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Various Artists
Fxxk the Mainstream Volume 1

Alfa Matrix

Posted: Friday, January 25, 2008
By: Damon Wilson

Since priority was given to VampireFreaks.com member bands, it is a little surprising that the box set Fxxk the Mainstream does not have more of a grassroots/independent feel. The inclusion of tracks that were not ether previously unreleased or at least remixed for this compilation reeks of repackaging just for the sake of marketing. Worst yet is the obviously "mainstream commercial" packaging the music has been wrapped in. What could possibly be more mainstream than including a pamphlet with models decked out in what is undoubtedly clothing available for purchase at the VampireFreaks.com online store by the same name as the box set? The title would more aptly be "F**ked by the Mainstream." That there is genuinely interesting music on any of the discs is without a doubt thanks solely to the artists who lovingly and - more than likely - obsessively strive to scream with their own voices. For the sake of much needed exposure, they risk being marginalized into the mainstream by those less concerned with art and more concerned with trying to sell a subculture.

Of the four discs, and of the previously unreleased material, the first disc is perhaps the strongest. Metal crossover act Crisk surprise with their in-your-face track "Beute," while the remix of Cyan's "Holocaust of Love" is an interesting mix of goth and EBM. Engelmacher's "Carrion" bind effected vocals and EBM into what can be compared to a more driven but similarly flowing song as X Marks the Pedwalk's "Sweep Hands." Unter Null side project Stray appears with an Unfixed version of the song "Break Me Free" and, thankfully, whatever was fixed in other mixes is blissfully left "as is" here. Other notables are Reaper with "Twisted Trophy Hunter," Seabound and Mindless Faith with the vs. style mix of "Domination" and "Bound." Leæther Strip, ever present on Alfa Matrix compilations, delights with the Bite & Suck edit of "Dirty Little Secret," as do Servo.Hatred with "Genesis."

After awhile, the compilation comes back to life with the Nils Schulte remix of Edge of Dawn's "Pray for Love" in which Frank and company sounds as if they are paying homage to a certain Canadian industrial band Frank has made mention of admiring for some time. Implant's "Don't Feed the Robots" is a fun Kraftwerk-like tune that might find itself in heavy rotation. Mind:State don't disappoint and turn things dark with their F**ked Up mix of "Black Angel," and while Frozen Plasma's version of EBM might be well played by now, "Warmongers" still makes for some toe-tapping social commentary contemplation. One highlight of the set is the nearly raw, nearly unaffected, but fully emotionally honest vocals of Erica Dunham on the Helalyn Flowers mix of Unter Null's "This is Your End." Winding things up is Noisuf-X with "Hit Me Hard," sounding a bit like Freeland, but as fun and bass-driven as anyone could want.

Sure, sex sells, and without a doubt, it is a tactic overused in ever corner of the world to hawk everything from insurance to cars to music. It is completely a mainstream practice, so for the folks at VF and Alfa Matrix to ignore this, or worse, purposely market a box set that, at least in namesake, is supposed to fly in the face of such mainstream mediocrity... well really, how different do the CDs, CD packaging, and enclosed pamphlet look from FHM or Maxim? Though his original intent may have been different, Nivek Ogre's chant of "Are you up for the suck" on "Politikil" - which happens to be included on the first disc - is a bit of irony not lost on this reviewer.