Nitro/Noise - Total Nihilism

Unveiled this week as the first in an exciting trio of new signings (the latter two yet to be revealed), Canadian threesome 'Nitronoise' are an act that have a wide array of tools available to them.

First up is the allure of the key musician - Clutch. Previously involved in Detroit Diesel up to the release of 'Terre Humaine' (what a release that turned out to be), his return to the scene will certainly generate interest.

Accompanied by 'Kold' (vocals) and 'Efferus' (strings), with a name that suggests a very explosive and turbo-charged sound, Nitronoise appear out of nowhere with 'Total Nihilism'.

"Killer Fuelled Machine" is the intro to both band and release, immediately living up to its name. This is stunningly fast TBM, but the real trick here is the use of Kold's growling, harsh vocal technique. It's not every day this goes hand in hand with TBM, but it's provided me with a real surprise. The structures to the song serve to utilise the dancefloor potential to it's maximum, providing rare but effective moments where the pace drops ever so slightly. At the latter stages of the track, it goes through a slower section, showing the Dark Electro roots of the act, but as an opener goes, no one would really ask for anything more.

Typical is as typical does, and the title of track two 'Synchronized Beat Fuck' is as close to standard as song-titles go for this genre, but it's apparent once again with the introduction of Kold's vocals that Nitronoise are anything BUT typical. The siren-like wail that plays out between the chorus and main melody gives the release a scathing techno-approach, but like peers such as Antythesys, Soman and S.A.M. have done before, the introduction of catchy melodies and cleverly placed melodies make the track one that's infinitely easier to remember then something by the average rookie act.

For me, the track that first got me going here was the next number, "Built For War" - more of an Aggrotech infused piece, this has the epic intro and approach that we've come to expect like clockwork from certain other acts on DWA. It sounds epic from the very start, like you know something is going to explode with a wall of illustrious bass, and at 1:34, it happens. The song introduces a short sample later (German, I believe), and in another unfamiliar move, the album actually manages to utilise them sparingly.

The coupling of "Genesis" and "X" are back-to-back brutality, with some of the strongest melodies and hooks on the release, and at this point, I feel it appropriate to discuss the mastering, which is done by Jan L. (X-Fusion) - Jan is one of a very small number of engineers that is relied on frequently, and he's notorious for his polished, bass-laden, intimate sounds - I suspect this album could have turned out decently from any professional, but the approach taken means that the music is forefront to anything else, and based on what I've heard thus far, it's a wise notion.

"No-One Shall Return" and "Armies In The Fire" suggest a militant edge to this release, and if one is inclined to put their army boots / "new rocks" on, they'll find an experience quite different to their usual night at Slimelight / Das Bunker / etc.

With the closing four tracks, "Warcry" and "Drowning" grew on me the quickest, the bass on Warcry is truly INSANE! Seriously, you'll struggle to find a chink in the body armour of this group.
My sole criticism is that I find it hard to make out some of Kold's lyrics, and at times, the vocals seem ever so slightly low, but I credit that to my headphones and EQ settings - I've not yet heard a DWA release that has any production issues, and I don't believe for one second that this one does.
With TBM, it's irrelevant anyway - the genre is about melody, bass, and beats, and with tracks like 'X' and 'Menschmaschine', there is no possible argument that can be raised.

Finally, the remixes are very intriguing indeed. Not content with having one hand on the steering wheel, Jan L decides to remix 'Synchronized Beat Fuck', under his heavier 'Noisuf-X' moniker. 'Alien Vampires' (who live the club lifestyle very excessively) have a go at 'Warcry', and it's the most diverse AV remix in a while. For me, the absolute clincher is Studio-X's hardstyle reworking of 'Synchronized Beat Fuck'. There's no stone unturned, and if you're looking for a dealbreaker, you're gonna end up disappointed.

As usual, DWA have teamed up with Kallisti Design's Vlad McNeally to provide a visual impression of the Nitronoise concept, and as only Vlad can really do, we have something unique, detailed, and capturing.

TBM at its finest, and an album I'll be corrupting the family with for a very long time. I don't really have any concerns regarding the quality of this release at all - there's various tracks I'd love to see remixed, but knowing DWA, I don't think I'll have to wait too long.

There's samples on bandcamp, and you can pre-order the release from it and get a free digital download while you wait. May 13 2012