from 1980-1986, and some minor hits came from other albums, but not this one. Singer Arno has gone one to be quite the prolific solo artist, usually joined by one or more TC Matic members. His stage presence has been known to be intense and diverse, since he sung in English, French, Dutch, Italian German, and his Ostend dialect.

“Middle Class and Blue Eyes” has a synthetic, nervous pulsing bass and keyboard beat. Then the Gang of Four style guitar plays its hook of individual notes. The vocal cadence has a bit of a German or industrial monotone authoritarian speech. The instrumental breakdown has a prog-like, perhaps a little Middle Eastern guitar section.

“Que Pasa” is sparse, a bit like a Tom Waits song at first. Just individual bass notes and skittering drums. The vocals are very declarative, and still follow the stern declaration. It is quite industrial in production

“Touch Me” has a bit of a Gang Of Four, chugging, shuffling tempo, with a little Clash as well. It features a weird squeaky synth effect, and odd off-note chime effect as the vocals yearn as they shout the title during the chorus.

“Rip-Off Poppoff” feels like a post apocalypse theme. It is barren, cold, and features drum machine claps and power chords that resemble metal grinding machines rather than a guitar. The vocals shout again, like propaganda brainwashing.

“Mon Ami Louis” starts with crystalline synth effects, and what it would sound like if KMFDM covered Clash songs with grinding guitars, simple drum machine style beat, and other new wave melodies. The chorus is brainwashingly repetitive.

“Just Another Joke” begins with tinkling on the upper ends of the guitar, and bombastic drums. The shouting, broken vocals begin over an almost hipster-island guitar melody. But the chorus is bolder, and makes me think of a Rocky 4 Russian training montage. For the instrumental breakdown, the sunny guitar line is layered under sizzling electric vibrations.

“Le Java” has a driving deep bass rhythm driving the song, with bold drums and mockery style vocals. The guitar is more poppy for this song, almost sounding like a Nintendo/Mega Man level

“I'm Not Gonna Listen” is heavy and complex, with off-note chords and angry shouting vocals. The vocals and a sparkly synth trade focus for the chorus. The vocals sound like they are just devolving into reactionary noises. Soaring guitars drag the song along, but do not cross paths with the vocals.

“Les Zazous” is a combination of classical/chamber rock with post punk drum and bass. The vocals are trying to maintain a grasp on control, like Einar from the Sugarcubes. In the instrumental section near the end, a piano plays a familiar-yet-suspicious melody

“Stay Scared Stay Alive” has a drum machine like beat to start the song off, and whiny “wakka” guitar. The vocals are not as brash and chaotic as before, and here remind me a little of Rodney A. from the Dead Milkmen, particularly in the chorus.

“La-Bas” is motivated along by an alarm/metronome marching beat and rumbling guitars. The song is dark, with the way the guitars echo, as if played in a dark, empty warehouse. The vocals are strained as they try to reach the microphone aggressively. Maybe a little like some of Nine Inch Nails material, maybe? 

Stand Out Track - Touch Me

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Sisters of Mercy - A Slight Case of Overbombing: Greatest Hits Volume One

Name: Sisters of Mercy

Album: A Slight Case of Overbombing: Greatest Hits Volume One

Year: 1993

Style: Goth, Dark Wave, Industrial

Similar Bands: Fad Gadget, KMFDM, Jesus & Mary Chain, Iggy Pop, Depeche Mode, Nitzer Ebb, Borghesia

"One-Word" Review: Bleak Factory Rhetoric

Based Out Of: Leeds, UK

Label: Elektra, Warner Music UK

 A Slight Case of Overbombing: Greatest Hits Volume 1 - Tape & Cover & Notes

 A Slight Case of Overbombing: Greatest Hits Volume 1 - Tape, Lyrics

A Slight Case of Overbombing: Greatest Hits Volume 1 (1993)

1. Under The Gun
2. Temple of Love (1992)
3. Vision Thing
4. Detonation Boulevard
5. Doctor Jeep
6. More
7. Lucretia My Reflection
8. Dominion / Mother Russia
9. This Corrosion
10. No Time to Cry
11. Walk Away
12. Body & Soul

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:
Andrew Eldritch (Andy Taylor) - Vox (Sisterhood, Sarah Brightman)
Gary Marx (Mark Pearman) - Guitar (Ghost Dance)
Doktor Avalanche - drum machine
Craig Adams - Bass (Sisterhood, The Mission, Colorsound, Expelaries, Spear of Destiny, The Alarm, The Cult, The Vaynes, Theater of Hate)
Ben Gunn (Ben Matthews) - Guitar
Wayne Hussey - Guitar (Dead or Alive, The Sisterhood, The Mission, Hambi & The Dance, Quadra, Walkie Talkies)
Patricia Morrison - Bass (Gun Club)
Jim Steinman - Producer
Larry Alexander - Producer
Tony James - Bass (Sique Sique Sputnik)
Tim Bricheno - Guitar (All About Eve, XC-NN)
Andreas Bruhn - Guitar (Doc Cheng, Earthbound, Favola, Fourth INC, MCV, MLB Project, Max Melvin, Miller & Floyd, Newman & Reece, Shadow Queens, Low Riders, Upserver)
Adam Pearson - Guitar
Boyd Steemson - Manager
John Perry - Guitars
Maggie Reilly - Vox
Ofra Haza - Vox
Terri Nunn - Vox (Berlin)
Andrea White - Illustration
Billie Hughes - Producer
Ian Stanley - Producer
Roxanne Seeman - Writer
Dave Allen - Mixing & Producer

Unknown-ness: I might have heard of them in passing before, but I've definitely heard of them since picking up this tape. Don't really even have to guess to know this is dark wave with gothic tones.

