Artist: Restricted Area
Title: Core Excess
Genre: Electro / EBM
Release Date: 30th June 2011
Label: EK Product
Album Review
RESTRICTED AREA is a Swedish band that was founded in 1994 by Peter Elm. This makes them Electro / Synth Pop / EBM veterans. After being away from the scene for 7 years with their last release being ‘Fun and Fearless’ the band is back with a double album called ‘Core Excess’. The first CD consists of an electro synth pop album and the second CD contains a 10 track EBM album. Here, we got the first CD…
The first track, ‘Voyager’, starts out in a really interesting way and seems to go back to the simpler days of the care freeness of classic synth music during the 80's and 90's yet has a darker modern undertone. The sound of their music is a lot more complex and sophisticated then you might initially presume. ‘Voyager’ seems to introduce this fact. The second track, ‘Too Much’, is very different then the first, as if the true identity of the band has been revealed. This song is a dark theme song explaining how shallow and superficial life can be. Next one, ‘You Inspire Me’, seems to be about love and mostly positive in tone. Its rare to hear a song about the positive aspects of love. The track ‘Far Away’ is a bit sad but very deep and melodic. ‘Cercle’ is very dark and it starts with the sound of a coin or something rolling around in a circle. The tune is surprisingly in French. Like a cool alternative beatnik French song. Interesting! The track ‘Dead Man Walking’ is an incredible tune with pure synth sounds rebounding through it and reverberating through your soul. ‘Dead Man Walking’ will keep you very alive in the dreamy world of Electro synth.
The next track, ‘Big Spender’ is an angry song about a person who can show off their money in a careless way. It is almost industrial in its execution. ‘Rise’, with a sound that sends you away, is really dark but so intriguing and you never know what to expect next. The track ‘Treptow’ reminds me of one of those old travelling circuses that take place in some twisted haunted dimension. The tune is disturbing in its own way like a nightmare in a dream that you can't wake up from. Childish laughing echoes through the song and brings you to the edge of madness. ‘When it Comes’ is darker still, pulling you down into the depths of depression for whatever reason you got there in the first place. Feel free to lose yourself to it! The last track, ‘Envie’, is also in French. Funny that this Swedish band has two of the songs on this album in French and none in Swedish. The French songs on this album are very different then their counterparts with a lot of straight lyrics that seem to take over the music itself making the French language the art and definition of the tune. French that slides down your tongue like aged wine.
‘Core Excess’ is worth buying. The sound is incredible and each track seems to have its own clear theme and purpose. Its a great dose of the sleek and sophisticated Swedish synth, full of the dark and bitterly cold depth we all love to hear from a Swedish band like RESTRICTED AREA.
Videos on YouTube:
Weapon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJoqdqbbR2M
Tracklist
01. Voyager
02. Too Much
03. You Inspire Me
04. Far Away
05. Cercle
06. Dead Man Walking
07. Big Spender
08. Rise
09. Treptow
10. When It Comes
11. Envie
Line-up
Peter Elm
Websites
http://www.ekproduct.com
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 8.5 / 10
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