Bind.Torture.Kill - Bind.Torture.Kill

First of all, I'll sympathise with any of you who look at this act and immediately assume they're a Suicide Commando rip-off. The name actually refers to the BTK Killer Dennis Rader, and the acts influences are more akin to Leaether Strip and Skinny Puppy than anything else.

Interestingly, they do play "Terror EBM", and for those looking for a gap in the gore-soaked walls that Dawn of Ashes once fortified, this San Antonio based act may well do that. Trioxin (Vocals and Synth) has (since the 2007 inception) acquired the talents of Kreep (Programming, Synths, Backing Vocals; also Artwork for Code:Red Core's "Fallen Angel EP") and Spook (Sequences/Synth). As such, their newer material is said to be totally different.

This six track CD is a promotional showcase for a band, who haven't really released anything to the general public except the compilation tracks "El Cucuy" (From "Don't Mess with Industrial") and "A Madman's Lullaby" (From Synthetic Rage Vol.1 , and this release).

Suitably named "Sick Agony" starts us off, and the BTK I recall from older days has sharpened its knives. This is pounding synth, disgusting vocals, and melodies in abundance. This is very much Dawn of Ashes at their most fertile, and from the perversive vocal work of Trioxin and Kreep to the mid-sections and parses that structure each track, every single feature is quite clearly evolved, to the point where I'm almost checking that I'm listening to the right album.
Production was a huge issue for earlier BTK tracks - obviously collective streaming demo tracks aren't mastered, but this is like changing your style from trying to fuck a doorknob to being the next Ron Jeremy.

"A Madman's Lullaby" returns for those who missed the Synthetic Rage compilation, and the creepy intro of what I believe is a child's keyboard being played leaves no stone unturned in this forensic abomination. It's quite clear that an act doing the whole "Gore" thing has to be seen to take itself seriously, and there's no risk of foolhardiness here - everything is catered for, and like DoA before them (I'm sorry to keep comparing you, guys), the masses will soak this up like a leech to the vein.

It's all been done before, but carries enough freshness (the only other act doing this is Infra Black, and they are quite simply an act that no one can agree on), to still be welcomed. "Phobia" has some horrifically depressing boiler room ambience running through the first minute, and even takes time out to have a drum-only bit, with the noise in the background being demented enough to remind me of the Hostel series - this isn't repulsive, over-exaggerated crap, however.

Don't think I'm praising this release to the skies and back - there still needs to be a huge production effort and mastering is essential, but I've heard bands get signed on weaker material. I mean, "Belial" is pretty danceable, "Horizon" is an older track that seems to go down as a favourite, and "Broken" is fucked up - always nice to close the album with a high note.

For an act that's cut from the same cloth as Sin D.N.A and Souless Affection, there's going to be heads turned. Whether or not the material here is label quality is arguable, but I know two things :

One : This is a good EP, and has potential in abundance.
Two : If Bind.Torture.Kill can carry on with the Horror concept, there's a nice gap in the market for them.

Nice work guys. Time to make a killing. Apr 16 2012