Controlled Bleeding - “Larva Lumps and Baby Bumps” 2xCD

Explosive new work from reformed experimental group

After some years of sporadic activity and the unexpected deaths of primary members Chris Moriarty and Joe Papa, this double-length album marks a serious return for Paul Lemos’ venerable noise-prog-jazz-ambient-dub behemoth. Through the years, Controlled Bleeding have provided a rather schizophrenic mix of genres, from outright power electronics to industrial dance to ambient to sacred music hybrids. Now, with new members, the band has found a focus on a wild out-jazz, prog-rock, post-rock madness that refuses to “fit” anywhere comfortably, but it sounds just amazing.

Opening with the frenzied prog-rock intensity of “Driving Through Darkness”, the album leans in for a darker, funky post-punk grind in “Carving Song”, which will more than please fans of “Filth”-era SWANS a bit. “Trawler’s Return” is a feverish jazz-thrash attack that careens headfirst into a Lemos guitar shredding, set to a pace that would please any classic punk rocker. “As Evening Fades” is a sweet and mellow ambient dub piece, leading into the 22-minute closer, “The Perks Of Being A Perv”, which ends the first album in a tour-de-force of pounding post-industrial rhythms lashed alongside Lemos’ maniacal guitar. Call this one more jazz-prog-thrash, every bit as intense as any metal could hope to be. The track evolves/devolves into pounding experimental improv noise, a sort of harkening back to the band's famous days as one of America's premier industrial noise groups.

The second disc is “The Bisi Sessions”, recorded live in the studio back in 2011 with legendary NYC producer Martin Bisi (known for his work with SWANS, Sonic Youth, Live Skull, and tons more). These 7 tracks (well, 8, as there's an unlisted bonus cut) are an ideal accompaniment alongside the initial “Larva Lumps” disc — weird, complex rhythms and genre-busting arrangements all centered around the remarkable guitar chops of Lemos himself. Approaching a kind of hyper speed-core on most cuts, Controlled Bleeding’s potent musical ramblings (all instrumental here aside from a rather pop-oriented "Trang's Song", with sweet vocals from longtime collaborator Trang) are both befuddling and somehow invigorating. 

Music doesn’t need to belong to any category or genre, and Paul Lemos and company have spent many years proving that great music comes, rightly, from far outside the mainstream. Cheers, Paul, and here’s to many more releases and reissues.

ArtOfFact/Storming The Base

Controlled Bleeding site

Psyche - “Mystery Hotel” CD

Third album of stylish dark synth-pop

Psyche’s third album, originally released in 1988, is here remastered and combined with 8 bonus tracks (mostly 12-inch mixes and a previously vinyl-only 5-song live EP), making the definitive version after nearly 30 years. It’s another fairly drastic progression from the band’s earlier shock-horror days, and most of it works quite well.

“Mystery Hotel” shows Darrin’s blues and soul inspirations taking stride alongside brother Stephen’s slick electropop backdrop. “Insatiable” is a driving, slick analogue dance track that brings to the fore Stephen's amazing cinematic programming skills. “Wake The Flood Unconscious” combines a colder proto-industrial feel with Darrin’s soulful vocals. “The Outsider” is a slower, dark electro ballad. “You're The Only One” doesn't date well, both musically and lyrically, sounding like an early Depeche Mode cut, although with better vocals than Gahan could muster at the time.

The instrumental Stephen Huss composition, “Dreamstreet” is a definite highlight, combining Tangerine Dream and John Carpenter inspirations into a beautiful and unique analogue sci-fi soundtrack. “Eternal” is a late 80s-styled electro anthem, upbeat, but sounding definitely of its era.

Though “Mystery Hotel” may not be Psyche’s most consistent recording, there are unquestionably some of the bands highest marks here as they continued to evolve from their horror electro roots into something more complex and stylish, while retaining their trademark dark edges.

Kudos to Psyche and ArtOfFact for this quality reissue. All that seems missing are detailed liner notes or a history or message from Darrin about the recordings. Perhaps future pressings could address this, but for now, I’m happy with this comprehensive updating of this fine recording from a band deserving of so much more notice.

Artoffact Records

Psyche site

Rational Youth - "Live 1983" 2xCD

Synthpop resuscitation

Rescued from cassette oblivion by electro-industrial label ArtOfFact and Rational Youth synth keyboardist Kevin Komoda, this double-set captures the Canadian synthpop pioneers at the height of their powers, in 2 shows from Winnipeg and Ottawa.

