Radio-Active-Music.com - Articles

Avi Ghosh - Severing The Tie

2008-04-23T23:04:00.001-04:00

Brainchild of Defy’s frontman, Avi Ghosh, “The Art of Feeling Low” encapsulates all fans have come to love about Defy, and then some. Raw in emotion (though not in production), Avi Ghosh has masterfully produced this full length album to center around something everyone can relate to – a tragic end to a close relationship. The entire CD is a journey from the beginning pains of a break-up to the ultimate resolution of moving on, and everything in between. The album is cathartic for both the artist and the listener, I’m sure.

Defy had already wowed me in the past with excellent song structure and production skills, and this new album surpasses the band’s previous efforts. While I more closely associate Defy with industrial rock bands such as Celldweller, Avi Ghosh’s solo project has a darker alternative sound, reminiscent of the best aspects of A Perfect Circle. The songs are innovative and catching, leaving this album as a top pick to be left on repeat in anyone’s CD player.

Suggested Tracks:
“Art of Feeling Low”
“Don’t Count On Me Anymore”

Lujhboia - Sendero de Panico

2008-04-23T23:00:00.002-04:00

A merger of aggrotech and EBM at it’s finest, the independent artist Lujhboia represents up-and-coming industrial at it’s finest. After receiving many favorable reviews from members of the Side-Line forums, I gave this album a spin myself and was in no way disappointed. Lujhboia combines the best aspects of bands such as Psyclon Nine, Dawn of Ashes, and Angels on Acid, while giving a wonderful amount of variance to the songs to keep things very interesting and diverse. This is exactly what the stompy industrial scene is looking for today.

You can’t argue with the price of this album, either – Lujhboia is giving this album away for free on their website! There’s simply no reason not to get this album. DJ’s should especially give this album a listen; there are many tracks on this CD - such as “Sins of My Past” - sure to get the dance floor moving.

My only complaint about the CD (which resulted in the less-than-perfect rating) is that the production sounds a little thin. That may be due to the album being distributed in 192kps mp3s, so I hope that if the band decides to release a hard copy version of these songs, that all will be corrected. And with talent like this, I highly doubt this band will stay unsigned or unnoticed for long.

Suggested Tracks:
“Sins of My Past”
“Maldita”
“Solitude”

Various Artists - Songs in the Key of Death

2008-03-26T02:04:00.002-04:00

I first heard about this compilation through the hot musical stylings of Everything Goes Cold - the current project of Eric Gottesman (Psyclon Nine, Ayria, See Colin Slash). Not only did I want to get my hands on a new EGC track (as we're all still waiting for "I’ve Sold Your Organs on the Black Market to Finance the Purchase of a Used Minivan" to be made publicly available), but the idea of an entire CD filled with songs all called "Deathkey" was pretty intriguing.

I wasn't disappointed. This is one of those albums where you can just tell these artists really enjoyed putting together tracks for this project. From tongue-in-cheek references to the insides of the goth/industrial scene ("Is Metropolis really going bankrupt?", "I'm on the Side-line boards!", etc.) to general mayhem (such as Unter Null's cover of "Gangsta's Paradise"), this album is filled with moments of hilarity to the careful listener.

While it's not the most brilliantly produced work (some of the tracks could have been mastered a bit better) it's definitely a breath of fresh air to a genre that tends to take itself far too seriously.

Suggested Tracks:
"Deathkey" (The Gothsicles)
"Deathkey" (Everything Goes Cold)
"Deathkey" (Unter Null)

Strangeland Records: Goth/Industrial Armageddon 2008

2008-01-20T14:15:00.000-05:00

xUBERx guitarist Cheetahdave plays near SLR owner Ryan Hill

After two years of serving the DC metro area's need for electronic, industrial, metal, and punk music, Strangeland Records will be closing its doors for the last time on March 17th (marking their two year anniversary). Preferring to go out with a bang rather than a whisper, the shop organized three all day events during the month of January.

