All this is to say that I’m not proud that I’d let my younger self, led by my own insecurities, somehow reach back through and steer me away from Wristmeetrazor before now, just because of some meaningless bullshit spewed by the gatekeepers of the metal world. That was dumb. That said, it has given me a chance to keep my thoughts about Degeneration as pure as possible, so I’ve still avoided listening to their prior work to ensure a completely blank slate. For all I know, maybe their previous releases really were butt. No idea.

What I can tell you? Degeneration goes so fucking hard. It smokes. Fuck me sideways.

So I should probably preface this by saying that this recent late-90s/early-00s metalcore reboot led by the likes of Dying Wish, Year of the Knife and Jesus Piece is very much right up my ally. We’re talking a period of time where I really started to cut my teeth on heavier, more underground acts. What prefaced that, aside from the usual suspects of Metallica, Pantera and Slayer et al, was of course being smack dab in the middle of the Nu-Metal movement where, specifically, I found a real love for the likes of more Industrial-forward acts like Static-X, Powerman 5000, White/Rob Zombie and Coal Chamber. My personal tastes have certainly evolved over time, but many of these acts (certainly the specific ones mentioned) I still very much enjoy unironically and unashamedly to this day. I mention all of this because Degeneration is about as perfect an amalgam as you’ll find of these two styles. Yes, I know, Wristmeetsrazor is hardly the first band to combine Metalcore with Nu-Metal elements, but hand on heart, this might be the best version I’ve heard to date, and it only takes the album’s first track to make the point crystal clear. The bouncy, heavy opening riff of “Turn On, Tune In, Drop Dead” lies right at the intersection of Coal Chamber and Machine Head boulevard, before launching into a throwback Metalcore riff that would have fit in just fine on an early Eighteen Visions or Bleeding Through record. It’s a friggin’ ripper of a start, but of course, any good metalcore album need breakdowns, and boy is this one a doozy – starting first with a pure Devildriver refrain/build up they just explodes into the kind of planet-smashing breakdown that put the likes of It Dies Today and Remembering Never on the map. It all puts me in dire need of a pair of, like, camo cargo JNCOs. That’s gotta be a thing, right?

This is just the beginning of as good a 4-song stretch to start an album as I can recall from recent memory. Where “Turn On…” kinda threw everything in WMR‘s arsenal at you in a neat little sub-3 minute package, “Static Reckoning” goes for straight Metalcore glory, hitting first with a melodic, thrashy riff straight from the classic As I Lay Dying playbook, and culling the same vibes by not shying away from a big, dual vocal chorus that’ll stick on first listen. The bow on top is, of course, another crushing breakdown that will properly rattle your speakers and get any crowd moving in short order. “Trepanation” follows with another track that really lays all the cards on the table, tapping even further into their Industrial/Nu vibes with a track that could well just be a love letter to Dez Fafara’s (Devildriver, Coal Chamber) entire career, hitting with some immense grooves and synth-led atmospherics while still maintaining a distinctly Metalcore base. I think it’d be fair to say this feels as authentic and true to the band’s style and influence as and WMR track to date, and allows the band to stretch out and get even more comfortable with their unique identity. That said, the seesaw goes back toward more straight-Metalcore with “Xeroxed Reflection” which, for this reviewer, is the album’s finest offering – again leaning shamelessly into huge, earworm choruses, some really catchy riffing, and perhaps the band’s most earth-quaking breakdown yet, the kind that could re-start the rotation of a stalled planet, only to break it completely apart with subsonic destruction. It’s an absolute unit of a track.