The first disc is the Winnipeg set, and it contains 15 tracks of electro-pop that's as well-done as anything out there of it's era. Having no previous experience with this influential group (shame on me), I hear pretty much what I'd expect --  synths, live drums and guitars, and sensitive, melodic vocals. Regional hits like "Dancing On The Berlin Wall" or "Holidays In Bangkok" sound crisp and clean, and as with all of this disc, it's of a superb recording quality. 

The second disc is "Live In Ottawa", and though it features a similar set as the Winnipeg disc, it's also a superb archival recording, somewhere between audience bootleg and soundboard quality. 

Rational Youth's music is best compared to their peers, Vancouver synthpop darlings Images In Vogue (who gained notoriety for opening a show for Duran Duran and for giving Kevin Crompton a boost towards his Skinny Puppy future). Sadly, Rational Youth never achieved the status of notoriety of IIV, and they remain but a footnote in Canadian pop music history. For fans, this is a must-hear set, and for unfamiliar listeners like myself, it's a good education.

Artoffact Records / Storming The Base

Rational Youth site

Ohm - "Ohm" CD

Top-tier Vancouver industrial

A duo consisting of Vancouver industrialists Craig Huxtable (Landscape Body Machine) and Chris Peterson (ex-Front Line Assembly/Delerium and Decree), Ohm's debut is a sturdy set of deep, dark, and textural electronic tunes that will immediately please fans of bands like FLA, Skinny Puppy, or Numb. 

The opener, "When Robots Fuck", is subtle, mid-tempo, and effective enough to set the mood. "Car Crash" follows, and this is among the band's finest moments -- a subtle, heavy, and even catchy industrial thumper. "Detroit" features whispery vocals by Kaine Delay (of fellow Vancouver industrial punks Left Spine Down), and  is another winning combination -- all cinematic electronics with a masterful analogue beat undermining it all. "Destroyed In Seconds" and "Brute" are more aggressive mesh of furious techno rhythms and declarative vocals in the spirit of Peterson's excellent Decree project. 

Overall, a superb album of dark industrial beat masterpieces, and with really solid production, this is definitely steps ahead of of their peers. More, please!

Artoffact Records

Ohmbook

Cat Rapes Dog - "Life Was Sweet" CD

Swedish trash-electro

Sweden's kings of sleazy biker-rock-tinged electro have returned after a hiatus of 14 years. The 9 new songs here clock in at only 35 minutes, and I get a much more clubby, disco sound that I've heard in the past. Nonetheless, the same tongue-in-cheek humor and offensiveness are intact, as evidenced by the opening single, the solid EBM-groovy "God Hates Christians".

"Through A Glass Darkly" pumps up the dance vibes, with female vocals from Annelie Bertilsson (aka "Dannie Dudemeister"). The new-wavey "River Of Pain" is a fun diversion, while "Head Around" harkens back the the band's earlier, harsher  EBM-electro days. "A Thousand Years" closes out the album, unfortunately, on a pretty forgettable note. Overall, it's good to see CRD return, and "Life Was Sweet" fairly sums up their career, from harder electro to more synth-poppy disco cuts. Long-time fans will not be disappointed, and those looking for retro-electro with teeth will also be satiated.

ArtOfFact Records

Cat Rapes Dog site

Decree - "Fateless" CD

Every few years, Vancouver electronic producer Chris Peterson (known for his work with Front Line Assembly) gathers some friends and unleashes his heavier, denser, and blacker industrial and noise work as Decree. "Fateless" is the band's third release, and it opens with the bleakly majestic "Finite Years", marrying thunderous martial drums with maniacal declarations and grinding guitars. "The Prey" is a slow-churn descent into a nihilistic abyss. "Bloodthirst" is another intense blast of dynamic Sturm-und-Drang that's as orchestral as it is feral. "Night And Fog" is blistering, paranoid noise that would be amazing in a horror film. "Faded Glory" ends it all with a 7-minute torrent of overloaded rhythms, noise, densely-mixed grind, and shouted vox. Intimidating? Yes. Powerful? Certainly. Cleansing? Definitely. Decree are a powerhouse that mops the floor with all the dance-club bands masquerading as "industrial". (Artoffact Records)

Decree official site