Modus Operandi
Issue 203 / November 2005 More from this Issue
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A post-apocalyptic wreckage of electronic debris and Industrial remains for a reconstructed world
By Amy Spencer
Ok kids, I have a bone to pick. Last month I mentioned about six goth/industrial shows that were not to be missed, and guess who missed them? Yeah, you know. It was a huge disappointment. I'm guilty of not going to each and every show, but for concert attendance to be around 25 people is a rotten shame. Promoters, myself included, get so much crap for not bringing in shows I have read all sorts of "Fuck Salt Lake promoters" sentiments on the Internet, but the truth is that promoters simply cannot bring in shows when the attendance is an utter embarrassment. Word gets around about the attendance of these shows, and then the SLC scene loses credibility with other bands. It's a vicious cycle and the only way to end it is to show your support for every show you can. I had the luck to see two of the best industrial concerts all year in October and I'm sorry that there were only a handful of people there to enjoy it. Excuses only amplify your lack of support. Even if I had a free concert where I personally picked up people from their homes, there would still be excuses. The point is, you would be there if you wanted to be there. It's up to the people who care about the music and the scene to make a difference. On that note, there are no shows to announce for the month of November.
Decoded Feedback
Combustion
Metropolis Records
Decoded Feedback = killer guitar + sexy growling vocals + gritty electronics
Street: 09.12
Forgive my hating on guitars and females vocals (see Modus Operandi, Oct. 2005); Decoded Feedback is one of those rare acts that pull it off with perfection. Perhaps that is due to the healthy dose of powerful synths and growling vocals. The two-year gap between Phoenix and Combustion came as a time for Decoded Feedback to meticulously craft the explosion of wicked synths and volatile beats 12 hard tracks that will launch you onto the dance floor. The title track, "Combustion," opens this epic release with a beautifully raw breed of heavy electro. The real treat on Combustion is the cover of Mentallo & The Fixer's "Sacrilege." The irony runs thick, as it seems almost sacrilegious to cover this legendary act, but it's well done and Mentallo is surely flattered. "Psy-Storm" is really the only track with female vocals and it's just the girly Delerium-type "doo-dee, daa-daa" stuff. Decoded Feedback always ensures you get your money's worth, this time with a video for the new single "Hyberia." As a fan of their slower melodic music, Combustion is a bit excessive on the BPMs, but Decoded Feedback can do no wrong in my book and this comes as a strong contender for my top ten of 2005.
Lapsed
Lapsed
Ad Noiseam
Lapsed = hip-hop + IDM + "Funktastic"
Street: 09.30
Ad Noiseam released this self-titled Lapsed album just in time for his live appearance at Maschinenfest 2005. An audience of hundreds of people from around the world got to immerse themselves in the dark, doom-filled beats that I praise on a regular basis. Straying slightly from the IDM-glitchiness of the first album, Twilight, Lapsed twists the glitch into an IDM-laced hip-hop concept. "Break Ya Neck" is loaded with crisp cuts and droning ambience for the perfect introduction to his sophomore release. The hip-hop influence is evident on "De-constructing Failure," "Hapless Plastic," and "'Till the Break of Dawn," complete with Justin Timberlake samples. Groovy melodies on "Cracked Mirror," and "We Run With Doom," capture the essence of Lapsed's new direction and rank as personal favorites. Japanese horror-movie directors should purchase the rights to "Mechanical Specter" for its spooky samples and record-skipping eeriness and commission Jason Stevens to score a brilliant and bloody movie. Urusai joins Stevens for a genius collaboration of "Where Were You?" and Air Inspector/Aaron Spectre remixes "Break Ya Neck" to round out the 12 tracks of pure bliss. Salt Lake artists Kelly Badger and Andy Pitts combine photography and design elements, making the cover the optimal interpretation of music and visual. This is a definite top ten for the year, and these words I am spewing cannot convey how much I adore this album.
By Amy Spencer
Ok kids, I have a bone to pick. Last month I mentioned about six goth/industrial shows that were not to be missed, and guess who missed them? Yeah, you know. It was a huge disappointment. I'm guilty of not going to each and every show, but for concert attendance to be around 25 people is a rotten shame. Promoters, myself included, get so much crap for not bringing in shows I have read all sorts of "Fuck Salt Lake promoters" sentiments on the Internet, but the truth is that promoters simply cannot bring in shows when the attendance is an utter embarrassment. Word gets around about the attendance of these shows, and then the SLC scene loses credibility with other bands. It's a vicious cycle and the only way to end it is to show your support for every show you can. I had the luck to see two of the best industrial concerts all year in October and I'm sorry that there were only a handful of people there to enjoy it. Excuses only amplify your lack of support. Even if I had a free concert where I personally picked up people from their homes, there would still be excuses. The point is, you would be there if you wanted to be there. It's up to the people who care about the music and the scene to make a difference. On that note, there are no shows to announce for the month of November.
Decoded FeedbackCombustion
Metropolis Records
Decoded Feedback = killer guitar + sexy growling vocals + gritty electronics
Street: 09.12
Forgive my hating on guitars and females vocals (see Modus Operandi, Oct. 2005); Decoded Feedback is one of those rare acts that pull it off with perfection. Perhaps that is due to the healthy dose of powerful synths and growling vocals. The two-year gap between Phoenix and Combustion came as a time for Decoded Feedback to meticulously craft the explosion of wicked synths and volatile beats 12 hard tracks that will launch you onto the dance floor. The title track, "Combustion," opens this epic release with a beautifully raw breed of heavy electro. The real treat on Combustion is the cover of Mentallo & The Fixer's "Sacrilege." The irony runs thick, as it seems almost sacrilegious to cover this legendary act, but it's well done and Mentallo is surely flattered. "Psy-Storm" is really the only track with female vocals and it's just the girly Delerium-type "doo-dee, daa-daa" stuff. Decoded Feedback always ensures you get your money's worth, this time with a video for the new single "Hyberia." As a fan of their slower melodic music, Combustion is a bit excessive on the BPMs, but Decoded Feedback can do no wrong in my book and this comes as a strong contender for my top ten of 2005.
Lapsed
Lapsed
Ad Noiseam
Lapsed = hip-hop + IDM + "Funktastic"
Street: 09.30
Ad Noiseam released this self-titled Lapsed album just in time for his live appearance at Maschinenfest 2005. An audience of hundreds of people from around the world got to immerse themselves in the dark, doom-filled beats that I praise on a regular basis. Straying slightly from the IDM-glitchiness of the first album, Twilight, Lapsed twists the glitch into an IDM-laced hip-hop concept. "Break Ya Neck" is loaded with crisp cuts and droning ambience for the perfect introduction to his sophomore release. The hip-hop influence is evident on "De-constructing Failure," "Hapless Plastic," and "'Till the Break of Dawn," complete with Justin Timberlake samples. Groovy melodies on "Cracked Mirror," and "We Run With Doom," capture the essence of Lapsed's new direction and rank as personal favorites. Japanese horror-movie directors should purchase the rights to "Mechanical Specter" for its spooky samples and record-skipping eeriness and commission Jason Stevens to score a brilliant and bloody movie. Urusai joins Stevens for a genius collaboration of "Where Were You?" and Air Inspector/Aaron Spectre remixes "Break Ya Neck" to round out the 12 tracks of pure bliss. Salt Lake artists Kelly Badger and Andy Pitts combine photography and design elements, making the cover the optimal interpretation of music and visual. This is a definite top ten for the year, and these words I am spewing cannot convey how much I adore this album.
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