First Aid 4 Souls – Keep This World Empty (CD Album – Alfa Matrix)
Genre/Influences: Dark EBM, dark-electro.
Background/Info: Hungarian EBM project First Aid 4 Souls this year joined hands together with Alfa Matrix unleashing the successful digital-EP “Increased Sensory Perception”. István Gazdag (ex-Vacuum) and US-based singer ‘Mortum’ (Human Vault) have now unleashed their new album featuring thirteen songs.
Content: If you know the band’s last EP, you’ll (re) discover 4 cuts from “Increased Sensory Perception”, but in a different edit. The band remains faithful to their old-school sophisticated EBM style reminding me of bands such as Skinny Puppy, FLA, early X Marks The Pedwalk and even Yelworc. The production is dominated by poignant sound atmospheres while driven by menacing bass lines. The production is achieved with harsh and sometimes somewhat experimental sound treatments. The harsh vocals create an artistic symbiosis with the music.
+ + + : First Aid 4 Souls will maybe not become the label’s new flag holder, but I personally consider this band as one of the most talented new signed bands of the label roster. This is not just old-school EBM! This is an intelligent electronic format characterized by solid bass lines, complex sound treatments and multiple noises, an overwhelming atmospheric layer and harsh vocals. They create original sound treatments and I refer to the song “Verdict That Condemns” illustrating the creativity of István Gazdag. This album stands for 13 high-tech dark EBM songs and is without a shadow of a doubt one of my favorite Alfa Matrix releases from this year!
– – – : I think the production of the vocals can be more convincing on a few cuts; the song “Eternity Will Never Remain” is the best example. I already enjoyed the EP and quite curiously, the featured songs from the EP aren’t my favorites from the album.
Conclusion: First Aid 4 Souls is not just inspired by old-school EBM, they reinvent the style! This album won’t leave you unmoved if you’re a fan of intelligent electronic music. This album is maybe just missing ‘the’ hit!
Best songs: “Keep This World Empty”, “Good Men Don’t Bleed Just die (La Horde)”, “Awaken Tomorrow”, “Your Social Skill Demised”, “Phrase Fractal”, “False Devotion”.
Rate: (8½).
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