Modus Operandi
Issue 209 / May 2006 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
Everybody is wondering how Al Jourgensen is going to pull off two shows in one night on the upcoming Masterbatour. We'll find out on Sunday, May 14, when Revolting Cocks and Ministry rock The Great SaltAir.
Wai Pi Wai
Beat Planet
Hands
Street: 02.13
Wai Pi Wai = Bill Leeb side project + Tarmvred synths
The first time I played Beat Planet and "Night Ride" was pumping through the car stereo, my thoughts rushed to Noise Unit, falling somewhere between Decoder and Drill. The thought feels dirty, but I can't get over it each time I listen. The collaboration of the talented individuals from Ah Cama-sotz and Mimetic are far from sounding unoriginal, but here they are glowing in their peak of popiness. Breaking through the rhythmic structure on "Out of Space" is like a Tarmvred vs. Leeb Commodore 64 type experience. The disc ends with a remix of the song "Wai Pi Wai" (from the debut release Wai Pi Wai) the samples were the best part of that song and thankfully they kept them here. Beat Planet isn't the global experience I was hoping for, and five tracks might be not enough to convince me that I anticipate their next collaboration.
S.I.N.A.
Nie Und Immer
Hands
Street: 01.15
S.I.N.A. = pounding beats + powerful female vocals
Whoever thought rhythm noise is redundant and boring has never heard Nie Und Immer (never and never), the second full-length from the petite and powerful Sina and company. "Little Punkie" rolls out your typical crunchy beats and your typical S.I.N.A. Hollaback- girl vocals. The good stuff resonates through "How Many Faces" with more chanting and broken rhythms. "Bewegungsablauf" punches beats through walls with even more adorable chanting where she is spelling out S.I.N.A. but pronouncing it "ESS EEE-ENNN-UHHH." It's cute and you'll want pom-poms for this one. Nitzer Ebb may have been the influence for "Glamourboy," with 80s programmed synth and lyrics reminiscent of Depeche Mode's "Pretty Boy." Throughout Nie Und Immer, the range on vocals hits peaks from distorted demon squealing to throaty whispers and sometimes vocoder, but on "Antagonist" you get this Siouxsie thing going, mixing back to computer distortion. For most artists, the jumping around on vocals and even the bizarre mix of synths and rhythms would be a huge turn-off, but S.I.N.A. can pull it off with charm.
Pzycho Bitch
Strom Und Fantasie
Minuswelt
Street: 02.17
Pzycho Bitch = Courtney Love + Electroclash
It's not uncommon to hear a band change up their sound to fit with what's hot at the time. Pzychobitch made a niche for themselves with strength in powerful female vocals with Sina (also of S.I.N.A.). The mix of vocals and mundane synths make Strom Aus Fantasie an eyebrow raiser and perhaps an attempt to cash in with the electroclash crowd. "Pzycho-Pop Groove" is barely alluring for the first two minutes, and then it's "skip track" all the way to number eight, "Atem-Heart (Die Farben)." Don't bother to pick up this dust collector unless you are a hardcore S.I.N.A. fan and are okay with Industrial musicians trying to make pop-rock.
Revolting Cocks
Cocked and Loaded
13th Planet/Megaforce
Street: 03.07
Revolting Cocks = Ministry + Butthole Surfers
With a 13-year gap from Linger Fickin' Good to Cocked and Loaded you can imagine what the aging process has done to another Al Jourgensen project. One word: Metal. Featuring vocals from Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers), "Revcolution" opens up with solid grinding guitar and growling vocals. Departing from the metal, "Ten Million Wayts to Die" could be on the latest Thrill Kill Kult album with Mr. Haynes again, this time doing spoken word. "Caliente (Dark Entries)," a cover of sorts of Bauhaus was recently featured on the Saw II Soundtrack. The only track that really sounds like Revolting Cocks is "Pole Grinder," and it lasts for such a brief moment. The juvenile humor of Revolting Cocks doesn't get old and songs titles like "Jack in the Crack," "Prune Tang" and "Revolting Cock Au Lait" make for fun listening. It's hard to imagine that I will listen to Cocked and Loaded much, but as a longtime fan of RevCo I appreciate the junior-high-boy-humor and guitars.
Antigen Shift
The Way of The North
Ad Noiseam
Street: 02.20
Antigen Shift = Gridlock + Displacer
The second release from the Ottowan electro genius puts the shift in Antigen Shift a departure from the harsh, aggressive material you've heard up until now. With The Way of The North, a title perfectly fitting for the arctic textures and moods, Antigen Shift wades beautifully through crisp whispering drones and a variety of beats for a Gridlock- style chill-out album. Standout tracks are "Verglas" for its spiraling beats intertwined into ominous melodies and "Peacekeeper" for the intense build-up of harsh, gritty layers. With subtle variation, the 10 tracks have a pattern of starting slow, building and plateauing in a chilling brilliance of atmospheric rhythms. The sophomore release of Antigen Shift feels like this is the moment where he has distinguished himself from the other musicians in the genre, and I can't wait to hear more music from him.
