6.aborted.6.fetus.6 - 6Aborted6Fetus6

The shock value of this Greek project's name will wear off just in time for you to give a chance to something very interesting indeed. Spawned as an offshoot of Black Metal act "W.E.B." (Where Everything Begins), Sakis Darkface has ventured into the Electro-Industrial environment for a very unconventional release indeed.

Opening with "Mother" - a menacing, dark track that could be a James Bond theme, the album cover and sounds that leak from my speaker here don't paint the most maternal of images. In fact, I'm convinced that the 'Mother' referred to is an allusion to the Jenova/Sephiroth storyline from Square Enix's 'Final Fantasy VII' collection. Deeply unsettling, but it sets a great mood.

"Aborted Fetus" carries over the main synth from the opener (which is lost on a digital device), and works its way into a hook-laden number that reminds me of earlier, classic :Wumpscut:, with orchestral sections and vocals alá "Embryodead". The use of orchestral effects here give this track a very, very elegant feel to it - something that's going to mesmerise the appropriate audience - just don't expect recycled trance loops and arps.

"Torture Stigma", sounds more Martial, and has a Brass section introducing the track, before building up to more orchestral goodness - there's a veritable palette of influence here, and regardless of whether or not you entered this CD aware of the fact, it's quite obvious that Sakis has been involved in music prior to this.

I could weave through the tracklist and dissect it to pieces; for example, "Pur3 1nn0c3nc3" appeals to the traditional scene more due to it's use of 'leet' lettering, but personally I find it to be too erroneous to pass on a release carrying so much grandeur.

"Evil Twin" re-introduces the concept that this act is all about, and the magnitude and eerieness that this CD conveys makes it the modern day successor to Rudy's legendary "Embryodead" - there may not be the sickening feel of "Womb", but this album is as dark as the blackest of nights, and as previously mentioned, it's operatic and industrial.

After the penultimate track (Wonderfully titled "Fire Beast"), Sakis shows us his true diversity - the closer is a cover of the main Swan Lake theme : "Night falls In Heaven". It's recognisable from the start, and although it sounds like something between Harry Potter and Alton Towers (depending who you talk to), it's been rewritten with synth lines and Industrial beats, and whether you like the move or not, Sakis has balls the size of the Collossus of Rhodes.

Unconventional, very ambitious, but extremely well written. Sakis' musicianship is professional and advanced, and to be honest, unless you're a puritan who only likes a certain sub-genre of Industrial, there's very few reasons why this shouldn't be of some interest. May 19 2012