From here, the back-and-forth interplay between Industrial experimentation and straight-up metalcore brutality continues. “DogdayGod” sees the band tapping into their innermost Cybergoth, creating a striking (and I’m sure divisive) middle ground where Nine Inch Nails and Godflesh shake hands with Sick of it All. Personally, I’m really digging it – but if it’s not to your taste it’s only here for about two and a half minutes before we’re right back into Metalcore again with “Love Thy Enmity” and quick-hitter “Culled and Forgotten,” both of which opt for no-nonsense brutality to make get their point clearly across. What’s funny is, the titles alone are pretty good indicators of what to expect stylistically from each track. You may not be surprised to find tracks like “Synthetic-51n” and “Negative Fix” see the band leaning more into their Industrial/Nu-Metal leanings (though make no mistake, the latter gets plenty heavy, including a monster breakdown), where “No Ceremony,” and “The Vanity Procession” stay more straightforward on the Metalcore path. I love everything Degeneration is putting out there, but there’s definitely still room for the band to further integrate and streamline these ideas into a more cohesive, fully-integrated idea. I’d lie if I said it doesn’t make the album play a bit more predictably than it has to, but it’s also delivered with such conviction and ability that it’s easy to overlook. That said, perhaps no track exemplifies the still-present disconnect than closer “Greatest Love Offering in the History of the World,” the first half of which prominently showcases their Metalcore roots, before coming to an abrupt halt mid-build-up, going to silence for about 10 seconds, then returning with an altogether new, VERY Goth-forward track that, quite honestly should have just been an entirely separate track. I mean, I’m not even talking Goth-y Nu Metal here, I’m talking the likes of Moonspell or Sentenced, certainly a little Type O in there for good measure. And it sounds really fucking good! Really well pulled off, just… where the hell did it come from?! And why present it… like this? I want this band to embrace all their influences and do what they want to do as artists, I just hope they keep working towards making it a more cohesive, fully-articulated sound. Always room for improvement, right?

So sure, there’s still areas of growth left for Wristmeetsrazor, but as a whole, Degeneration is still just a goddamn blast of a listen that I would not hesitate for one second to recommend to anyone and everyone, and really look forward to watching this band evolve and become more and more comfortable with who they are as artists. Don’t let yourself get swept up by preconceptions and bullshit like I once did with this band – just get your hands on Degeneration and enjoy a fine example of metal ingenuity and progress. I know for sure I’ll still be thinking about this one by year’s end.

So from a metal fan’s perspective – right off the bat, there’s obviously a lot here to draw you in, especially with that excellent Creepshow-meets-Christine vintage horror cover art setting the stage. These clearly aren’t just casual fans of camp and gore and everything that makes horror films of the 70s and 80s so compelling – theres an obvious attention to detail that gives them almost immediate credibility to the uninitiated such as myself. Surface-level aesthetics aside, intro track “March of the Dead,” should only draw you in further. Featuring a guest appearance by the legendary John Carpenter (along with son Cody), the band actually gets off to a very metal-forward track, featuring the kinds of chugging, militant guitars and drums one might expect form the likes of White Zombie or Ministry. Having now gone back to take in the band’s back work, I can confidently say that, aside from a few select tracks from their B-Sides album (which is VERY Power Metal influenced), this is probably one of the most “metal” tracks the duo has ever put together, and it’s a hell of a way to get the album started.

But it’s also not the only time the band leans more heavily into the metal side of things here – “Sledge” also boasts some very John-5-esque riffage that, combined with the synths, creates a very anime theme-like feel to the track. It’s got a ton of energy, to the point that you can almost picture the action-packed opening sequence featuring lots of swords and ambiguously gendered characters flying around and striking dramatic poses. Then there’s “I’m Your Passenger,” that, if I didn’t know any better, I might mistake as being a new In Flames track in MIDI form. I know that’s probably a good way to turn a lot of metalheads away, but remember, this isn’t actually In Flames, so put whatever pent up frustration you have about their last 20 years of musical output on the shelf (this is as much a message to myself as anyone). It’s catchy as all hell, and I’ve had the melodies stuck in my head for well over a week now. Finally, last track “A New Fear” is the album’s most metal yet – featuring an almost equal dose of synth work and really epic guitars. It almost sounds like something Evergrey or Starkill might compose; a good amount of heft, some clever melodies and leads, all in all a really solid, memorable track.