Album Review: From 1977 – 1990, the band, basically a project of co-creator & hard-to-deal-with Andrew Eldritch, his drum machine named Doktor Avalanche, and a revolving door of musicians, produced three albums before rebelling against  their management and record label and never produced another album. He still tours under the name, and they have written new material, but they have not release any official follow up albums. There have been a bunch of breakaway bands form ex-members, most famously perhaps, the Mission UK (UK added here in the states). And as much as their music is attributed as goth, the band is adamantly against that classification, preferring “rock band.”

“Under The Gun” was recorded for this 1993 release, the final label released track for Sisters of Mercy. It has dark, deep vocals and ominous, droning atmospheric effects. Powerful guitars and female vocals supplied by Ofra Haza add to the stark, barren soundscape. Eldritch’s chanting vocals are layered underneath.

“Temple of Love (1992)” chugging guitar and soaring female siren vocals. Male vocals pick up with a dark, steady mechanical tone, reminding me of German industrial or KMFDM. Once it kicks in, it becomes dark and danceable. Could see this used in a stereotypical film set trying to show a vampire dance club or a gothic audience.

“Vision Thing” starts with a heavy metal guitar, where screeching vocals are expected, we have the continued authoritarian vocals chanted like demands and laws brought down from a restricted society. Supposedly this, the title of the album it came from, was a quote from VP George HW Bush, so the mood and theme probably are derived from US politics.

“Detonation Boulevard” carries on the theme of buzzy metal guitar chords played over a dark, angular, mechanical backdrop. Vocals parody Iggy Pop and other deep, steady, rhetoric-fueled sounds. 

“Doctor Jeep” is motivational song with a training montage musical pace. Crystal synth creates a bleak landscape under the driving tempos. And as the male vocals are steady and monotone, the female vocals have a nice melody and complement well.

“More” builds up in pieces for the first minute and breaks back down after the drum brake hits. Quiet vocals and Running Man atmospheric keyboards add until it really kicks in at 1:50 with some power chords and a chorus of energetic female vocals to clash with the drab, bleak lead vocals.

“Lucretia My Reflection” kicks off with a solid bass line and simple bass/kick drum mechanical rhythm. The vocals explode with the guitars (as much as monotone vocals can) about 1:30 in and the propaganda-chanting echos imagery of dark and cold communist USSR. This is another solid darkwave dance track. The instrumental section seems to go on a lot longer than necessary, not covering any new ground as it proceeds.

“Dominion / Mother Russia” starts with an industrial bass & metal sheet-drum beat, and features a watery guitar loop overlaid. The shuttering monotone lead vocals brood and follow a melody bolstered by angelic female vocals in the chorus. Once the song transitions to the Mother Russia part, with the same basic elements as Dominion, it begins to sound like a dark wave Talking Heads song.

“This Corrosion” has more of an Iggy Pop / Richard Butler vocal style with more melody than previous songs. The female chorus still echoes darkly, but at its heart, the song is actually upbeat and quite catchy – at least comparatively – with its Hank Kingsly-ish Hey Now Now chorus. Of course, this version is over 10 minutes long, so I could have dealt with the radio edit.

“No Time to Cry” cryptically begins with a few simple instruments then picks up like a dark New Order song. The vocals are deep and dark. There is a Devo-ish pogoing vocal in the background of the chorus. The lead vocals feel a little forced at being creepy.

“Walk Away” leans a little more toward arena rock, but on top of the cold, jangly guitars is that steady drum machine loop that makes it feel like industrial music underlying Dracula vocals.

“Body & Soul” almost has an oriental feel to it at the outset. The power guitar comes in, followed by the dark vocals. The song is pulled in the three ways, and it carries an overall mystical tone. 

