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Apoptygma Berzerk
Rocket Science

GUN Records

Posted: Thursday, February 19, 2009
By: John Galope
Contributing Columnist

Do you remember how great Apoptygma Berzerk used to be? In the late '90s, Apop led the movement of the scene into the modern EBM/industrial era. In the 2000's, Apop changed their sound towards what would become the futurepop/electro genre as part of the "big three" bands in the scene (along with VNV Nation and Covenant) that dominated the club scene's play lists. They produced countless club hits including "Mourn," "Non-Stop Violence," "Kathy's Song," and "Unicorn." They were at the pinnacle of the goth/industrial/EBM scene. Well friends... that Apoptygma Berzerk for all intents and purposes is gone, and it looks like they will never be back. The change really began to occur with the release of 2005's You and Me Against the World; Apop changed their sound from electro-based club music to a more indie rock sound, and the record was generally met with negative reviews by both critics and long time fans alike who hoped that this record was a one-off and that Apop would return to the old sound sooner rather then later. Of course, there were fans that did like the new sound and wanted to see that evolve into blending electro and indie rock. With their new release, Rocket Science, Apop does evolve their sound, but not in the way that many fans were hoping. To break it down to brass tacks, the album is electro/rock-based pop music, very much in the vein of mainstream acts like The Killers, Panic! at the Disco, and similar acts. But the difference between those acts and Apop is that those bands have always had that sound and while it may not be the cup of tea for many of us in the goth/electro/industrial scene, it is at least done as well as it can be in those genres. However, Apop's attempt to do what those bands do comes off completely uninspired. Upon listening to this record, you may think that the CD player is stuck repeating the same song over and over, due to the fact that all the songs on the record sound almost identical. It is a bland form of synth/rock that, while it might be good for a commercial teen market, leaves a bad taste is the mouths of real fans of electro music. The other problem is that Stephan Groth's vocals are not really suited to this genre of music, so they stand out in a very awkward way that never really seems to blend with the music.

And that is not the only flaw in the album. Apop may not have ever been known for depth when it came to lyrical meaning, but with this record, it hits an all-time low. The lyrics for a song like "United States of Credit" and "Rocket Calculator" are so utterly trite that one would expect them from a boy band shown on the Disney Channel. This record form start to finish is an absolute disaster; it's a lesson plan in how to enrage the audience you already have and make sure you will not gain any sort of new fan base to make up for it. For past fans of the Apop, this record is less of a listening pleasure, and more a case of mild ear rape. If Apop wanted to sell out, well then good for them; they have done it, but from what we have been told, "selling out" means appealing to the mainstream and making more money, and you will have a tough time imagining this album appealing to anybody.