Gothtober- Psyclon Nine : "More to Hell"

 

This album is the companion piece to the previous album "Less to Heaven". It features new songs and remixes. The first track is a droning crunch that carries the brand of industrial this project is known for with the screeching scream of Nero taking a chanted feel. Not new ground, but effective and true to what you would expect from these guys. The Pitch Black remix of " See You All in Hell" is another step in a darker direction as it feels like each song is taking you deeper into a hyperrealistic hellscape. The vocals are at times mixed behind the crunching layers of sound which on this song makes it hard to tell if it is a guitar or a synth. 

"Money and Sex and Death" makes it very apparent the influence that Ghostemane has had in recent years on the genre. The vocals are layered, one is a whisper, the other a low more rapped vocal . The latter is the part that has the more Ghostemane feel. The chorus is screamed but does not relent into the kind of metallic punch you brace for. The lyrics hold enough of a punch as they say "Fuck your god/ we worship suffering" There are some interesting sounds here that feel like they are progressing, rather than just staying in their comfort zone.

The Snakes of Russia remix of "See You All in Hell" is more interesting than the previous re-mixed version of this song, as it is darker, and carries a more haunting echo to it that sounds like something from the soundtrack of a horror movie where the main character is losing their mind.  Suicide Commando remixes "Money and Sex and Death". The vocal layering sits differently and does not make it sound as much like Ghostemane. The chorus still hits harder, but has a synth melody in the background that makes it feel like late 90s EBM. The last track "Bleeding Out" is a delicate piece of atmosphere that feels more like a memory that is fading than a song, though it serves it's purpose as an outro. 

"Give Your Love to the Devil" is creepy. It's progression is subtle and by the end, I thought it was just my gummie kicking in. Skold adds a great deal of melody and a more organic sense of musicality. The vocals are sung in a fragile manner. The effects used on them, work well. it is one of this album's strongest pieces.  I will give this album a 9, not their best, but better than most other band's , and brings some interesting apocalyptic visions of hell to your ears. 

Skold : "Die Irae"

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I was surprised how mean and metal the guitars were going into the opening track of this album. There is more of a Marilyn Manson or Orgy vibe on "Unspoken". Considering he has played with both Manson and KMFDM this makes sense. "the End is Near" falls more in line with more typical industrial , but is not as gripping as the first two songs. There begins to be less guitar and more electronic elements by the time we get to this song. This trend continues with "Terrified" , though it is moving in a more experimental direction. The vocals are well produced , but the melodies wander a bit . It is easy to here where Street Sects was influenced by this project.  

A more synth wave style of sound emerges on " Love is a Disease". I like when the song finds it's slinking groove . There is a smoother drive than what you might expect of industrial music that is not Nine Inch Nails, who is the most commercial project of the genre. They are back to a more metallic sound on "This is the Way" .  The works better than the more disjointed experiments of "Silicone Dreams". The guitar plays a more minor role there. The darker groove to " As Above so Below" works well , the song overall has a much more Orgy like sound. But Orgy has not sounded like they used to in decades so if you have been missing that sound this will be a welcome return to it. 

They continue down the darker alleys of groove on "Kill Yourself". Anything in this sonic zip code is going to work for me as long as they are leaning into the groove like they are here. The song has a much more epic scope to it's dynamics . The metal guitars return to book end the more 90s goth musings that close out the album with "Goodbye" this feels more like something Filter would have done. On a whole this album works with me , some of the more experimental turns that are not groove oriented might not play to Skold's strengths , but grew on me so I will give this one a 9.