On the more electronic-focused side of things, there’s still plenty that metal fans, especially horror and sci fi fans, can enjoy. Again, I know nothing about electronic music, but I DO know a thing or two about soundtracks, and there’s a lot of inspiration to be found here. “Firebird,” along with “Start the Thaw,” immediately bring to mind the bombastic, cosmic tones from composers Stephen Price and Basement Jaxx on Attack the Block, whereas the much darker, moodier “Hex” sounds straight out of the Blade trilogy – to the point that I can literally see Blade brooding around some underground vampire nightclub looking for answers and taking no shit. “Kiss of the Creature” throws a little bit of a curveball, with a track that certainly takes inspiration from Michael Jackson’s classic “Thriller,” along with a whole lot of Daft Punk love. For metalheads, this might be the least appealing track of the bunch, but it’s catchy as all get-out and, for these ears, certainly does not bring down the quality of this album.

My first review of 2021 was the fantastic The Thule Grimoires by The Ruins of Beverast, an album that was totally different than anything I was listening to at that time, and the perfect palate cleanser to help move me forward into a new year of music. Driven to Insanity is pulling off the same trick for me. There’s plenty to sink you teeth into with this project (not the least of which is that fantastic music video/Christine-homage for “Sledge” above – can’t wait to see some more videos from these guys). Whether you’re a long time Electronic Music fan, just getting into it or even if you’ve never had any interest at all, I highly recommend giving Dance With The Dead your time (and money). A crazy fun album and a great way to kick of 2022!

I should clarify, Mitochondrial Sun isn’t a bad record by any stretch, just… the whole cinemascape thing really isn’t my scene. That’s a Me problem, not a Niklas Sundin problem, but alas I was bummed that perhaps the only creative output I’d get to enjoy from one of metal’s most inspired minds would be his artwork that continues to adorn albums and T-shirt and tempt me to part way with my money on a pretty regular basis.

But since then, Dark Tranquillity have gone on to release yet another solid album with Chris Amott filing the void left behind – and now, I’m beyond happy to say that Niklas Sundin has released a fucking wrecking ball of an album that has been swimming around gleefully in my head since I first heard it. Sju Pulsarer is a STUNNER.

First off, any doubts I had that Niklas Sundin was interested anymore in making aggressive music have been launched into the sun (get it?!), because Sju Pulsarer is like a proverbial brick wall of sound – a thick, lush avalanche of Black Metal, Industrial and breakneck-speed Drone influences, layered with some of the most beautifully haunting melodies I’ve heard put to recording in quite some time. Right from the get-go on “Pulsar 1,” Sundin layers what would otherwise be some tame guitars, over a super super-intense drum machine blast beat that just punches you right in the face in the best possible way. It’s like if Violet Cold did a collaboration with The Berserker and while that may not seem like it makes a ton of sense, the effect is absolutely immense. Then comes the star of the show – intricately layered synth tones and melodies that are as catchy as they are completely unnerving – like watching the X-Files on an mix of LSD and MDMA; potentially terrifying and thrilling all at once. Mix in some sporadic, distant hits of incoherent screaming like he does here and throughout the album, and the whole experience becomes even more spine-tingling.

That general theme plays throughout Sju Pulsarer, with Sundin again and again finding new, brilliant melodies and textures to add to the mix. Pulsars “2,” “3” and “4” play maybe a touch closer to more “traditional” atmospheric Black Metal paces, chock full of pulsating blast beats and letting tremolo-picked guitars really take the forefront, while layering in the occasional unsettling audio sample or tortured vocal layers.  They’re great tracks and certainly demonstrate Sundin’s knack for building compelling melodies, but I think the project is at it’s best when he gets a little more experimental and lets the synths shine – not a statement I often find myself making – but “Pulsar 5” serves as a perfect example, starting with some surf-inspired theremin? I don’t know if it’s a synth effect or if he’s actually playing a theremin – if it’s the latter that’s fucking awesome. Either way, it offers a sweet, vintage Sci-Fi vibe that I dig the hell out of. Similarly, the unsettling and overwhelming bell tones and layered effects at the end of “4” take that song to another level, creating a sense of cosmic terror that seeps into your skull like a Lovecraftian horror tale.