By Amy Spencer
Everybody is wondering how Al Jourgensen is going to pull off two shows in one night on the upcoming Masterbatour. We'll find out on Sunday, May 14, when Revolting Cocks and Ministry rock The Great SaltAir.
Wai Pi Wai Beat Planet
Hands
Street: 02.13
Wai Pi Wai = Bill Leeb side project + Tarmvred synths
The first time I played Beat Planet and "Night Ride" was pumping through the car stereo, my thoughts rushed to Noise Unit, falling somewhere between Decoder and Drill. The thought feels dirty, but I can't get over it each time I listen. The collaboration of the talented individuals from Ah Cama-sotz and Mimetic are far from sounding unoriginal, but here they are glowing in their peak of popiness. Breaking through the rhythmic structure on "Out of Space" is like a Tarmvred vs. Leeb Commodore 64 type experience. The disc ends with a remix of the song "Wai Pi Wai" (from the debut release Wai Pi Wai) the samples were the best part of that song and thankfully they kept them here. Beat Planet isn't the global experience I was hoping for, and five tracks might be not enough to convince me that I anticipate their next collaboration.
S.I.N.A.
Nie Und Immer
Hands
Street: 01.15
S.I.N.A. = pounding beats + powerful female vocals
Whoever thought rhythm noise is redundant and boring has never heard Nie Und Immer (never and never), the second full-length from the petite and powerful Sina and company. "Little Punkie" rolls out your typical crunchy beats and your typical S.I.N.A. Hollaback- girl vocals. The good stuff resonates through "How Many Faces" with more chanting and broken rhythms. "Bewegungsablauf" punches beats through walls with even more adorable chanting where she is spelling out S.I.N.A. but pronouncing it "ESS EEE-ENNN-UHHH." It's cute and you'll want pom-poms for this one. Nitzer Ebb may have been the influence for "Glamourboy," with 80s programmed synth and lyrics reminiscent of Depeche Mode's "Pretty Boy." Throughout Nie Und Immer, the range on vocals hits peaks from distorted demon squealing to throaty whispers and sometimes vocoder, but on "Antagonist" you get this Siouxsie thing going, mixing back to computer distortion. For most artists, the jumping around on vocals and even the bizarre mix of synths and rhythms would be a huge turn-off, but S.I.N.A. can pull it off with charm.
Pzycho Bitch
Strom Und Fantasie
Minuswelt
Street: 02.17
Pzycho Bitch = Courtney Love + Electroclash
It's not uncommon to hear a band change up their sound to fit with what's hot at the time. Pzychobitch made a niche for themselves with strength in powerful female vocals with Sina (also of S.I.N.A.). The mix of vocals and mundane synths make Strom Aus Fantasie an eyebrow raiser and perhaps an attempt to cash in with the electroclash crowd. "Pzycho-Pop Groove" is barely alluring for the first two minutes, and then it's "skip track" all the way to number eight, "Atem-Heart (Die Farben)." Don't bother to pick up this dust collector unless you are a hardcore S.I.N.A. fan and are okay with Industrial musicians trying to make pop-rock.
Revolting Cocks
Cocked and Loaded
13th Planet/Megaforce
Street: 03.07
Revolting Cocks = Ministry + Butthole Surfers
With a 13-year gap from Linger Fickin' Good to Cocked and Loaded you can imagine what the aging process has done to another Al Jourgensen project. One word: Metal. Featuring vocals from Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers), "Revcolution" opens up with solid grinding guitar and growling vocals. Departing from the metal, "Ten Million Wayts to Die" could be on the latest Thrill Kill Kult album with Mr. Haynes again, this time doing spoken word. "Caliente (Dark Entries)," a cover of sorts of Bauhaus was recently featured on the Saw II Soundtrack. The only track that really sounds like Revolting Cocks is "Pole Grinder," and it lasts for such a brief moment. The juvenile humor of Revolting Cocks doesn't get old and songs titles like "Jack in the Crack," "Prune Tang" and "Revolting Cock Au Lait" make for fun listening. It's hard to imagine that I will listen to Cocked and Loaded much, but as a longtime fan of RevCo I appreciate the junior-high-boy-humor and guitars.
Antigen Shift
The Way of The North
Ad Noiseam
Street: 02.20
Antigen Shift = Gridlock + Displacer
The second release from the Ottowan electro genius puts the shift in Antigen Shift a departure from the harsh, aggressive material you've heard up until now. With The Way of The North, a title perfectly fitting for the arctic textures and moods, Antigen Shift wades beautifully through crisp whispering drones and a variety of beats for a Gridlock- style chill-out album. Standout tracks are "Verglas" for its spiraling beats intertwined into ominous melodies and "Peacekeeper" for the intense build-up of harsh, gritty layers. With subtle variation, the 10 tracks have a pattern of starting slow, building and plateauing in a chilling brilliance of atmospheric rhythms. The sophomore release of Antigen Shift feels like this is the moment where he has distinguished himself from the other musicians in the genre, and I can't wait to hear more music from him.
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