Title: Implements of Hell
Artist: Suicide Commando
Genre: Harsh Electro
Release Date: 22nd January 2010
Label: Out of Line
Album Review
A lot of water has been under the bridge ever since the last SUICIDE COMMANDO instalment ‘Bind, Torture, Kill’ was exposed, delving deep into the twisted mind of the notorious serial killer Dennis L. Rader. But already last year a new album cast its shadow back with the preceding single ‘Die Motherfucker Die’, and a few other tracks on a special vinyl release. ‘Implements of Hell’, so the title of the new record, bears a reference to another disgusting human being by the name of Albert Fish, also known as “Gray Man” or the “Brooklyn Vampire”, who struck terror into people’s hearts in the late 19th and early 20th century.
The crackling orchestral introduction to an ancient movie wakes nostalgic feelings, but only so they can be wrenched off at last with the brewing storm that comes with the first proper track ‘The Pleasures of Sin’. Its beats are going to tear away skin and flesh with their visceral power to dig deep into your entrails and make a mess there. It could be a coincidence, but the synth lines of the track sometimes remind me of ‘Cause of Death: Suicide’. The next one I think will be a surprise for those expecting the next breaker following it right up. But ‘The Dying Breed’ is by far one of the most complex SUICIDE COMMANDO tracks in a long time with the thumping and stuttering structure, a foundation for many additional layers including unsettling strings from six feet under. I’m not sure if it will find its way into a live set very often, nevertheless I’d love to hear it and watch people’s reactions.
‘Die Motherfucker Die’ as the single takes absolutely no prisoners and confronts the listener with a classic club stomper which in my opinion still rates miles higher than what bands like AGONOIZE like to serve nowadays. ‘Death Cures All Pain’ approaches with swirls of decaying ambience to raise a mid-paced beat quake out of the abyss to keep it company. Though it’s surely not the fastest effort it’s not lacking a certain force that’s giving it propulsion. That said it’s more in the vein of very old SC stuff, much like the following ‘God is in the Rain’, emphasizing much more on the crafting of excellent atmospheres than opting for the highest possible BPM count there is. ‘Severed Head’ is the only instrumental on the album, and a very disturbing one regarding the samples it’s using. The detailed report of the gruesome deeds a twisted mind has performed, repeated over and over again while rumbling beats dance around them.
‘Implements of Hell’ is being wrapped off with ‘Until We Die’, sampling a weeping violin for melodic purposes, giving an unusual classical note, and a sharp contrast to the harsh beats of the track that also comes up with a chorus that with the insanely distorted vocals and the words “Tell me why do you cry?” seems to try to reduce the violence of it to absurdity. ‘Implements of Hell’ surely isn’t a complete departure from old virtues, but who’d have expected that anyway. Instead, Johan van Roy combines the past of his project with the present and by that makes the newest album a strong monument that’ll be tough to overcome by any of the so called Hellectro acts out there currently.
Tracklist
01. Intro - 0:21
02. The Pleasures of Sin - 5:02
03. The Dying Breed - 4:44
04. Die Motherfucker Die - 6:11
05. Death Cures All Pain - 6:03
06. God is in the rain - 5:29
07. Hate Me (Remix) - 5:12
08. Come Down With Me - 6:18
09. Severed Head - 4:08
10. The Perils of Indifference - 4:15
11. Until We Die (Album Version) - 5:37
Line-Up
Johan Van Roy - All Music, Production, Lyrics & Vocals
Website
http://www.suicidecommando.be/ / http://www.myspace.com/suicidecommando
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 8.5 / 10
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