Stand Out Track: This Corrosion (radio edit)

Links:
offical site
Wiki
AV Club: This Corrosion
Sisters-Wiki
Discogs
FB Community page

Ruby - Salt Peter

Name: Ruby

Album: Salt Peter

Year: 1995

Style: Trip Hop/Pop, Industrial

Similar Bands: Massive Attack, Tricky, Bjork, Cibo Matto, Portishead, Shakespears Sister

"One Word" Review: Haunting Steam Powered De Ja Vu

Based Out Of: Seattle, Wa (London/Scotland)

Label: Work Group, Creation Records, Sony Music Entertainment

 Salt Peter - Cover, Liner Images, Tray Photo

Salt Peter - Liner Notes, Back, CD

Salt Peter (1995)

1. Flippin' Tha Bird 4:09
2. Salt Water Fish 3:29
3. Heidi 4:04
4. Tiny Meat 4:04
5. Paraffin 3:36
6. Hoops 3:50
7. Pine 4:08
8. Swallow Baby 5:32
9. The Whole is Equal to the Sum of its Parts 4:07
10. Bud 4:19
11. Carondelet 7:06

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:
Mark Walk - Producer, Writer, Engineer, Mixing, All Instruments (Pigface, Skinny Puppy, ohGr, Saturday Knights, David Byrne, )
Lesley Rankine - Producer, Writer, All Instruments (Grizzelders, Silverfish, Pigface, Therapy?, Monster Voodoo Machine, Rockingbirds)
William Rieflin - Mixing, Extra Drums/Raving/Guitars (Allmusic credits)
Scott Crane - Asst Engineer
Eric Anderson - Bass (State Champs, Fuglees, Brigade, John Ottoman)
Matthew Donaldson - Object Photography
Rankine - Artwork & Additional Photos
ED Lindsay - Photo of John Rankine
Joesph Cultice - Photo of Lesley
Toby Egelnick - Layout

Unknownness: I have no memory of what this album sounds like, but I assume I heard of them at one point. I probably knew one song from MTV back in the 90's because I purchased the CD in a used clearance bin at the old Phila Record Exchange years ago. Maybe someone I knew recommended it or had it. None-the-less, it looks like it will be overly complex, intellectually dark indie rock. This is based on the texture picts and objects that make up the album's artwork. The spaced out lyrics/font give it a potentially poetic (intellectual) aesthetic. However, the photo of the singer in the CD tray reveals what could be either gothic to industrial to rave-techno. Lets see...

Album Review: The band name comes from the fact that both members have grandmothers named Ruby. The album was made with almost 100% computers and no band. She had a touring band for live shows, but Walk was not part of the performances. Two albums and a slew of remixes followed, all while Rankine continued using the moniker Ruby.

“Flippin' Tha Bird” starts of with haunting, backwards playing vocals and music. The trip hop nature sticks around with more haunting keyboard and mechanic percussion. An acoustic guitar is added into the mix at the chorus, and the vocals are pushed up to the front a little further and illustrate a dynamic range. The music reminds me a little of what Bjork was up to with her remixes (Army of Me) at the same time.

“Salt Water Fish” starts out immediately catchy with a high hat percussive beat and haunting whistle, reminding me of Cibo Matto. This song is very dance catchy, with pauses in the momentum that only build anticipation. The vocal harmonies beckon the darker parts of Shakespears Sister. The song fades away as if the techno dance truck that was playing the show backs out of the high school gymnasium.

“Heidi” has a swirling effect and haunting guitar as it begins. The vocals have a built in tension as they overlay each other and project over the minimal music. They growl, reverberate and shudder over the syllables making each note extra meaningful. This feels like it would be right at home on Cibo Matto’s recent concept album “Hotel Valentine.”

“Tiny Meat” is the second and best known single, reaching #22 on the US modern rock chart. It brings more hip-hop elements in with scratching and dropping beats. The vocal melody reminds me of Elastica, with little confident growls and yowls in accent. This is a pretty solid, energetic tv show montage song where the goal would be to show training or building something.  

“Paraffin” was the first single. It possesses Portishead like skipping back beats and Bjork like vocals and organ. The song drives on methodically, with a glowing organ and cold, frigid beats. The vocals, brief pips and reserved tone, feel like they are visiting a foreign land. The song winds down with singular keyboard notes and the repetition of the chorus: “Now I smell like paraffin”

“Hoops” was the third single. Beginning with an echoing simple drum beat, a deep synthetic bass drum kicks in to keep tempo. The song shuffles into trip hop style with industrial themes and haunting wood block technique. The wood block and warbling sonic distortions, like an inter-dimensional rift, take turns finishing out the track.

“Pine” has a repetitive, natural object clanking start, followed by a whining miserable string. That style is abandoned for a rush of marching and meandering synthetic bass. As a bridge, the elements pick up in energy and volume and clash like a battle. They rest again, letting the vocals have a go. After the wave of sound hits again, the song pauses to reset. It still chugs along, dropping the title here and there, and a couple of radio show sound effects help create the tense atmosphere, which just fades out.

“Swallow Baby” starts with some spoken word, and then slides into ear shot with a huge Big Audio Dynamite or Soup Dragons-like techno beat. A siren and cymbal percussion cruise by in the background, while jazzy elements and applause samples are layered in the front in sporadic bursts. A vocal solo feels like the track is going to end, but it comes back for 30 more seconds for spoken crowd-vocal samples and the same techno beats the song was built on.

“The Whole is Equal to the Sum of its Parts” quietly begins with a chanting-like synth beat. Flute is overlaid as the dark vocals creep up. After a minute, the whole song explodes with a wall of sound. The skipping-chanting synth beat grows louder and more prevalent, and a warning alarm melody gives the song a new urgent tempo. This is only to drop away, replaced by alternating sections of quiet and bombastic audio. The ending minute features a beat similar to how a transformer would transform in the old cartoons, or how the transporter would beam someone up in Stargate.