Goth/Industrial Armageddon 2008 took place on Saturday, January 12th,featuring some of the best goth & industrial bands and DJs in the DC metro area. Like all of the shows put on by SLR over the last two years, these free, all ages events were designed to help bolster a deminishing indie music scene by providing both bands and fans a fun, relaxed environment to enjoy some of the best new music around. Strangeland's never-ceasing support of the DC music scene will be sorely missed, and a hard gap to fill.

National act Ego Likeness headline this last industrial event.

Headling this event, Ego Likeness has always been a strong supporter of the shop, having graced the venue with one of it's first (and best attended) industrial shows on Halloween in 2006. Ego Likeness was also one of the many local artists who contributed to the Strangeland Records' "Goth/Industrial 2007" compilation, which has now sold out of it's second run of printing.

The crowd gathers around as The Opposite Sex performs.

One of the premier goth rock bands in the area, The Opposite Sex bring back the old school in a stellar way, helping to prove that the scene is by no means dead and buried.

SLR's intimate setting allows fans to get close and personal with bands like Red This Ever

Synth rock stars Red This Ever are one of Baltimore's hottest hometown acts. Larger than life, this band maintains a hectic show schedule, as well as helping to run The Depot in Baltimore (which hosts 1-2 goth/industrial/80's events weekly) as well as their own brand new music and clothing store - DryTear - located just above their venue.

Ken of Rites of Ash, one of DC's premier industrial rock acts.

Rites of Ash is gaining wide-scale attention, due to numerous shows at some of the area's larger venues (such as Jaxx) as well as national broadcasting through MTV. Industrial Rock to the max, these guys are moving up.

Electro rockers dharmata 101 are well-known at SLR for their crazy antics during shows.

Electro-industrial rock inspired by Buddhist philosophy, dharmata 101 presents the DC scene with some of the most intricate industrial music imaginable. The band's new guitarist, Ilker Yucel, is the editor for nationally-known ReGen Magazine - another huge supporter of Strangeland Records throughout the years.

xUBERx kick off the event in industrial style.

Punk industrial noise act xUBERx is comprised of some of DC's most prominent DJs. Within a year of forming, the band has released one EP and is currently working on their first full length release.

Fluffy Starr - Come On!

2007-12-13T17:39:00.000-05:00

Finally. All of Fluffy Starr's fans let out a chorused sigh of relief when her long-awaited debut album, "Come On!", dropped this month.

Fluffy quickly claims her territory immediately on "Intro", making no bones about stating who she is and what this album is about to do. From track two on, this album is filled with sultry vocals and raging synths. Hard rock to the max, Fluffy Starr merges Gwen Stefani with Orgy, Madonna with Nine Inch Nails. Welcome to the new industrial rock.

The album is filled with the old demos, completely rethought. For long-time fans, adjusting to the new stylism might take some time. The quality and price is unmatched; from the superb mastering, the captivating vocals, and even a few surprises (such as guest vocals from Celldweller), this album is filled with 13 tracks of industrial goodness.

Suggested Tracks:
"Dirty Little Secret"
"Cold"
"Obsession"

Helalyn Flowers - A Voluntary Coincidence

2007-12-13T17:20:00.000-05:00

Helalyn Flowers is currently one of the hottest bands on Alfa_Matrix, and for good reason. Straight out of Italy with stunning vocals, heavy guitar riffs, and moving electronics, Helalyn Flowers has a little bit of everything to appeal to any industrial fan.

"A Voluntary Coincidence" is Helalyn Flower's first full-length release to date, and is comprised of both new material and the first few tracks originally released by the band earlier this year - both independently and on their first Alfa_Matrix EP. For a fan who has been on the fence about purchasing a release from Helalyn Flowers, this is recommended for a first buy. If you already own many of these songs, it may be a little bit harder to justify the price for only a few new tracks.

Standing alone, it's a good album. My only complaints are less-than-amazing artwork (I expected more from a band who already has produced stellar promo photos and cover art), and the lack of punch the album delivers. There's nothing specifically wrong with any track, but there's nothing that really stands out either.