While this album has been available digitally since November of last year, I think it’s worth bringing it up now for two reasons: 1) It has finally been made available on CD and Vinyl this month, and 2) I suspect there’s probably others out there like me that hadn’t given this one a chance after hearing the first Mitochondrial Sun release. If you’re in that camp, abandon whatever preconceptions you may have and dive right into Sju Pulsarer as soon as you possibly can, because this album surprised the ever-loving fuck out of me.

This year’s model is full of propulsive dance boogie as usual, but after the obligatory bouncy first track, “Genau” (“that’s the German in you!,” Sascha barks), Our Time Has Come settles into a slightly more sinister groove. You see, there’s plenty about today’s world to be pissed about – inequality, warfare, injustice, corruption, and stupidity galore – and that’s perfect fodder for rabble-rousing and subversive snark – all set to an electro-metal soundtrack, of course.

Like last year’s excellent, high-intensity album Kunst, Our Time Will Come is solid and consistent – which, as a longtime listener, is my #1 requirement for a KMFDM album. No weird experimental tracks or sludgy clunkers that bring the fun to a halt. Though the pace varies, and leans more towards mid-tempo menace than all-out ass-kickers, almost everything here’s got danceable momentum, sinuous synths, bumpin’ beats, and plenty of heavy guitar crunch (some of it more massive-sounding and downtuned than ever before). There’s also an even split between Lucia-and-Sascha-led tracks on the album; when she first joined the collective, there were only a few tracks per album, but by now she’s been well-established as half of KMFDM‘s sound.

Album standout this time goes to “Salvation,” a Sascha-fronted dance-floor monster that has him dropping down to a deep, sonorous chant (I had to check to make sure it wasn’t En Esch) in the chorus. Combined with the deep, rumbling guitars throughout, it feels like an old Sisters of Mercy track. The second half, which brings back the chorus from 1990’s “Naive,” completes that throwback feel. I’m sure “Salvation” will be a crowd favorite and a definite add to the setlist rotation for years to come. “Respekt” is another fave. It starts with bouncy synths and a distorted vocal, but quickly builds up to a dense, multi-layered and angry electro-metal anthem. It’s not as bombastic as a classic like “DIY,” but slyly funny lyrics like “I will punch your head until you say ‘I respekt you'” and a vocal trade-off between Sascha and guest vocalist/co-writer Tom Stanzel (of German electropop outfit Spiritual Reality) also ensure a fun live performance.

https://soundcloud.com/kmfdm_official/salvation

Other strong Sascha-led tracks include the shadowy skulk of “Brainwashed,” which sounds like it could have been a Pig track in one of the band’s previous incarnations, the fast-paced electro of album-closer “Make Your Stand,” (with second guest vocalist William Wilson of Seattle industrial-rock act Legion Within), and “Blood vs Money,” which has Sascha adopting a rough melodic croon unlike anything I can remember from his normal, gravelly delivery.

Lucia doesn’t have anything quite as pulse-pounding as past favorites like “Looking for Strange” or “New American Century,” but that fits with the album’s moodier stance. Her most effervescent track is “Get the Tongue Wet,” an upbeat rock stomp with chiming guitar riffs, police sirens, stuttery beats, and a staccato selection of vocal treatments: chanteuse croon, vocoder snarl, and saucy shouts. Her other moments are slower and smokier, like the sultry, “Vogue”-like funk of “Shake the Cage,” or the sturm-und-drone gloom of the title track, an understated dubstep ballad that promises to build to an explosive crescendo – and yet it never does.

That title track kind of sums up my feeling about Our Time Will Come as a whole. The album cover depicts a revolution ablaze, but the music within feels more like a smoking fuse; a snarl but not a roar. It’s got fun energy, but it never fully explodes with rage. Perhaps that was intentional, otherwise we might have gotten ‘Our Time Has Come’ – but given the critical, mocking stance of the album’s lyrics and that Molotov cover art – something more aggressive, unleashed, and pissed-off might have been a better spark to that overpacked powder-keg. Explosion or no, Our Time Will Come is still another fun collection of well-crafted KMFDM tracks, and sure to please longtime fans of the band.