“Bud” is perhaps the jazziest, kitchen sink percussion, Tom Waits-ish track. It is dark, sexy, urban, and competent. It could simultaneously be performed in a speakeasy, as well as a Gothic warehouse show. The poetic lyrics tumble out without care, and shift between distorted old-tyme amplification, and clear as day whispering.

“Carondelet” continues with the distorted vocal effect, like a tired carnival barker feigning interest in her wares. The music is sinister and growing, but nothing too dangerous. At 1:30, a swirling, watery electronic melody brings in a sunnier outlook, but the old tyme vocals are still breathy, whispering their sad melody. The singular atmosphere is drug out for the entire song, the most lengthy, at just over seven minutes. Alternate, more confident, near-spoken vocals are added here and there, but the liquid melody permeates to the very end's fade.

Stand Out Track: Bud

Links:
Wiki
Full Album on Youtube
Allmusic
Popmatters Interview 2014
Discogs

Ministry - Twitch

Name: Ministry

Album: Twitch

Year: 1986

Style: Industrial Techno, Gothic

Similar Bands: Low Pop Suicide, Nine Inch Nails, My Life With Thrill Kill Kult, KMFDM, Front 242

"One-Word" Review: Mechanical Snake Dancing

Based Out Of: Chicago, IL

Label: Sire

 Twitch - Cover, Sleeve

 Twitch Back, Sleeve

Twitch - Record

Twitch (1986)

1. Just Like You 5:00
2. We Believe 5:56
3. All Day Remix 6:02
4. The Angel 6:06 / 
5. Over The Shoulder 5:11
6. My Possession 5:02
7. Where You At Now?/Crash & Burn/ Twitch (version 2) 12:15

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

Alain Jourgensen - Vox, Producer, Engineer (Special Effect, PTP, Front Line Assembly, Prong, Revolting Cocks, Lard, Skrew, 1000 Homo DJs, Skinny Puppy, Alan Vega)

Adrian Sherwood - Producer, Engineer

Gareth Jones - Engineering

Keith LeBlanc - Percussion, Programming (Nitzer Ebb, Wolfgang Press, Tackhead, Nine Inch Nails, Sugar Hill Gang)

Patty Jourgensen - Vox

Brad Hallen - Bass (Willie "Loco" Alexander, Aimee Mann, Peter Malik, Duke Robilliard, Roomful Of Blues)

Stephen George - Percussion (Black Cross, Colortone, Elliot Easton, Ric Ocasek)

Luc Van Acker - Vox (Shreikback, Revolting Cocks, Mussolini Headkick, Die Krupps, My Life With Thrill Kill Kult)

Brian Shanley - Cover Design, Photography (Honor By August, Revolting Cocks, Askold Buk)
Adrian Sherwood - Producer

Unknown-ness: I know I've heard of this band thanks to a bunch of friends in High School, but for the life of me, I could not remember if they were hardcore or industrial. So when I saw this in a thrift store basket, I had to take a chance on it. I’m pretty sure they were more along the lines of industrial- Nine Inch Nails, and this is probably one of the bands I know more about than I think I do, but I’m curious how this one sounds out of the catalogue, and more interestingly, how this style of music (that I’ve not really kept up with) sounds in today’s world, with my current musical palate.

Album Review: “Just Like You” begins with a cold drum beat with robotics and mechanics echoing in the background. Along with a synth horn, and propaganda-like spoken word vocals. The vocals then begin, they sound suspicious and whispery (I’m reminded of the Soup Dragons), and are supported by vocals in the background that shout the title. There are a lot of techno an synth percussive beats competing for attention, along with synth keyboards and brass. Underneath it all there is a bass line that sounds like the “bow down” bridge of “Head Like A Hole.” The album’s name sake is present in this song, but I can’t believe this is not a remix. It is the shortest song, but it goes on forever. But it does finally end with a percussive fade out. I’m reminded of previous TSM entries the Borghesia and Christian Lunch

“We Believe” is slightly more driving with synth bottle neck banging percussion at the beginning. That transitions into a darker new wave keyboard samples layered to create a cold, bleak scene. The vocals are distorted through a tinny vocoder, and sound slithery sharp. The vocals sound like combination of Cobra Commander and Decepticons. The end of the song has a gruff, dying vocal that repeats the title over, layered over a crescendo of synth elements that is picking up speed and sound. But then, it just fades away.

“All Day Remix” again bring the element of war and battle with a 1-2-3-4 chant and army direction laid over 80’s synth sounds and industrial drums. The whisper-distorted vocals sound downright sunny compared to the other songs so far, and although the song is still bleak, it has a more straight forward dance club atmosphere. There is a breakdown halfway through, that is followed up with sound clips from tv shows or movies. It then kicks back into the dancey song, as if it never lost a step. A heavy breath also comes in to rhythmically drive the song along, which also finishes the song out.

