“I was sent an album written by one of our group members Bri Stewart (aka: DJversion666) and given the directive to “test” it for flaws. Well honestly, it’s really hard to test an album for flaws when you realize that every time you listen to the album it gets better. I’ve listened to this pre-release all the way through, seriously, 20 or more times. Here are my thoughts track by track;
TRACK 01 “Pushing Through It All”
The first song as an instrumental is so very important to the enjoyment of this album. It opens up the part of your brain which translates audio information in to information that you will need. It completely gets you in the mindset to listen to what comes next; and, I love the soft piano towards the end.
TRACK 02 “What’s Inside”
In my opinion, this is the most “stompy” track on the album. It’s almost pre-dance industrial but it holds on to an old school electronic industrial feel some how. Once your body gets moving to this you’ll understand just how important all of these elements are.
TRACK 03 “Happy”
Heavy hitting and gritty. If you like old school dance industrial, you’re probably going to break your hip dancing to this track. This song seems to be designed to snap you out of your false sense of reality using sarcasm as it’s chosen mode of delivering it’s message.
TRACK 04 “Goodbye World”
This song starts off like a determined steam engine with a vendetta. It slowly chugs along in the night with no intension of stopping. The effects and sounds seriously add to this imagery for me. There’s also a slowed down pre-chorus and a killer coda that’s just freakin’ inspired. Great audio imagery. Gets better every time I listen to it.
TRACK 05 “Where Is Your God Now”
I love the idea that this track could have very easily become an EBM tune in the beginning. Despite the heavy industrial feel of this song – which is always good, I can actually see it becoming popular with the EBM heads who like heavy grit in their tunes. This is yet another one of those songs that sneaks up on you and gets better every time you listen to it.
TRACK 06 “Valentine”
This is currently my favorite song on the album. This song is as close to true industrial as you’re going to get today. It’s filled with irony without having a single word written. It’s just freakin’ beautiful. The leads during the coda will blow your mind. It takes me back to the days of my listening to the bands “Yellow” and “The Art of Noise”. You will always wish this song was longer; because, it’s that good.
TRACK 07 “Malevolent Introspection”
The vocals sound very 80’s influenced – always a plus with me. You will love the arpeggiated bass line. If you don’t, I’m inclined to think that something may be wrong with the way you live your life. Ha.. Ha..
TRACK 08 “Lessons in Chaos”
This is my second favorite song on the album. It sounds so good loud. It pounds it’s way through your chest. Very very industrial in my opinion; but, borrows from classic rock to make it’s point even stronger. I so love the time fluctuations of a rhythmic melody which happens through out the song. Very very bad ass. Again, this takes me back to the days of listening to the bands “Yellow” and “The Art of Noise”.
TRACK 09 “Future Gods”
Probably the most chill statement about reality you’ll ever here. Tells you like it is while making you feel relaxed about the fact that we as humans are important yet meaningless at the same time.
TRACK 10 “Human Race to the Finish”
Once this song kicked in, it really got my heart going. Great industrial metal feel with a hint of punk with a very cool mini guitar solo that you’ll never really see coming each time you listen to it.
TRACK 11 “Rain Behind Your Eyes”
This is my third favorite track on the album. The vocals are laced with what I call the “Bowie Factor”(all hail David Bowie). Very slow thought provoking tempo; and, it has an almost sinister nostalgia to it.
TRACK 12 “Goodbye World [*bonus track]”
Very good remix of the original “Goodbye World” track. It has all of what you would expect from a dance industrial hit. This edit will set the dance floor on fire!!! I don’t know if Bri plans on adding this track as a “hidden” track on the CD or not. If so, all I can say is that a good day will be had when purchasers of this CD bump in to this track.
My official summary is that this is “an album to bond with”. Which simply means, that you’ll want to listen to it from beginning to end whenever you hear any single song from the album.”