Strain

by

Flesh Field

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It can be rather difficult these days to find decent industrial music that stands out above the rest, yet Flesh Field manages to do just that. With top-notch production, outstanding, catchy beats, and two vocalists that are far from grating on the ears, Flesh Field has managed to put together an incredibly noteworthy album.

The album opens with "Uprising," an extremely catchy, hypnotic, trance-inducing song. A great opener. My one minor complaint is that the lyrics tend to leave something to be desired. "Haven" interlaces grinding beats and mellower ballad-esque synth interludes, as well as some of the gorgeous classical elements that are prevalent throughout this album's entirety. "The Eucharist" is a slightly mellower (though no less danceable) song that shows lyrical improvement, and adds some simple, yet tasteful piano into the mix. "Recoil" opens with gorgeous classical elements and then quickly picks up the pace, morphing into a heart-pounding anthem of betrayal and deceit.

"Voice of Dissent" begins with a short classical prelude and gradually adds driving guitars and drums. This song serves as a poignant proclamation of Flesh Field's ability to seamlessly combine several musical elements into an entrancing and enticing conglomeration. "Amoeba" incorporates strings and stellar female backing vocals in addition to the driving guitars and pounding rhythms, giving this track an epic and momentous feel that bleeds into "The Collapse." "Epiphany" opens with piano accompaniment to Yanko's sweetly innocent vocals. Synthesizers and strings are gradually added, as are guitars and crunching beats. This is definitely one of my favorite songs on the album.

The lyrics could probably use some improvement throughout the album's entirety, and the male vocals tend to sound washed out and rather low in the mix at times, but the superior elements of this album far outweigh the inferior.

Strain seems to showcase a perfect balance of raw and aggressive cyber-punk, emotional electro-rock, and classical elegance. Wendy Yanko and Ian Ross are clearly a phenomenally ingenious duo who deserve to remain on the scene and continue to put forth more incredible albums. I anxiously look forward to whatever they may come up with next. If you're looking for some fresh and creative industrial to add to your collection, then pick this album up!

This is one of those albums which make me squirm with "if only...!". The good first: the mixing and the production of this album are top notch. Very catchy beats, great soundscapes, both vocalists do their jobs very well. They have all the ingredients for a top-of-the-line industrial / futurepop release.

But then there's the fly in the ointment: the melody. Many tracks in the album start out well, but are then interluded with corny synth string & piano melodies. They stick out and give the tracks an incoherent nature. The film soundtrack-esque big tribal drums and choir chants are also a bit out of the whole, feels like the artists tried to mix together a bit too many ingredients.

But overall, I like this album. Or rather, I like the potential this album represents band for the band's next release. Just, please, leave the strings and pianos out. And either come up with catchier melodies (for good examples look into Razed in Black, or why not even VNV Nation), or just forget about them and concentrate on the industrial beats and vocals which you do so well.

My favorite track is "Reflect the Enemy". It has great beats, great sounds - and it's more coherent, stylistically pure than the rest.