“The Angel” features maraca percussion at the outset. Synth effects and vocals are sporadically peppered in, and then a vibration wave synth gives the song momentum. 2 minutes in, and the song still feels like it is just starting to put things together, with an extra echoing 2-hit drum beat. The song still feels like a sketch of a song. It is a little ethereal, but overall, empty. The repeating line of “always an angel there” features female backing vocals.

“Over The Shoulder” first sounds like an airplane oscillating between taking off and landing. Then the industrial percussion adds in, with a neurotic bubbly bass, and the elements come together like a Nitzer Ebb song. The song features what sounds like the gothic version scratching and rapping. I like the energy in this song, and the vocals sound like they are trying to hold on, being as wispy as possible. A synth wood block section that accompanies the iron works industrial beats and airline sounds reminds me of the intro to Milli Vanilli’s “Blame It On The Rain,” which came a few years later. The song features a fade out as well, but overall, it is about a minute too long.

“My Possession” repeats a well tread path at this point with jittery, boingy synth and industrial presses and gas jets. The vocals drive the song along with their snake-like trajectory. It even sounds like it could be a cover of a Devo song, just with very different application. The end features a breakdown of just the driving drums and the vocals before it kicks back in for a short sprint to the finish.

“Where You At Now?/Crash & Burn/ Twitch (version 2)” is a three part song that starts off with industrial percussion and synth effects and the similar fast, bouncy/jittery bass synth. Those effects are traded in for a fast driving drum beat, and other varients are added to keep the repetitive rhythm interesting. There are more quotes spoken and layered over the industrial Devo like melody: “I’ll Save Ya (?) & Come on Get Out Here.” Like a dream sequence, other effects and melody come in like a shaky, staticy picture. At 5:30, the song shifts with the yelling of Crash and Burn, and the song changes to rhythmic firecracker percussion. The percussive sounds shift from left to right speaker, making the echoing more like an annoyance where you cannot concentrate on where the sound is coming from. Might be cool with headphones, though. This techno instrumental portion of the song relies on a steady import and exports of sounds in precise executed segments. At 9:12 a more steady percussion takes the background, and is again and again drowned out by the bombastic, consistent firecracker effect. 10:19 dishwasher like effects leads into a final section of the song. This sounds like the music going through the minds of the people who made the Running Man universe or the video game Smash TV: industrial metal sounds and kitchen sink percussion. The end of the song is warped vocals talking about entertainment. And the album just comes to a chaotic hault.

Stand Out Track: "Over The Shoulder"

Links:
Webpage

Wiki

Facebook

LastFM

Allmusic

Metal Archives

Prongs

Christian Lunch - Unreliable Sources

Name: Christian Lunch
Album(s): Unreliable Sources
Years: 1990
Style: Industrial, Dark-wave, Political
Similar Bands: Devo, Borghesia
"One-Word" Review: Indust-Pop
Based Out Of: Oakland, CA
Label: Alternative Tentacles

 

Unreliable Sources - Cover, Insert, Lyric Sheet & Record

 Unreliable Sources - Back, Lyric Sheet, Record

Unreliable Sources (1990)

1. Lynch Me 4:16
2. The Big Wind 4:47
3. Neighbourhood Watch 3:53 /
4. Drug Squad (American Version) 7:41 

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:
Christian Gregory Ingle (The Witch Trials)
John Beeby - Feedback, Solos, Rhythm Guitar (Live Report, Strange Cargo)
Les Davison - Solos, Rhythm Guitar (positively)
Jonas Bruce - Synth, Bass (Jack Bruce)
Blast! - voices solos, rhythm guitar
J. Pearce Carlin - Floortrader & Cartoon Voices
Luxa/Pan - Remix (Ministry, Lead Into Gold)
Jello Biafra - Production coordination (Dead Kennedys, Witch Trials)
Stella - Editorial Assistance

Unknownness: I’ve never heard of this band. I was convinced this was an ironic name of a hardcore, punk band, especially with the cross in place of the “t.” I discovered after a bit of research that this is just a guy’s stage name. In either case, I’m interested to see what this sounds like, knowing the catalogue of artists on Alternative Tentacles; I’m assuming it is political and angry in nature, especially with 3 of the 4 song titles.

Album Review:
“Lynch Me” begins with a bouncy pop beat with a bit of a dark undertone. Then wailing guitars are overlayed. The vocals begin, and sound isolated, but new wave mechanical and bouncy, something like Devo. The whole sound feels like one big cold soviet machine working together, with the wailing electric guitar bringing chaos to the set. The chorus is repetitive, but catchy and driving.
 “The Big Wind” has big industrial drums underscoring electric guitar screeching and an auctioneer spewing numbers. That fades out, and a bouncy synth rhythm follows up with a monotone cold vocal. The music kicks in, and the song drives forward. The electronic guitar sticks out like a sore thumb, not melding to the industrial techno beat. The auctioneer comes back for the middle instrumental section. And it comes back at the end to finish off the side and give the chaotic and ridiculous view of materialism & the stock market. Sandwiched between is a fun driving section of chorus repetition.
“Neighbourhood Watch” is very quick to change. It starts with a drum beat, adds a stoned-like vocal saying “hey”, then skips transition right into an electric guitar wail. And an industrial drum beat and dark bass are added giving the cold feel again. The message is a political/satirical look at how a neighbor goes crazy with all the normals in his neighborhood, and retaliates with a machine gun. There are lots of voiceovers with some juvenilely violent themes.