Suggested Tracks:
"E-Race Generation"

The Birthday Massacre - Walking With Strangers

2007-12-13T16:33:00.000-05:00

I knew after hearing a lot of the new material at this year's Blacksun Festival, that this album would be stellar. The Birthday Massacre have built and maintained their own unique sound for many years without forsaking the ability to grow and expand.

"Walking with Strangers" brought some fresh new music to the fans, along with some old favorites remastered. Any long-time fan will thoroughly enjoy the new versions of such songs as "Remember Me" and "To Die For" - and if you're really paying attention, you'll pick up the reworked lyrics in "Looking Glass" from a collaboration The Birthday Massacre did with Vanity Beach several years ago on "The Knight Murders." In all respects, this album definitely feeds the craving of current fans.

As far as the new material goes, there are some great new works from the band, including their first single "Kill The Lights" as well the bass-blowing masterpeice "Red Stars". However, I was a bit disappointed to find that several of the other songs on this album just didn't quite live up to the quality of the aboved mentioned, or their previous works.

Suggested Tracks:
"Looking Glass"
"Red Stars"
"Kill The Lights"
"Remember Me"

Angels On Acid - Eyes Behind The Curtain

2007-10-12T23:42:00.000-04:00

After having been introduced to Angels On Acid's music by several of the DC DJs, I knew I had to check these guys out. After hearing the great demos and catching an amazing performance at BOUND, I knew these guys were going places. Angels On Acid graced the stage at Nuclearfest 2007 as one of our headliners, and it's clear by their release of "Eyes Behind The Curtain" that they're only going up.

Angels On Acid represent everything that's going right in EBM these days. Killer electronics that keep you dancing, interlaced with the perfect blend of harmonic vocals meshed with industrial growls. This CD is a must have to DJs looking to pack the dance floor with something new. Even now, "Misery Loves Company" is blazing trails throughout clubs in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC.

Suggested Tracks:
"Misery Loves Company"

In Tenebris - In Tenebris

2007-10-12T23:24:00.001-04:00

A long-time Virginia favorite, female-fronted goth rockers In Tenebris have finally graced their fans with their long-awaited full-length. In Tenebris have been one of the most active goth/industrial bands in the Eastern United States scene, playing recently with bands such as Bella Morte and Ego Likeness. The band's self-titled release now features their fan's favorite live ballads in their studio-recorded glory.

Christina's clear soprano vocals soar in a manner reminescient of Ego Likeness or Evanescence, complimented by a memorable combination of electronics and acoustic instruments, especially in tracks such as "Chrysalis". In Tenebris have always surpassed the generic label of "goth rock" by creating a distinct sound with the meld of traditional rock rhythms and catchy electronic pulses.

The only disappointment from this band was the announcement of the band's demise soon after the release. However, many of the band members have expressed their plans to follow seperate projects, many of which will be followed by Radio-Active-Music.com. In the meantime, there's no denial about In Tenebris' impact on the goth/industrial scene in the Eastern Seaboard.

Suggested Tracks:
"Chrysalis"
"Havok"

Psyclon Nine - Crwn Thy Frnicatr

2007-01-12T13:29:00.000-05:00

Well. Oh my. This CD seriously threatened a spot on my top five albums of all time. Leaving conventional noise industrial in the dust, Psyclon Nine blows their own excellent previous albums out of the water with their third release. INRI sounds like nursery rhymes in comparison.

Crwn Thy Frnicatr still falls into the realms of aggrotech, but with decidedly death metal influences, meaning lots more guitar and faster and deadly drum beats. I was afraid when I first heard Ner0 mention in an interview that Psyclon Nine was taking this approach, but the band has successfully incorporated the best of this darker side of music without loosing that enticing beat that makes everyone want to move.

