Combichrist : "CMBCRST"

Andy is back for the project's 10th album. He has kept this industrial entity going for the past 21 years, so we know he at least has that experience under his belt. We have reviewed the band here several times, with the highest the band as ever scored being an 8, and more commonly closer to a 7. Meaning they are listenable and professional, their fan base has solid reasons to latch onto them, but there is a quality that keeps them from fully connecting with me. Typically it's vocals, which I feel are best served with as many effects on them as possible as he is better at yelling than screaming. He plays to his strengths more effectively on this album.

The first song is more electronic in nature, but I like "D For Demonic" which is darker and more metallic, almost more of a Ministry vein is tapped into.  "Heads Off' carries a more deliberate pounding that is also anthemic. Then balance out their more nuanced melodic writing with the big stadium industrial throb for "Only Death is Immortal". The writing is more focused, and hooky. Though lyrically it is a little all over the place. "Compliance" is easy to sing about, but knowing how the Atlanta Goth Industrial scene was, when Covid went down, I wonder what kind of a stand he took, and when it comes to not shaking the social boat, I guess not much of one. But the show sounds good enough for those into it to believe it. 

"Northern Path" is more of a ballad, but more spoken than sung. Many older European industrial ats have tried a similar approach, despite their vocal shortcomings. Being a heavier touring band, they have been exposed to all times of modern metal, so the more metalcore leanings heard at times on this album should be no surprise. But with the lines now being blurred with bands coming up with both nu-metal and metalcore influences, this kind of clamor is more commonplace. Speaking of nu-metal, "Wolves Eating Wolves" leans a little in that direction.  There are some cool production choices on "Not My Enemy" though it does not anything else new to the table sonically. 

"Modern Demons" is a little more dance floor driven though not a huge departure from the rest of the album, which can also be said about "Planet Doom" but it is more driving. There is also more of that nu-metal bounce I heard earlier in the album. "Sonic Witch" is a little more rock n roll in the verses. "Violence Solves Everything' is in two parts, both are cool for what they are with the first being a punk song, and the second being a darker more industrial banger. I will give this a 9, which is the highest they have scored so far, which is thanks to the more focused and melodic nature of the songwriting this time around. 

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