Statiqbloom – Asphyxia (CD Album – Metropolis Records)
Genre/Influences: Industrial, EBM.
Background/Info: Honestly, I can’t remember to have ever heard of Statiqbloom before. They released a few albums before on Translation Loss , but “Asphyxia” will probably become the real start for Statiqbloom.
Content: “Asphyxia” definitely deals with a post-industrial sound, getting us back to the 90s and reminding me of bands such as Mentallo & The Fixer, Revolting Cocks, but especially Yelworc for the haunting atmospheres. The songs are recovered with a dense and hostile dark layer. It all feels like danger coming really close.
+ + + : I’ve been deeply impressed by “Asphyxia”. The compositions aren’t innovative, but the writing is intelligent and sophisticated. There’s a great mix between 80s and especially 90s electronics at one side and a personal and more contemporary approach at the other side. The industrial sound treatments create a perfect match with hostile electro atmospheres. This reminds me to Yelworc, which I’m still considering as one of the absolute ‘masters’ when it comes to create a tormenting dark-electro/EBM sphere. Just pay attention for excelling cuts such as “Eight Hearts Eight Spikes” and “Figure Behind The Door”, but also for the more EBM driven “Painted Red”.
– – – : The album features 9 songs and that’s a pity because the final track is a rather disappointing song… Serious now, I would have preferred to get a few extra songs, but you don’t hear me complaining.
Conclusion: Statiqbloom definitely sounds as the latest promising formation from the Metropolis stable! “Asphyxia” left me rather breathless…
Best songs: “Eight Hearts Eight Spikes”, “Figure Behind The Door”, “Painted Red”, “Possession”, “Until Oblivion”.
Rate: (8½).
Artist: www.facebook.com/statiqbloom
Label: www.metropolis–records.com / www.facebook.com/MetropolisRecords
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