“Drug Squad” has electronic industrial traits, like steady solo drum beats, backwards skipping, but with a bit of a vocal rap. The whole song is very stripped down, and sounds like a serious, dark wave version of the Dead Milkmen’s “You’ll Dance To Anything.” It feels very long, meandering and drawn out for no real benefit. It is the same under produced, hook-less raps joined together with yelling of the song title. There are some added synth keyboard sounds added toward the end, (that sound like Mos Eisley Star Wars aliens) but they do not help the already interest-lost song.

Stand Out Track: Lynch Me 

Links:
Allmusic
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Mick Sinclair
Discogs
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Fad Gadget - Under The Flag / Singles

Name: Fad Gadget/Frank Tovey
Album: Under the Flag* Singles^
Year: 1982*, 1987^
Style: Gothic, Electro-New Wave
Similar Bands: Yaz, Depeche Mode, OMD, Madness (a little)
"One Word" Review: Monotonous-kill-thyself-wave
Based Out Of: Leeds, England
Label: Stumm8*, Mute Records*^, Sire^ 

Under The Flag - Cover, Insert & Record

Under The Flag - Back & Insert

Fad Gadget Singles - Cover, Insert & Record

Fad Gadget Singles - Back & Insert

Under The Flag (1982)

1. Under the Flag I 3:09
2. Scapegoat 2:53
3. Love Parasite 5:29
4. Plainsong 3:53
5. Wheels Of Fortune 4:55 /
6. Live On The Line IV 3:57
7. The Sheep Look Up 3:37
8. Cipher 5:39
9. For Whom The Bell Tolls 5:16
10. Under The Flag II 2:53

Fad Gadget Singles (1985)

1. Back To Nature 5:45
2. The Box 4:14
3. Ricky's Hand 4:05
4. Fireside Favourite 4:12
5. Lady Shave 5:44 /
6. Saturday Night Special 4:29
7. King Of the Flies 3:04
8. Life On The Line 3:52
9. For Whom The Bell Tolls 3:31
10. I Discover Love 3:48
11. Collapsing New People 4:15

Album Rating (1-10):
4.5*
6.5^

Members & Other Bands:

Frank Tovey - Lead Vocal, Computer and Synthesizers, Producer*^ Recording^

David Simmons Grand Piano, Synthesizers*^ Tuned Bottles^

Nicholas Cash - Vibraphone, Timpani, Hand-Held Percussion, Drums*

Alison Moyet - Chorus, Sax* (Yaz)

Barbara (BJ) Frost - Chorus*^ Photography^

Jill Tipping - Chorus, Typography*^

Yvette Anna - Chorus*

Andrew Kay - Chorus* Design & Typographer^

Anne Clift - Chorus*^

John Fryer - Chorus, Engineer, Produced*^ Recording^
Patricia Bakker - Dutch Nursery Rhyme*

Anton Corbijn - Art & Photography*^
Daniel Miller - Producer, Synthesizers, Recording, Drum Machines^

Eric Radcliff - Producer, Engineer, Bass, Banjo, Recording^

Gareth Jones - Producer, Engineer, Tonemeister^

BJ Frost - Choir Girl Effect^

Pete Balmer - Bass^

Joni Sackett - Vocals^

David Rogers - Double Bass, Bass Synth, Slide Guitar^

Rowland S Howard - Guitar^

Daryl Williams - Brass^

Simmon Gardner - Brass^

Eddie Carnihan - Brass^

Paul White - Sleeve Design^

Simone Grant - Design & Typographer^

Neil Waving - Photography^

Max Kisman - Photography^

George Bekker - Photography^

Unknown-ness: Never heard of these guys, but just from the stark, bleak cover, and the albums that these were mixed in with at the thrift store, I would have to imagine they are like depressing, post-punk new wave, along the lines of (gulp) Depeche Mode or Siouxie Sioux. Under the Flag makes me think of the minimal art work of, say Wire, and the Singles record makes me thing of Iggy Pop. But the clown on the back makes me think that there may be some interesting evil carnival music tones mixed into these songs. But as far as being influential or groundbreaking, I can’t say I’ve ever heard of Frank Tovey or the band…should I have?

