This Australian trio consists of vocals, guitar, bass, effects, and drum programming... and I honestly don't know what to make of their unusually diverse blend of styles. Things tend to rest mainly in the realm of quirky death/grind with vocals that jump from guttural growls to raspy screams, but there are a lot of other little passages at work that show off some more progressive influences, as well as funk, experimental noise... and reggae!? "Rockstar" is catchier and more rocked out, in a "death 'n' roll" sort of way, perhaps akin to some of Blood Duster's recent work or something. "Prelude" is a brief experimental noise track that introduces the reggae laced "Infinite Illusion", further proving that this band is really not concerned with sticking to any one particular genre of music. "Thoughts Lost to Time" is very moody with lots of effective clean breaks that add atmosphere rather than acting as a confusing element (like the funk parts or what have you). And "Chaos Engine" is really an excellent track, sort of giving off a classic grindcore feel with some very noticeable aggressive hardcore influences musically... a great closer. The recording is alright. It's not that bad, actually. I just think a live drummer would be beneficial. The drums are programmed to fit the feel of the songs pretty well, but I still don't like the rigidity of the machines. The mix is pretty strong though, and I really like the bass tone and the sound of the vocals. The guitars can be hit and miss. The clean tones are usually pretty good, and the distortion doesn't bother me, but it can be too flimsy to work, especially with the programmed drums. I will say that the bassist is pretty damn good, though. I really like the fluidity of his playing a lot. Most of the layout is text, aside from the abstract figurative image on the cover and the collage of band photos underneath the CD. The lyrics are a mixed bag that don't work for me just because they're all over the place. One minute it's interesting, "Mankind's the machine that turns the world, hearts are the motors that drive this hell..." the next minute it's crap, "Nighttime comes, I go off: Stabbing cunts, slicing cocks..." No thanks. This band does have some promise, but I can't say the diversity is exactly working in their favor because things can be pretty disjointed. For the most part the songwriting, when it's on the straightforward side, is enjoyable, but a smoother guitar tone and live drums (or somehow more fitting programming) would still be necessary to pull that aspect off. As for all of the wacky influences, they're sort of kept to a minimum, so oftentimes I'm not sure I understand the true purpose. I must give them credit for being original and demonstrating capable songwriting tactics on several occasions, but as a whole this release is missing something...
[self-released]
Running time - 36:23, Tracks: 13
[Notable tracks: Rockstar, Thoughts Lost to Time, Chaos Engine]
One Step Beyond, P.O. Box 40, Marden, SA 5070, Australia -