As usual, we begin with a party-starter. The title track is pretty much your standard KMFDM anthem: chunky guitar riff, big dance beats, and the so-shticky-it’s-endearing habit of calling out songtitles and the band name as lyrics. Throw in a reprise/nod to “Leid und Elend” from the Symbols album and you’ve set the tone for the rest of the album.

Every track here is a whir of pumping dance beats, distorted vocals, anthemic choruses and guitars that alternate between pulse and liquefy. “Ave Maria” is a Lucia-fronted electronic bit of skulk and lurch, like a Dr. Wily stage from a Mega Man soundtrack. “Quake” and the vaguely post-punky “Pseudocide” are faster and heavier, with more guitar heroics and battlefield brak-brak-brak in each. The intensity hits higher levels with the whisper-to-a-shout of “Hello” (Lucia at her most pissed-off), and the EBM barrage of “The Mess You Made,” co-written with Swedish industrial rock act Morlocks.

The three big catchy choruses here belong to “Pussy Riot,” “Animal Out” and album closer “I <3 Not.” Two are Lucia tracks, and no surprise there – she’s pretty much owned the catchiest cuts on every KMFDM album in recent memory. “Pussy Riot,” like “Kunst,” also dips into the discography with a reprise of the chorus from “Terror” (“I try to keep my faith alive/I cannot keep my hate inside”), off of NIHIL. “Animal Out” is just straight-up KMFDM awesomeness, and the best track on the album – bouncy, propulsive and rifftastic. “I <3 Not” has the most old-skool industrial sound on the album – a nice throwback to early stuff like MONEY or NAIVE. Electronic squawk over stripped-down beats and barbed-wire guitar fragments, with a lurching, chanted vocal by Kap’n K. The whole thing reminds me of Rammstein’s monolithic “Du Hast,” but that just means it’ll easily get stuck in your head, just like a, um, stray bullet.

KUNST doesn’t contain many departures or surprises, but there also aren’t any pace-killing, off-kilter experimental tracks. The band has also thankfully avoided dipping into modern electronic genres like dubstep or whatever you call the Harlem Shake. By now, KMFDM knows what they do best – beats, riffs and electronic boogie – and that focus has given us the most consistent and fun batch of their songs in years.

As is the custom with most KMFDM albums, it opens with an ass-kicker. First single “Krank” is a sleek and jagged dance-floor cut full of pounding beats, electronic blips and buzzsaw guitar riffs. Throw in the expected self-glorifying lyrics and you’ve got another straight-up KMFDM anthem. Nothing terribly new or original, but satisfying all the same. Later in the album, Lucia delivers the Sisters of Mercy-meets-Garbage track “Amnesia,” and it’s the album’s other excellent standout. It’s got goth choirs, it’s got metal riffs, but it’s definitely not what we usually term as goth-metal. One of the strongest moments to date for Mrs. Captain K. She also gets off another good run at Shirley Manson halfway through the album with “Take It Like a Man,” the album’s poppiest (and, I’m not afraid to admit, catchiest) song.

That’s three tracks described, and all different. No surprise from a band that’s always delivered a large variety of songs over the years, yet they’re always unmistakably KMFDM. Other strong tracks on the album include the martial stomp of “Come On Go Off” and the effervescent crackle of “Viva La Mort,” but once again, neither sounds like anything dramatically new. On the other hand, “Panzerfaust” is the band’s first track sung in Italian (it falls into the ‘oddity’ category). Also somewhat novel: the moody “Lynchmob” progresses through a number of disparate segments before exploding into its machine-gun chorus, making it one of the most “progressive” tracks that the band has ever done, at least from a structural standpoint. Come to think of it, a full-blown KMFDM progressive epic would be amazing, but that would take some real inspiration.

As it stands, WTF?! is just another solid KMFDM release, though I will say it’s way better than 2009’s tepid BLITZ, and maybe on par with TOHUVABOHU or HAU RUCK. Still not as electrifying as their mid-90’s output, but hey, there’s always album #18 to look forward to!