The new release is also intensly more gothic, giving a very erie mood that pervades throughout the album, both intensifying the overall mood and cohesivily intertwining the songs into one satisfying experience. The songs range from in-your-face death metal threats to synthesized based oontz tracks, but they all have this very specific gothic and grounded twist that allows for a whole range of interpretation.

Suggested songs:
"Crwn The Frnicatr"
"Flesh Harvest"
"Visceral Holocaust"
"Parasitic"
"[bonus track]"

Plumb - Chaotic Resolve

2007-01-12T13:15:00.000-05:00

Plumb is one of my longterm music obsessions, who finally did what we hope all of our favorite artists would do: she went back to her original sound. Her self-titled album and first release will forever be one of my favorite CDs. From then, however, her music had somehow slipped away from hard rock and went progressively more country over the next few releases.

But thankfully, on her fourth album, Plumb has gone back to her roots and graced the fans with a mostly hard rock album laced with hints of gothic appeal. I say mostly, since there are a few weaker slow rock ballads that I can't do anything with (other than skip over to the next track).

But the stronger songs make the album worthwhile, such as "I Can't Do This", "Better", and "Good Behavior". These songs have an ethereal gothic quality, that would appeal to any Evanescence fan. With these tracks, along with "Motion" (which is sure to get you out on the dance floor) it's well worth owning.

Suggested Tracks:
"I Can't Do This"
"Motion"
"Better"
"Damaged (extended remix)"

Life Cried - Drawn And Quartered

2006-08-22T21:20:00.000-04:00

Somehow in the misery of fighting an ongoing virus, I managed to drag my sorry self to Freaks United '06 over the fourth of July at Alchemy at Nation. I mean, with such names as Terrorfakt, Informatik and Chemlab on the list, how could I not, really? Being so sick, I didn't stay too late...but after seeing the ultimate performance put on by Life Cried, I definitely got my money's worth.

And speaking of getting my money's worth, I instantly snagged myself a copy of Life Cried's recent album, not wanting to let go of the band's hold on my attention anytime soon. "Drawn and Quartered" is an excellent piece of art, and is from start to finish a driving, thunderous album. Life Cried immediately seperates themselves from the stereotypical aggrotech/noise acts with decidely gothic intonations, as well as an overwhelming range of synth-dirived electronics.

Suggested Tracks:
"Hallowed Be Thy Name"
"Gaurdian"
"Stale"
"Waiting For An End"

Heretics In The Lab - Evolver

2006-04-26T17:28:00.000-04:00

Marilyn Manson needs to watch out for this new industrial act from Virginia Beach. Heretics In The Lab has a deeply dark and infecting sound, with a drive that is indeed mechanical and unearthly.

This first release is well received by the fans that have been mesmerized by the band’s live performance. Though the album will be easily accessible to any fan of industrial rock/metal, Heretics In The Lab has effectively evolved from the traditional singular level of in-your-face industrial, and instead has created a moving, versatile, and multi-layered sound full of emotional gains and pitfalls. The band leaves no aspect of life free from examination as they plunge into the deeper details of meaning.

While crowd favorites at the live shows include the metallic brilliance of songs such as “The Negative” and “Car Crash”, I was thoroughly impressed by the softer sides that appeared on this album as well. While h3 can scream with the best of them, the singer also has a wonderfully enchanting voice in songs such as “Personal Apocalypse” – an unexpected twist in style that helped to round out this release.

My only suggestion would be a tweaking of the mix – many times both the main and backing vocals were mixed too low...and HITL has lyrics worth hearing.

Suggested Tracks:
"The Living"
"Personal Apocalypse"
"Car Crash"

51 Peg - ESC/CTRL

2006-04-26T17:25:00.000-04:00

When I first heard "Thin Victory" on the website I knew I was going to have to get this album. I had collected a lot of demos and older tracks from 51 Peg that I really liked over the years, but none of them compared to the hooking power that the first single from 51 Peg’s "ESC/CTRL" maintains.

