Critical System Error - Deicide

Not content with putting Chicago Industrial on the map with Biocarbon13, 'Xero Christ' and 'I.Gor' finally launch the first official album of new act "Critical System Error".

Since the track "Necrochamber" was circulated online, and put out on the first Demo, there's been a slow but steady build up of anticipation to this debut album. Offering Powernoise and Aggrotech influences, and courting some Blasphemic and anti-religious propaganda, this should (on paper) be the blueprint to an excellent Easter album.

I'll start by making my feelings on Rhythmic Noise and Power Noise crystal clear. I am a fan of the genres, but I seldom get time to listen to them - mainly because I won't inflict it on a small baby and toddler. Also, I find it wholly repetitive, yet it remains easily my favourite aesthetic.

Interestingly, the style has been finetuned, so although some of the Power Noise elements remain, the album is more of a refined Aggrotech sound.

So, "Deicide" - the act of Killing God, begins with "War on God". There's a definite shift in style from the earlier stuff to this. Although the track retains all of the earlier elements, there's also more melodic influences that would point this more towards the direction of Harsh Electro.

"God Died" (I see a pattern forming here), is an immediate dancefloor hit - you get one or two on every album, and this just sounds like it should appeal to everyone, Nachtmahr and Faderhead fans, through to fans of A7IE and Terrorfakt.

Other tracks dance with the concept, and then strip it away to more clichéd Industrial concepts, such as 'Jesus Fucking Christ' and 'Dogshit'.

Quite frankly, there is always a reason why you should continue to listen to Harsh Electro and Aggrotech. The argument of "it all sounds the same and no band is unique anymore" is quite frankly ignorant (No offense intended) - I can namedrop 4 or 5 bands a month lately that I can identify easily as having their own unique sound.
For every 10 bands that try to sound like Combichrist, or Grendel, or any of the other highly successful bands in Industrial and EBM, there's at least one making their own footprint, whether in terms of the sound, the concept, or just an overall "fuck yeah, look at me!" Guess which category CSE fall into.

In closing, as new bands go, I could name many worse than Critical System Error. I can't name many that outshine this project.

For all the minor flaws this band has (and mostly, it's the fact that the dancefloor kids won't notice a hugely unique taint to the sound), I'm enough of a fan of the whole 'anti-christian' and controversial themes to enjoy this for what it is.

Especially when the music is far, far above average.
Watch these guys. I dare you. Apr 24 2011