Released
1999
Label
Metropolis Records
Reviewed by
Ben
Didier
Contact
Metropolis
PO Box 54307
Philadelphia, PA
19105 USA
Last Edit/Update
1 Feb, 1999
Necrofix
Track Listing
1. Who Do You Love?
2. Split Apart
3. Passion's Folly
4. Morsanotha
5. Welcome 2 the B.I.G. Sleep
6. Object
7. X-ina
8. All Lies
9. Charred...
10. Beyond Recognition
11. Tears
12. Void
13. Deluge of the Soul
14. City of Ash
The Necrofix duo, Bildeaux and Rich Jones, met as a pair of computer scientists. Their varied influences they claim to have picked up from the '80s pop scene are definitely hard to sense in the music. The 100% computerized, synth heavy song structures follow a common formula of drum machine percussion, movie samples, ghoulish distorted vocals, and their share of synth work, tweaking and manipulation. The formula may be commonplace, but there is still a host of untamed avenues for bands to venture towards. With this being Necrofix's debut, they have tapped into some new ideas that come with a fresh outlook on the equipment and sound. The songs are well layered, densely structured, and seem to change pace with enough frequency to keep your attention fixed on the music. With a lot of industrious electronic acts it's easy just to turn on, tap some toes, and forget about it playing in the background. For the most part Necrofix give you a reason to pay attention. Most of the vocals aren't audible behind their mask of manipulation; they could be singing about the Cat in the Hat and you wouldn't be able to notice. "All Lies" is the primary exception, where the verses are easy to decipher. "X-ina" is a short experiment that takes one sample, cuts it up, and mauls it to a death of static fuzz. Some of the more abstract percussive pieces stand out, although short. The 30 second "Charred" comes to mind. "Beyond Recognition" and "Tears" even tout boisterous power chord guitar riffs that I didn't see coming after the all-electro first half of the disk. At the end of "Nefarious Somnabulance" the one reason that sets them apart from the hundreds of other Metropolis bands and their significant clones is just that, they aren't another clone. They bring enough fresh input to a relatively stagnant sound for this disk to be considered a promising debut.
