What I'm Currently Listening To

I recently got a few new batches of CDs in and I've been listening through them. Here they are:

• VNV Nation - Judgement - new. See review in other post. Genre: EBM. 7/10
  

• Angelspit - Krankhaus - new. Genre: Industrial Punk Fetish. This band rocks! They are from Australia. I've been into their tunes since their ep Nurse Grenade. This is their first album. I would LOVE to see them play a double-bill with Hanzel und Gretyl. Anyway, I got the version of the album that included the Surgically Atoned Limited Edition Remix Disc. I like it a bit better than the album. 2 of the songs I really like on it are 100% (110% F*cked Mix) remixed by Combichrist, and Make You Sin remixed by Diverje. And the artwork and costumes on the cover and inside are almost worth the price of the album. 8/10

• And One - Bodypop - somewhat new. Genre: EBM. Another very good album from And One. The 2 songs on here that you will definitely hear (at the right clubs) are Military Fashion Show and Body Company - With these songs, And One continue on with their tradition of stylish and sexy futurepop dance numbers. Overall: 7/10, but, I'll give it an 8/10 just for those 2 songs.

• Skinny Puppy - Mythmaker - new. Genre: Industrial. A bit softer than their previous material. I haven't listened to it enough to really say much about it or rate it yet. Interesting, but nothing has really jumped out at me from it.

• Hawkwind - Live Chronicles - old. Genre: space rock. The original vinyl version of this came out in 1986. In 1985 they released The Chronicle Of The Black Sword - basically songs based on stories of Elric by Michael Moorcock - sword and sorcery stuff (for those not initiated in Moorcock's Eternal Champion cycle of novels). The band toured with Moorcock and some mimes and dancers and put on a very elaborate stage show, with visuals and the performers all inspired by the Moorcock Elric stories. The resulting live album Live Chronicles was, IMHO, one of the best live recordings of the band ever. I have the vinyl, but I've wanted to get the CD version for ages. It has been out of print now for a long time (as the CD came out in 1994), but you can still get it, used, on-line via Amazon for about $100 - $200. Well worth it though if you are rabid Hawkwind fan as I am. It's a 2 CD set with extra songs added that are not on the original vinyl release. 8/10

• Tactical Sekt - Syncope - not new. Genre: EBM/Industrial. This came out earlier last year. It rocks so much I am still listening to it fairly regularly. Very up-beat, very danceable, very cyber-goth! The album is packed with great songs. The songs are also full of interesting samples from movies and (possibly) tv shows and other things. If you can get one, get the limited edition that includes a remix CD as well. With that you get 2x the aural fun. 9/10

• Headscan - Pattern Recognition - not new. Genre: EBM/Electronic... And this album came out over a year ago, and I'm still listening to it regularly. It MOOOOOVES. Electronic throbbing and pulsing goodness. VERY danceable. I saw them perform this music live a few months ago at the Reverb in Toronto, opening for Assemblage 23, and I liked the Headscan performance much better. Assemblage was good, but Headscan smoked. They are playing live again at Darkrave on May 5th in Toronto at the Funhaus. Again, here is another album that is packed from start to finish with great songs. It doesn't stop, and you don't want it to. Headscan is from Montreal. 9/10

• Wumpscut - Goth Census - new. Genre: Industrial. Up to their usual dark sounds, this EP includes 2 remixes (among other tunes) of a humorous song You Are A Goth. My fave is the Yendri Club Remix version ('cause of the added trippy sh*t). The original songs are from their new album (which I haven't heard yet) Body Census. Besides the fave song, I haven't listened to this enough to rate it.

• Steril - Realism - not so new. Genre: Industrial/EBM/electronic. Fun stuff with some good dance numbers. There are probably a couple of tunes on here you might recognize from clubs, especially the first track Realist. 7/10

• Velvet Acid Christ - Lust For Blood - not so new. Genre: Industrial... More dark scary danceable stuff from VAC. Big dance tune here: Wound - very good. Pretty artwork. If you are into this band at all, especially more recent material, you will like this album. 7/10

• Apoptygma Berzerk - You And Me Against The World - not so new. Genre: EBM/Futurepop. Lots of great dance tracks on this. Light, uplifting poppy stuff. 3 of my faves are: In This Together, You Keep Me From Breaking Apart (you might recognize these from the dance floor at clubs), and Tuning Into The Frequency Of Your Soul. 8/10

• Distorted Circuitry w/DJ Morgana - the March 5, 2007 show. Morgana and a few other DJs post 2-hour shows at Distortedcircuitry.com Much of the above-mentioned music I hear on Morgana's shows. You can listen to it streaming, or download it to your computer and listen to it when/where you will.

And, I'm eagerly awaiting (supposed to show up in the next couple of weeks) the new Zombie Girl album Blood, Brains & Rock'n Roll.

I used to go to the HMV on Yonge hear Dundas as it had a great Industrial/Goth section. But it shrank and they don't have as much now. But, no big loss as I found (through Distorted Circuitry) a local mail-order on-line store: Storming The Base. Low prices, great selection of industrial, ebm, goth, electronic... check out the site.


Till next time, happy listening/dancing...

VNV Nation - Judgement - new album.

I just received the latest VNV Nation album - Judgement - in the mail yesterday.

Overall, it is a little mellower than Matter + Form. It has more slow songs with vocals. But, it still has some up-beat driving dance songs, particularly Momentum and Nemesis. And it has some really floaty, sparkley stuff.

At first I felt a little disappointed, since what I like the most about VNV is their up-tempo music. But, after a few listens on my Creative Zen Nano, the other material on this album began to grow on me.

Compared to other albums, I still like Empires the best, but I would rate Judgement on par with the 2002 Futureperfect album.

If you are fan of VNV at all, you will like this album. Listen to it in the dark (with candles and/or trip-lights on) with headphones and watch the lights come on in your mind.

I'm going to see them at the Docks in Toronto April 21st and I can't wait to dance to Momentum and Nemesis. And And One is opening! Their latest album Bodypop is very good too.

VNV Nation - Judgement
Ratings:
General Danceability: 6/10
Overall: 7/10

Metal And The Mind

Good heavy music has always worked to energize me and stimulate my mind, and, relieve stress.

Heavy metal 'a comfort for the bright child'

Music And The Brain

Playing Music Makes You Smart

Check out the link above to an article on the LiveScience site.

With 8 years of formal instrumental music training, a number of years of choral music and the odd year singing and playing in bands, I've always found that I can pick out fine nuances in sounds and voices. This comes in handy every day when speaking to people and in many other situations. On the trivial side, I often find myself putting a name and face to a voice when I hear voices in ads, TV shows and such (where you only hear the voice). I wouldn't say that playing music makes you smart, but just better able to hear differences in tones/sounds and to pinpoint specific sounds/voices amongst a sea of other sounds. It makes sense since when you play an instrument or sing, you are focusing on how it sounds. When you play in a group, especially in a large band or orchestra, you listen to yourself as well as the rest of the group as a whole, and other individual instruments at certain times. You spend a lot of time focusing your ear and brain on specific sounds.