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Implant
Fading Away

Alfa Matrix

Posted: Thursday, September 14, 2006
By: Matthew Johnson
Assistant Editor

Implant's last few albums have been exceptionally eclectic, incorporating elements of everything from progressive techno to trance to tribal and ethnic rhythms, but this EP goes right back to the band's roots in EBM. "You Push Me" is a particularly hard-hitting example; with its high-BPM drum machines and thickly distorted vocals, it's got as much in common with the modern terror EBM scene as with the seminal acts like Front 242 that were Implant's original inspiration. "No Danger" is a bit more old-school and rough around the edges, with a thick bass line complemented by metallic scrapes, while title track "Fading Away" is more futuristic, with drums that pulse more than they smash. A number of guest remixes fill out this EP nicely, exploring other genres that reflect Implant's range of interests. Zombie Girl, the latest project from Icon of Coil's Sebastian Komor, gives "Fading Away" a more raw analog feel, while EBM legend Leæther Strip gives "Was it Always This Way" some new, more fleshed-out vocals along with bouncing synth lines. Cut.rate.box's mix of "Murderous Thoughts" is dark, minimal, and rhythmic, while Negative Format's Alex Matheu gives the same song his signature hard trance overtones. For acid house enthusiasts, Millimetric's version of "Fading Away" features a flat, hypnotically hissing high-hat alongside reverb-drenched vocals, while Auto Auto's mix is tinny and mechanical, rather than deep and echoing. CDs that are as dependent on remixes as this one can often get repetitive outside of the club setting, but Implant pulls it off quite well here; between the classic EBM leanings of the original tracks and the sheer variety of approaches by contributing artists, there's more than enough variety here to keep things entertaining from beginning to end.