The EP opens with a scathingly beautiful "Below the Soul(e)", perfect preparation for "Thin Victory" and it's rocking metamorphosis of hatred and acceptance. In the same manner, "Thin Victory" prepares the listener for the brutal honesty of the following song, the political allusion "Stalemate" – a song that takes you to Iraq even if you don't want to go. But don't worry. You get a break before diving into the danceable "Delectable News", followed by the closing power and drama of the last two songs.

51 Peg has mastered the combination of the electronic with the industrial. They are a total and perfect blend of both worlds.

This is a CD full of singles. Every song is uniquely wrought and perfected to a level that few artists have been able to reach. I can't imagine the amounts of labor and love that went into each song, from the amazing synthesis to the captivating lyrics to the final effects. There's not a flaw in any of it.

Suggested Tracks:
"Thin Victory"
"Stalemate"
"Delectable News"

Defy - This Means Goodbye

2006-04-25T17:23:00.000-04:00

It's no surprise that Defy took home Best Album and Best Digital Release in this year's Radio-Active-Music.com Music Awards - with years of perfecting experience in the scene, and drawing comparisons to leaders in the industry in both vocal precision and musical mastery, Defy meets every expectation with their latest release.

Following the new trend of digital-only releases, Defy's new album "This Means Goodbye", is another tasteful example of musical excellence in today's computerized world. Nothing is lacking in this release - each song is uniquely wrought and complete, using a wide variety of musical stylisms to create a memorable and cohesive sound that is both recognizably Defy, but never boring.

The amount of depth and layering to the songs is hard to match, and my response now is most reminiscent of the awe I felt when I first got my hands on Celldweller's debut a few years ago, as well as the stellar release of "The Humanoid Expansion Pack" from Dead Inside The Chrysalis. And while I listen to a lot of great music, it's still a rare occurance when I'm so completely floored by an artist; but this new album from Defy immediately takes its place among my top album picks of all time.

Suggested Tracks:
"Happiness Wasn't Meant For Me"
"This Means Goodbye"
"The Parasite"
"I Won't Fade Away"

Auto-Auto - Totem EP

2006-04-25T17:19:00.000-04:00

New and newsworthy from Sweden, Auto-Auto has recently digitally released their latest EP, "Totem", through Substream Records. This release from the start promised to be fun; not only is it fully and freely available for download on their website in several popular formats, they've also released full remix kits for all of the songs for the fans' enjoyment.

And enjoyment is the right term - in a genre subculture that frequently conveys some of the "darker" sides of life, Auto-Auto has completely reversed the electronic style into a fun, upbeat, and relaxing EP, without losing any of the ethereal goodness that fans of electro/goth/industrial have come to expect.

Suggested Tracks:
"Transdimensional"
"5:57"

Hatred Hurt Itself - Thinker

2006-04-24T17:18:00.000-04:00

Mix all the crunchiness of Club Decease with the desolate nature of some of Trent Reznor's latest work, and you'll have the emotional masterpeice of Hatred Hurt Itself's latest album. With a much more organic sound, "Thinker", still blends traditional industrial with more earthy tones.

Vocalist Tristan May has a very catching vocal technique; forgoing a more empowered style, instead he claims a more resolved, almost apathetic tone that better belays the emotion behind it. Instead of in-your-face anger, the subtle madness creeps in and invades like the aftermath of a bad night of drinking. It's a very available style of communication, and one that Hatred Hurt Itself melds perfectly with driving and intensive music.

Recommended Tracks:
"Triggerfinger"
"From The Makers Of..."
"The White Space Method"

Psyclon Nine - INRI

2006-04-24T17:15:00.000-04:00

After stumbling across Psyclon Nine at Alchemy at Nation a few weeks ago, I was enthralled by the band's sound and visual style. So at the earliest opportunity, I snagged a copy of their latest album, "INRI".

After hearing the songs live in such a stunning setting, I was not disappointed in either quality or impact by the studio recordings. The album carries just as much punch as the live stage performance, and hasn't left my car stereo much in the last month.

