REVIEWS

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Celldweller
The Beta Cessions

Position Music

Posted: Wednesday, March 22, 2006
By: Ilker Yucel
Editor

When Klayton Scott disbanded Circle of Dust in 1997, thus ending one of the most popular and most innovative underground industrial metal bands of the decade, fans began to wonder what would become of this uniquely talented and tortured individual. Having weathered the pitfalls of record label hypocrisy and betrayal from trusted friends, Klayton has amassed quite a portfolio of impressive music with an equally impressive array of acclaimed artists in the genre, including Jim G. Thirlwell (of Foetus) and Tommy Victor (of Rob Zombie and Prong). While he had produced under the name of Celldweller in the past, it was not until Circle of Dust's demise that he adopted the moniker as his primary musical outlet. Having kept his fans up to date on the progress of his music via mp3.com, and even allowing them to participate in remixes, the 2003 release of Celldweller presented the world with an album of remarkable diversity. Genres blended seamlessly as songs would range from classical to rave to alternative metal to industrial EBM, all within a thematic concept of introducing the listener to a new world of music that breaks down the confines of categorization. Now, with The Beta Cessions, Klayton unveils early versions, remixes, and instrumentals that expand on the Celldweller vision, while progressing further into new territory.

The first track is a real treat, a new recording of the final Circle of Dust song, "Goodbye." While the original was featured on a compilation and presented a minimalist synth-techno farewell to the old name, this new version bridges the gap between the old and the new. It fleshes out the original arrangement with harsher beats, pulsating electronics, and aggressive guitars, showcasing the Celldweller sound in fine form and finalizing a song that had been unjustly left unfinished until now. The 2001 version of "Switchback" is also noteworthy in its combination of elements of the final album version and the original Detroit 2000 mix (also included here, which a friend of this reviewer once mentioned reminded him of Linkin Park; an unfair and slightly inaccurate comparison). The original 2000 version represents a heavier emphasis on the hip-hop elements, with turntables galore and a repeating rap refrain that only makes a single appearance in the final album version. The 2001 version ups the ante with a heavier emphasis on the chaotic beats and skittering power chords. Klayton also screams more heavily on the 2001, making for a loud and even frightening listen. The Elevation & Kenneth Thomas remix of "Switchback" is your average house-techno remix that would not be bad except for the fact that its nine-minute length is just too long to truly enjoy. The Detroit 2000 mixes of "Stay With Me (Unlikely)," "So Sorry to Say," "Under My Feet," and "Afraid This Time" do not differ dramatically from the final album versions, other than a few production tweaks here and there; this is a definite testament to Klayton's compositional talent as well as his perfectionism. These versions could easily have been released as final versions as well. Also included are the two tracks Klayton recorded under his own name for a one-off project, "Beginning of the End" and "Kemikal;" both are excellent goa club tracks.

At the tail end of the first disc are an instrumental version of the 2000 and 2001 versions of "Switchback" and an instrumental of "Goodbye." All are essentially the same songs, simply with all vocals taken out (even the incidental vocals that serve more as background effects instead of actual vocals). The second disc is the debut album in its entirety, but again presented as instrumental versions; as stated, they simply remove all vocals and allow the compositions to shine as works of pure music. The downside to this is that they, as a whole, do little to add to the Celldweller repertoire. What they do accomplish is to provide the listener with an alternate viewpoint of the album as well as showing Klayton's musical talent (as stated in the liners of both the debut and The Beta Cessions, all instruments were performed by Klayton, save for a very occasional guest performance). Ultimately, The Beta Cessions is a good companion album to the Celldweller debut, an archive of the past, with indications towards the future. If you are looking for a sound that is familiar and fresh, classic but modern and forward-thinking, then Celldweller is a band to pay attention to.