Various Artists - Radio EPK

This is a thirty-five track "electronic press kit", I believe provided to both physical and online radio stations, by US based Shinto Records [See Note(*1) in "Conclusion"]. So what are we going to hear? Shinto state an interest in creative music, and the art of music, but with most of their artists falling within the gothic and industrial genres. Additionally, experimental artists that cannot be classified.

Scanning the list of thirty-five bands, the range goes for me from well-known and liked bands like Angels on Acid ,Traumatize, 357, Crucifixion Machine, The Alacrity and Japanese Car Crash, from which I think I know what to expect but always hope for a surprise. Through to some I had hoped to never hear again, and then to the unknown. Enough of the unknown left to hope I will find something new to me I will like a lot and take away from this album for the future. I will only be mentioning the tracks of note due to the nature and length of this compilation/EPK.

Not being a fan of experimental music to date I am a little dubious about what I am going to hear. Straight into the unknown, Little Sap Dungeon, track name "Meet Your Maker". This I would describe as experimental-industrial, and has a very catchy beat in places. This could go somewhere for me and I will be looking for more now from these guys.

I am always happy to hear the familiar dark-electro sound of Traumatize ("Death in Pill"). Great pumping harsh sound, always a pleasure to hear. It's dark, violent and full of rhythm. Traumatize in my opinion is still so very under-estimated.

I now feel a little disappointed and things are going downhill quickly. The breaks hit a little with Tears of Nature ("Fog (Call to Arms Mix by Roughhausen)"), another experimental/industrial track, I am perhaps finding a new sub-genre to my taste. An experiment with sound that doesn't hurt my ears! I feel that this track has only just stopped the slide so I am keen to find out what happens next.

I got just what I needed - Fearpassage ("Feelings You Hide"), great synths, beat, vocals, a pleasure to hear from start to finish. Holy cow, it didn't last long though and there are just some things in the music world which I see as totally pointless.

I am heading towards my pain threshold, but at least I know I have Japanese Car Crash, to follow. their track "Silent Now Lust", has a creepy depraved fairy tale sound to it, I love it. Maybe the Asia Carrera influence coming through in this one. This compilation is a bit of a rollercoaster ride for me so far, and I hope the thought of Asia Carrera" will sustain me enough to continue my journey. We go through Crucifixion Machine (Triceratops) and XSRY ("The Coil") which I mention as I would at least give them radio play.

We then come back with the industrial sound of 357 ("Mind Cell"), great drums, and synths here. The drum beat makes it a winner. Then unfortunately, I am beginning to lose interest, although I then regain some through the more industrial and credible sound of Dead Frail Honesty with their track "Miasma (The 11th Hour Mix)". We step up even further with Frontal Boundary, (Mental Illusion (Mix 1)). Typical pounding hard industrial with harsh vocals, that many of us love so much.

Now what I have been waiting to hear for what seems like a very long time, what is an excellent remix by Project Rotten of Angels On Acid, ("Apocalypse Now"), a really catchy track, with a dark, haunting, Harsh Electro sound. Fallen Mind put together some pretty good whatever with their track "Mourning Sun", but probably best suited to the mentally disturbed. I liked it anyway. At least I seemed to have reached a plateaux of consistency within this compilation, repeated by Needlewire, ("Ratking (Mortal Void Remix")), a melancholic industrial sound.Still we continue with The Alacrity ("Psalms"), good beats, ambient breaks and heavy drums which all combine to serve up a great atmosphere.

Xiescive, I had not heard before, and their offering to this compilation, Nympholepsy ("X To The V Remix by Vynil Rob") was the surprise I had been waiting for. This is good dark electro music and enough to make me now go searching for their album. After another dip we find Eyes Stained Black, ("Fading"), an unexpected real gothic sound, and a good one. The same cycle of tracks follows again and this time we find Psybrid, (In Ever), new band to me, this track has great synths and melody, a psyched up track and at last I have found one we can dance too. That track for me was the end.

Conclusion:
There are many contrasting sounds on this album of thirty-five tracks. I very much doubt anyone on the planet would like it all, but if you pick it up I am sure there will be much you do like. We must remember also the possible function and purpose of this compilation from Shinto Records. (*1) However, researching this compilation I have now found that these tracks make up Sin-Machina (Shinto Records Compilation) Chapters 1 and 2, and I shall concluded a score on that basis. A rollercoaster journey for me but I found some names to follow up on, and there were reminders of some I already know, and for me this combination always makes the journey worthwhile, even one this long. Mar 28 2012