C-Lekktor - X-Tension In Progress

The rumours are true, with their second album since their signing, Mexico's C-Lekktor have changed their style slightly. Known for half a decade as one of the leading Aggrotech acts, Markko and Jorge have truly established themselves as a podium act for every possible award the genre can throw at us.

'X-Tension In Progress' is a foray into the world of 'TBM', retaining the earlier attitude and hostility, but steering the vehicle into a more instrumental domain. After a decent intro ("Plug-In"), the album starts properly with the oddly titled "Hellektro Convulsion Therapy" (sic). This track is everything you need to know about C-Lekktor in 2012 : Markko's vocals are as brutal as always, but C-Lekktor v2.0 is laden with more bass, the structures lean towards Soman and Syncrotek as compared to Hocico, but the samples and pace of the track forge an uneasy alliance between both styles.

With 'Alteracion', I'm even more surprised at the depths of the shift in direction, as the track tends to add a Hardstyle influence into the mix. For everyone who feels that "Harsh EBM" is flogging a dead horse, C-Lekktor have once again demonstrated their ability to dominate a sub-culture - despite any possible reservations, it's immediately obvious that this is the same talent and act that we've all adored since "The Silence Procession".

"Dark Reflection" starts with a borrowed sample of a female singing in an older style - think Edith Piaf or similar - anyone who's watched a 'Hanna Barbera' cartoon will know what I mean, and this is not what you'd expect from Industrial, but being C-Lekktor, it keeps things curious. It's another deeply heavy, bass-laden track, closer to Phosgore than anything else on here. Excellent unconventional sounds, leaving a truly menacing footprint.

Later in the release, "In Memoriam" is closer to classic C-Lekktor - it's slower, and borrows the melodies and shifts that we've come to expect in Aggrotech. It has one of the best backing synth's I've heard from the act, and the female voice on it is gorgeous - this is the song that will unite all fans, regardless of opinion.

Other moments that stand out include "Sick Of You" - the truest Aggrotech track on here, and could fit into any of their earlier works, the phenomenally heavy "Welcome to My World", the stupidly melodic "Trastorno", and the rather oddly titled "Hardbeat [Mu]-Sickk".

C-Lekktor have done it again, and broken a genre taboo quite confidently - most acts in moving from Aggrotech cause a massive butthurt among the fan base, and end up floundering. Not this time, kids.

Truly pace-setting, and monumentally confident. May 01 2012