In some cases, simpler is better; this is one of the more interesting qualities of Psyclon Nine's music. Most industrial metal of the day is complicated, intricate, and changing, but Psyclon Nine has created an equally driving and interesting sound through tasteful repetition and simplicity. By using strong choices in both lyrical content and musical style, the band has created memorable and impacting songs, both musically and emotionally.

I was also impressed on the broad range of vocal styles and effects used by lead singer, Nero. I used to think that bands could only do so much with "screaming", but Psyclon Nine has does a very intriguing job of layering screams, whispers, and synthesis in many of their songs, such as "Behind A Serrated Grin" and "Harlot".

Last I heard, a third album is in the works, and I join the thousands of fans in anticipation.

Suggested Tracks:
"Harlot"
"INRI"
"Behind A Serrated Grin"

2005 Radio-Active-Music.com Awards

2006-02-28T16:17:00.000-05:00

And the final results for the 2005 Radio-Active-Music Awards are tallied and posted! Congratulations to our winners and to all of the fabulous bands that were nominated for each catagory. On a website with such talent, it's hard to pick a clear leader, but the fans have spoken!

Fans' Choice Award 2005: Cynergy 67
An immediate and obvious crowd pleaser, Cynergy 67 have been out in the scene for several years, racking up album releases, awards, sponserships, and a long list of shows - sharing the stage with the likes of Orgy, Godhead, Celldweller, Deadstar Assembly, and Powerman 5000. And it's no wonder with their impressive musical imagination and empowered vocals and lyrics.

Album of the Year 2005: Defy - This Means Goodbye
Already veterans to the scene, Defy blessed the musical world with their latest release, "This Means Goodbye", as the long-awaited follow-up to their first few well-appreciated albums over the last few years. The new album meets every expectation, both of long-time fans and new listeners.

Female Vocalist of the Year 2005: Valerie Linaker, Eye Butterfly
Smashing into the scene just recently, Eye Butterfly is a brand new electro-goth band out of Toronto fronted by veteran vocalist Valerie Linaker. With dark and mysterious intonations, her voice is the perfect compliment to Greg's electronic hands.

Male Vocalist of the Year 2005: Klayton Scott, Celldweller
Klayton is certainly one of the most prominent male vocalists in the scene today, having garnered fans from his early Circle of Dust days to his starlit career currently as Celldweller. From the caressing melodies to the in-your-face emotion, Klayton effectively covers the whole range of vocal talent.

EP of the Year 2005: Third Realm - Renfield's Syndrome
Already a popular success on the myspace charts, it should be no surprise that this year's winner would be one of the most stunning new artists in electro goth/industrial. With a sound spanning the gamut from harsh industrial to bouncy electronics, this is a perfectly well-rounded release.

Single of the Year 2005: Cynergy 67 - "The Touch"
This year's best single is a great example of quality in content and production. With both catching beats, driving vocals, and intelligent lyrics, Cynergy 67 well deserves the appreciation.

Demo of the Year 2005: Eye Butterfly
Over the past year, Eye Butterfly has done an impressive job of steadily releasing a stream of demos to entice the fans. With a memorable and unique electronica sound mixed with deeply mysterious vocals, the fans certainly should be excited.

DVD of the Year 2005: The Birthday Massacre - Blue
After the last few successful releases from this band, it's no surprise that the DVD meets the same exceptional quality as the last albums. The Blue DVD contains the artfully done music video for Blue, along with several other videos and live recordings. A must for every TBM fan.

Digital Release of the Year 2005: Defy - This Means Goodbye
With the dawning of the new millenium, bands are slowy taking advantage of new technology instead of fighting against it. So this new catagory represents artists who have made the jump into soley digital releases. After several hard-copy albums, Defy joins the ranks of bands of releasing an exeptional album by purely digital means...and the result is in no way lacking.