Album Review: “Under the Flag I” is a dark, depressing song, with the basic tempo kept in time by the synthesized drum beat that sound a bit like a helicopter. The lyrics are sang in a depressed monotone. “Scapegoat” follows with two overlapping synth sounds, mixing Yaz and OMD. The lyrics are again sung with the same depressed monotone, which makes me think about Depeche Mode (it is Mute Records, after all), but they vocals are not as close to as annoying. The secondary, more upbeat synth sound is a metallic pinball effect. The supporting vocals, a female choir adds depth and a bit of hopefulness to the song. “Love Parasite” sounds like the background music for a fast-paced Atari game. Then the deeper bass synth is added to the fore-front, and adds to the Atari theme. This is less than 8-bit repetitive action! The title lyrics are repeated over and over, in a dismal, shoot-me-so-that-it-will-all-be-over way. There are other odd effects (good effects) that flesh the song out well longer than it needs to be. “Plainsong” begins with some reverberating distorted vocals. Minimal instrumentation and a choir of vocals support this aptly named plain song, which is repeated over and over; as is the verse at the end of the song. “Wheels Of Fortune” picks up the pace with an energetic drum beat and piano. There is more melody and confidence behind the vocals here, and even a sax effect. It has a little Roxy Music / Bryan Ferry feel to it (at least, compared the little I know about them).

“Live On The Line IV” starts side two with a prog style synth sound and more of the quiet monotone vocals. This is very sparse in musical depth, and has a hollow, haunting sound because of it. It actually sounds a little like Madness’s later stuff. “The Sheep Look Up” begins with a piano and vocals. It is kind of like a show tune, just in a gloomy, empty way. I could see an avant-garde musical dance interpretation performed to this song. “Cipher” has a slow start, it creeks into existence with a drum heart beat, deep bass sounds and mystical chimes. Actually it is not a start at all, it lasts for 3 minutes before the quiet Jarvis Cocker style vocals are added. But the vocals don’t change the tone or direction of the song at all. “For Whom The Bell Tolls” follows it up with an upbeat echoey gothic dance beat. There is more energy behind the vocals here, but they are quite often fall into the realm of monotonous. The song ends with a few tribal sounding vocal outbursts, and synthesized laser sounds. “Under The Flag II” revisits the first song on the album, with dialogue overlaid, and more chanting. The same rhythmic beat is there, it is just mixed up with extra effects and vocals, which make it a thicker, more complex song that the version I.

Because this is a greatest hits album, the cohesive nature of the songs will not really exist. But that is nothing really threatening to how I review, since I break it down song by song. “Back To Nature” continues the vocal style that is familiar to the full length. There is the same darkness and disparity to the music as it feels sharp and jarring in its tone. The song winds down with some electric tones played at what seems random. “The Box” starts with a liquid, vibrating bass sound. The vocals are more chanting and energetic than usual. But the song is still not very deep in musical structure. “Ricky's Hand” is a fun electronic, nearly dancy song full of industrial effects and computer samples. It sometimes feels like a Nintendo video game, of which, I was always a fan of Mega Man for music and play. “Fireside Favourite” is actually a fun, twisted carnival romp. If only more of the material was like this! It has a fun bass and drum kit beat, and the synthesized squeaky key sound makes me also think of Sonic the Hedgehog. It is still gloomy, but it is a rich gloom, hazed over with whisky and balloons. “Lady Shave” is back to the more German electro industrial music style. There is an interesting odd computer-synth sound effect that is kinda evil carnivally, and redeems the otherwise starkly depressing song. The lyrics, angrily whisper-shouted “shave it!” are a little off-putting, too; especially at the very end where they repeat without end in a fade out.

The second side of this compilation features two songs from the “Under the Flag” album, so I have omitted reviewing them again. They occur midway through the side, so I will review the songs as if they were not there at all. “Saturday Night Special” is another along the line of “Fireside Favorite” where it feels like the theme song to a shady traveling carnival. The tinkling piano mixed with the oompa-polka bass completes the dingy vision. The ending repetition of male and female vocals layered upon each other extends the song for a bit long. “King Of the Flies” breaks all form and puts out a full on post-punk electro dance song. This one is really good, kinda disco in the bass and piano delivery. But all the weird creepy effects are present, just wrapped neater and tighter in a complete musical package. “I Discover Love” is like a sneaky detective song, mostly parallel to Madness in their most sinister. The song is very good too, with brass sections, and a jazzy bass rhythm. Even the backing vocals and piano make me think of Madness. “Collapsing New People” brings together the industrial rhythm and latter period xylophone and a bit of brass effects. It is much more upbeat than the earlier stuff. Even in the vocals, there is an upbeat energy that was not present before. Like there is something to live for, for the first time.

Over all, the singles collection reveals a stark change of style and mood from the early years through to the end of the collection of 1985. I am very impressed with the later years, and I’d be interested to hear more of the album that features “I Discover Love” and “King of the Flies.” Thems good songs.

