Title: Banished Psalms
Artist: Life Cried
Genre: Harsh Electro
Release Date: 5th June 2009
Label: Noitekk
Album Review
The inception of LIFE CRIED goes back to the year 1999. In the main time between that event and the release of his first and fierce debut ‘Drawn & Quartered’, mastermind Chris Reject developed and perfected his signature sound in order to give the project its own identity. Almost three years went by until the successor ‘Banished Psalms’ would see the light of day on 5th June 2009.
LIFE CRIED always sounded a bit different than the typical Harsh Electro act from next door and that is mainly due to the special atmosphere their tracks conjure and an aggressiveness that is much more credible than the rest. The aforementioned sombre atmosphere builds up initially on the opening track ‘Another Sacrifice’ and are being complemented by the brachial pounding drums. An almost classical arrangement with oppressive strings, piano and speech samples, a motif that disappears as soon as the destructive patterns break out of their cage and roll everything down while only a slight touch of melody remains and the unbridled fury of Chris’s vocals takes hold, all of which blends with the atmospheric motif for the tracks chorus. ‘Preacher’ is indwelled by strings as well but this time they’re layering a more sublime timbre over the beats. If there’s something akin to a ballad on ‘Banished Psalms’ then it’s definitely ‘More to Tarnish’. The arrangement is comparatively calm and tamed and resides in the lower mid-tempo regions. The aggression is created solely by the vocals in this track. ’Forbidden’ can be seen as the other side of the metal. Everything’s rage here, so much it’s capable of crushing you.
The album ends with ‘Derelict’ which is an experimental, instrumental piece spiked with piano chords and leaves the feeling that something mighty just ran you over as it fades. An own sound; this is what supposedly 90% of the Harsh electro bands lack but LIFE CRIED actually succeeded in creating one for themselves and refining them with the new album. Of course it’s still undeniably which genre it belongs to but Chris has carved a niche out for himself within its boundaries.
Tracklist
01. Another sacrifice - 3:55
02. Bloodstained - 5:19
03. Dressded in filth - 4:31
04. Bound in hate - 4:39
05. Alone - 1:29
06. Preacher - 7:10
07. More to tarnish - 5:30
08. Procession, Rigor Mortis - 1:11
09. Solemn - 5:06
10. Forbidden - 4:45
11. Derelict - 1:48
Line-up
Chris Reject - All music, Vocals, Lyrics and Concept.
Website
http://www.lifecried.net/ / http://www.myspace.com/lifecried
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 7
Sound: 8
Extras: -
Total: 7.5 / 10
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