Non-Traditional Release of the Year 2005: The Birthday Massacre - Violet (Metropolis re-release)
This is the album that keeps on giving. After the Violet EP won Best EP in the 2004 awards, Violet was given a second and extended release in Europe with several of the older Nothing And Nowhere tracks redone. Now, to the delight of North American fans, Metropolis has distributed this extended version of Violet as well.

Superior Support 2005: 51 Peg
Here at Radio-Active-Music.com, we decided to honor one of our most outstanding members of the community; a band that not only actively pursues musical perfection in their craft, but shows the true nature of friendship and support to other musicians. Over the past few years I've watched 51 Peg help The Birthday Massacre achieve their first US tour, give up their headlining slot to Celldweller when they lost their original gig, and help book shows for countless other bands looking to play in the DC area. Bands like 51 Peg are the epitome of why this site and community was created.

Thanks again for all of the fans who came over and voted! We hope you found some new good music while you were here, and that you'll be keeping your eyes out for new bands, music, news, and more!

Collide - Like The Hunted

2006-01-13T15:57:00.000-05:00

The DVD opens with the live recording of their set, and I must say, well done! Professionally shot, well edited, and definitely gives the fans a good idea of what their concert would be like. Collide has an excellent visual performance - from the costuming, to the lighting, to kaRIN's onstage persona, nothing is lacking.

But I think for me the real thrill on this DVD is the music video collection; specifically, the “Euphoria” video. Jaw-dropping gorgeous. Literally in my top 5 music video picks of all time. I also enjoyed the "Son of a Preacher Man" video as well – the first viewing was rather shocking, but once I got over the initial “WTF?” moments, it was thoroughly enjoyable the second round. As far as the “Razor Sharp” videos go...not quite as thrilling. Which is disappointing since “Razor Sharp” is to date my favorite Collide song.

The interview was pretty interesting in regards to substance, though technically could have been better done. I know a lot of bands try to go for that “in the studio” look, but the lack of decent lighting and audio doesn’t really make it worth it in the end, especially when it’s held in comparison to the higher quality of the rest of the DVD.

Overall on its own, I would have given this DVD 4/5...but it’s the live CD that came with it that clinches the deal. I’m usually not totally into the live recording deal, but this is technically one of the best live recording jobs I've heard, and thus a totally interesting spin.

Overall a very complete and comprehensive package for every die-hard Collide fan!

Delica - The Chemical Rift

2005-12-17T17:12:00.000-05:00

If I had to pick one album to be the official Radio-Active-Music.com "club" cd, it would be this one. One of the things I love about Toronto band Delica is their obvious joy in their musical creation. The enjoyment of life just seeps through their music, creating such thriving tunes.

Their latest release, The Chemical Rift, presents us with some of their best work yet. Taking obvious influences from such masters at Depeche Mode, they’ve also mastered modern technology to create some of the most stunning electronic songs heard yet. There’s nothing predictable or tired here; each song is a creative new beginning in electro rock.

Some songs stand out more than others, such as “Succumb” and “Wrong About Me”, which bookend this album and are also available for the fans on their myspace profile. But I have to say, far and away of everything else, “Millisecond” is my absolute favorite track and will take its place in my top 10 tracks of the year. With such pulsating sounds and relative lyrics, this song raises the bar of perfection in the electronic genres. Indeed, this album shatters stereotypes of electronic music, showing the full range of artistic expression through modern technology.

Suggested Tracks:
“Millisecond”
“Succumb”
“Wrong About Me”
“Little Pout”

Moth Complex - Error 256 EP

2005-12-17T17:07:00.000-05:00

The music is so heavy you can literally feel it resonating in your bones from the very first chords of the first song, "Learned My Lesson". Irish industrial band Moth Complex is a remarkable yet relatively new band to the scene, blending earth-shaking sounds with intricate vocals. Nothing is left untouched or unrefined; the vocals are brilliant and polished, and no aspect of production is in any way dull or predictable. Even the packaging for this EP is outstanding, showing a real attention to detail in all aspects in band persona.