Stand Out Tracks:

Under the Flag II*

King of the Flies ^

Links:

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Borghesia - No Hope, No Fear / Surveillance and Punishment

Name: Borghesia
Album(s): No Hope, No Fear* / Surveillance & Punishment ^
Year(s): 1987* / 1989^
Style: Industrial New Wave
Similar Bands: Einsturzende Neubauten, Nitzer Ebb, KMFDM
"One-Word" Review: Industriganda-Synth-Fear-Wave
Based Out Of: Slovenia (ex Yugoslavia)
Label: Play It Again Sam USA*^, Wax Trax Records*

No Hope, No Fear - Cover & Record
No Hope No Fear - Back & Record

Surveillance & Punishment - Cover & Record

Surveillance & Punishment - Back & Record

No Hope, No Fear (1987)*

1. Ni Upanja, Ni Strahu (No Hope, No Fear) 4:30
2. Na Smrtno Kazen (Sentenced To Death) 5:15
3. 133 4:15 /
4. Blato (Mud) 5:16
5. Lovci (Hunters) 3:19
6. Mi Smo Povsod (We Are Everywhere) 5:41

Surveillance & Punishment (1989)^

1. Discipline! (Punish Them) 5:06
2. Raga (In Memorium Goran Devide) 4:13 /
3. Am I? (VersionTwo) 4:20
4. Discipline! (There Is Rebellion In The Wind) 5:06

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5* 6.0^

Members & Other Bands:Dario Seraval - vocals, programing (1982 - 1991)
Aldo Ivancic - drums, programing (1982 - 1995) (Bast)
Zemira Alajbegovic - video (1982 - 1989)
Goran Devide - video (1982, died in Maribor in 1988)
Neven Korda - video (1982 - 1989)
Igor Leonardi - Guitar*
Karmen Mihajlovic - Vox*
Silvo Znidarsic - Engineer*^
Janet Krizaj - Engineer*
Borut Berden - Engineer*
Steinberg - Software Support^
Imre Caki - Conductor Vodice Primary School^

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of these guys. But from the album art, they look like an electronic dance / new wave band. Although the albums were donated to a thrift shop amidst other gothic and dark new wave acts, so perhaps they will be more depressing or droning. I did take note that their song titles were in a different language, and just from the name and art work I assumed Russian or German.

Album Reviews: “No Hope, No Fear” starts off with the title track, with a synthesized drum beat and synthesized electronic bass. Nitzer Ebb style drums are added as well as other electronic beats. The low vocals are sung in their native tongue, and sound like propaganda chanting, rather than singing, but the dark, cold atmosphere is created. The song gets a little new wave funky at times, thanks to some keyboard effects, but they come in small spurts. After some sampled vocals, the singing becomes more aggressive, shouting as if the audience has grown bigger, and his voice is trying to reach the back of the courtyard. “Sentenced to Death” begins with more dialogue sampling, and is followed up with an industrial clanking rhythm. The music is sparse, with lots of empty space between the instruments, creating the barren cold instrumental songscape. There are distorted vocals layered, but they do not constitute as lyrics. The industrial rhythm comes in for a short break, overlapped with a little bit of klezmer style. “133” beep beeps along, sounding like a intensive care ward in a hospital. The industrial rhythms (a hard working heart, maybe) enter into the rhythm for a minute, and the synthesized keyboards come in. The pulsing heart beat is never lost, but the song evolves from a hospital room to a dream state. It is instrumental again in the sense that vocals are distorted and add more rhythm rather than lyrical purpose.

“Mud’s” metallic stomp-drum intro creeps into sinister existence, and security announcement vocals drone overtop for half of the song. It really evokes images of patterned movements by a vast armored army and cold war fear. “Hunters” possesses a quicker drum beat with loud whisks of air that could be odd screams over top. A haunting whine/cry/vocal adds to the oddness and confusion. This is the music inside the E-Protectorate’s labyrinth of a fortress in Solarbabies. It is just repetitive shouts, chants, noises really that inspire fear. “We Are Everywhere” ends this mini 6 track album with everything that has come before it. A sinister jaws/spy hunter bass line drives the song with its two drum beats percussion. And what follows is a mix of buzzing sounds, spoken word commands, mechanical marches and frightening synthesizers.

“Discipline (Punish)” begins the ep, 2 years later in the making. It sounds like Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal without the pop element or any musical diversity. There is a haunting chorus of kids chanting over the music, accompanied by bells and cheery synth sounds. That becomes over run with more propaganda shouts, as the warden takes musical hold. “Raga” is a Middle Eastern instrumental, punctuated with a bassy repetitive alarm effect. It still has an empty, bleak feel, as there is a lot of space and echoy effects layered deep down in the production.

“Am I?” has more musical beats than most of the other tracks that have come before it. This is more along the lines of industrial techno. It is still more empty than rave music, but it is more than these guys have offered as of yet. There is an choral chant that is echoy and evil and mixed down in the music. And they use a squeaky animal sound too, which kinda seems odd when compared to the mix. Also mixed in are distorted lyrics from “Sex Machine” “get on up.” Finally “Discipline (Rebellion)” finished off their EP with more stripped down “Smooth Criminal” elements. And more repetitive dialogue, set in different tones, is added. Since this and the first track are both called Discipline, it makes sense that they have the same characteristics. Actually, thinking about Smooth Criminal, perhaps this was an inspiration for the song, since the video for it was very industrial, and there is that one part with industrial vocals over the musical break down.

Stand Out Track:

No Fear, No Hope*

Discipline! (Punish Them)^

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