Icon of Coil
““The Soul is in the Software””
(Metropolis Records)
This album is musically excellent, but lyrically lacking. When non-native English speakers craft English lyrics, the results can be awkward as fuck. There’s something about European EBM and synthpop musicians and their penchant towards ill-conceived gimmicks. It was obvious in early Apoptygma Berzerk. This latest release from Icon of Coil bears a striking resemblance to Apop and it seems to suffer from the same kind of cheesiness… the kind that makes the listener cringe during an otherwise outstanding song. Robotic voices warning us that the file we downloaded is corrupted – Please, I get more convincing e-mail Spam. But Andy LaPlegua’s vocal tone is smooth and compelling, once you get past the few less than profound verses. The band’s deep techno influences shine through. They consistently deliver boot-pounding, club-ready tracks from start to finish. The synth tones are monstrous and the drums move with a purpose. I can not find a single production flaw. “Thrillcapsule” is gritty, fast electro-based and wound up tight. “In Absence” has strong, droning harmonies and a goa beat. “Access and Amplify” is the sharpest piece – this delivers as quality anthem house track and a strong EBM track, whatever your taste. I recommend this disc if you lean toward the house/techno side of industrial/EBM, but you aren’’t into cuddly synthpop.