The EP contains four songs, all of which present the listener with unique combinations of sounds and instrumentation blended so well together. All three ‘original’ tracks definitely take their place with some of the best songs in the genre today, with the remix of “Learned My Lesson” earning its place as one of the most well done remixes I’ve yet to hear. What really stands out with this band is how complimentary Aoife O’Leary’s delicate voice is to such a hardline industrial sound. A truly masterful understanding of the art of music.

Suggested tracks:
“Learned My Lesson”
“Learned My Lesson (Error 256 Remix)”

In Winter - Murmur

2005-10-15T12:33:00.000-04:00

It has all the brooding gothic goodness that we've come to expect from the band, and the album is a downhill ride into the depths of despairing emotion and tragic understanding. The album opens with “Dead All Along” (one of my new favorite songs from this band) with the crucial line of “How can you grieve for something that’s been dead all along” – a line that really sets the stage for the thematic gothic beauty of this band.

The album overall is a great listen, though I have to admit I feel like I cheated myself by getting their radio demo earlier in the year. "June", "Hide & Seek", "Butterflies", and "Bitter Season" are still by far their strongest songs, so I sort of feel like I had read the best chapter in my favorite book before reading the rest; the rest is still good, but I already knew what was going to happen.

But hey, that's my fault for being impatient and getting that demo when they offered it! Still a damn good album. In Winter has a great style, though my one criticism is that I'd like to hear just a little more variety without losing that unique sound they have developed. The last three songs on this album (“Creatures”, “Falling Apart”, and “In The Garden”) start to push out of the bounds of the rest of the songs, so I’d really like to see more of that. All the musicians are very talented, and I'd love to see the vocalist expand her melodic range as well as the rest of the band sample with a bit more different sounds.

Suggested Tracks:
“Bitter Season”
“June”
“Butterflies”
“Hide & Seek”

Mankind Is Obsolete - Rise

2005-10-15T12:31:00.000-04:00

Following the phenomenal EP release earlier this year, Mankind Is Obsolete returns with the full-length album. I was very surprised by the sound of this new cd; they dropped a lot of the stylistic ambiguity that I loved so much, and came up with a more traditional hard rock sound instead. The songs are still fantastic, but to be honest, I was a little sad not to hear something a little more innovative like the EP.

The album opens with “Still Right Here”, which is by far my favorite MKIO song to date. Pulsing beats and driving vocals get the point across – the song is bound to be a crowd-pleaser live. Overall, the album is much of the same. Singer Natasha has become much more aggressive and powerful in her delivery, which is a definite plus.

Further into the album, we get “She”, another personal favorite. This song does pick up more with the original themes of the EP, and I really dig the simplistic weave of futuristic sounds of this song. The album also takes the band in a new direction with slower ballads such as “More Than What I Am” and “Smile In The Dark” which shows a previously unseen side to the band that was refreshing.

All in all, it’s a good and rockable album with a few of their best tracks to date. I do hope, however, to hear more of the inspired sound of the EP in their future releases.

Suggested tracks:
“Still Right Here”
“She”
“Someone Like You”
“More Than What I Am”

Synthetic Nightmare - Manufactured Dreamscapes Demo

2005-10-15T12:30:00.000-04:00

I had the chance to catch Synthetic Nightmare with Heretics in The Lab a few months ago, and while the band leans more to the Industrial Metal side than Industrial Rock, I really dug the set. At the end of the night, they handed out some copies of their latest demo.

Synthetic Nightmare definitely has a very diverse sound, which is why I think I liked them so much. They throw in a lot of different industrial, goth, and synth elements that really made them more accessible than to just the ‘metal’ crowd. Songs like “Pure Poison” and “In Fear We Die” would definitely be well-accepted by any interested synth/industrial fan.

For an obviously self-produced demo, this was a great effort! I’d suggest a bit more tweaking on the mixing and on some vocal effects, but it definitely gives the listener a good idea of the band’s style and capabilities; and believe me, their show is tight and not to be missed.

Suggested Tracks:
“Pure Poison”
“In Fear We Die”