Reality’s Despair – Perfidious Depopulation (Album – Insane Records)
Genre/Influences: EBM, Dark-Electro.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Belgian solo-project Reality’s Despair was set up more than twenty years ago. After numerous self-released productions and a hiatus of numerous years, Reality’s Despair struck back and even signed a deal with the Russian label, Insane Records to unleash the official debut album.
Content: “Perfidious Depopulation” features 11 songs plus 3 reworked (older) cuts. This work will appeal to EBM lovers and reveals a quite diversified spectrum of EBM influences. From pure old-school EBM reminding me of DAF, Orange Sector and co towards more sophisticated writing à la Calva Y Nada, the common thread between the songs is the 90s driven source of inspiration. An essential element in the sound is the melodic touch of the strings. The vocals were mainly produced in a ghost-like way.
+ + + : This work will ravish EBM nostalgic from the 90s. “The 509th” is clearly reminiscent of the sophistication of Calva Y Nada. It’s a brilliant song, which according to me reveals a true potential. But “1952 Flyby” is something totally different and into retro EBM à la Orange Sector and co. And here again Reality’s Despair reveals great writing skills. I also have to mention some of the reworked songs, but especially “Cytokine Storm – Club Edit” is worthy of examination.
– – – : A few tracks like “Distance Kills Existence” and “A Shadow In The Fog” have something more inhibited and that’s not exactly the best part of the album. I also get the feeling Reality’s Despair is still in search of its own sound and EBM format, the album being pretty versatile.
Conclusion: This work is an antidote to innovation, but it’s a cool retro-inspired EBM production.
Best songs: “The 509th”, “1952 Flyby”, “Cytokine Storm – Club Edit”, “Our Future Is Cold – Extended”, “Evil Intent”, “Oasphe Collapsing”.
Rate: 8.
Artist: www.facebook.com/realitysdespair
Label: www.insane-records.com / www.facebook.com/InsaneRecordsEU
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.
Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
