REVIEWS

Icon of Coil
Machines Are Us

EBM enthusiasts rejoice... Icon of Coil is back! Their third full-length release on Metropolis Records is yet another triumph in the ever-growing discography of IoC. Their catchy dance tracks are a drug that many club fanatics crave. Since their last release, The Soul is in the Software, IoC have expanded their already incredible sound to bring us to the current point in their history. For those of you unfamiliar with Icon of Coil, I will try to explain their vast sound; heavy bass beats, rolling synths, crafty programming, and pop-ish yet raw vocals. Machines Are Us delivers this and then some. A high point on the album is the hard-hitting "Remove/Replace," which is a full-on aural attack complete with pulse-pounding synths backed by a relentless bass beat. "Shelter" is another high point as the synths are so deviant and heavy that I was literally taken aback when I heard them; this track is hard and direct. Another track that grabs you by the face and pounds the beat home is "Existence in Progress." This track blends beautiful harmonic vocals with the hard and heavy synthesizers and drums; a wonderful combination that is unmatched by most bands of the genre. Another track on the album worth mentioning (well they are all worth it, but I don't want to give all of the secrets away) is "Faith: Not Important." This track has an old school Skinny Puppy feel about it in that it contains those vacant and echoing synthesizers that they used so often on albums. They take that element and blend in their own trademark sound of harmony and rhythm. This is a true blend of old and new to create something that sounds different than either time period. I really could go on and on about this album and its nuggets of musical joy, such as the track "Dead Enough For Life," which is a... alright enough of that, some things need to be discovered by the listener and I am not going to tell you every little detail of this album. You have to get it to experience it for yourself. Do yourself a favor and check it out as I can guarantee you this will be one of your favorites for 2004.