I would say I pretty much always enjoy the work of Andy LaPlegua whether it be Icon of Coil, Panzer AG, Scandy, or in this case Combichrist. Of his projects Combichrist is my least favorite but not because it's less than good but rather because I just love the other projects so much. However, as good as those bands are I think Combichrist+remix=gold. Whether its Combichrist remixing or getting remixed I'm generally satisfied with the result. I think the quality result comes from two factors. The first is that Combichrist is without a doubt the most popular of LaPlegua's projects, I think even surpassing Icon of Coil which is certainly a feat so that is going to attract a lot of wanting to remix his music. The second reason is that a lot of credit has to be given to LaPlegua for his choices on who to work when it comes in terms of who to remix and who to be remixed by, often seemingly trading a remix for a remix. This isn't to say that all the remixes are great as the 2008 Frost EP: Sent To Destroy (yin to the yang of the later released Heat EP) demonstrates both good and ok remixes (thankfully none are bad, some are just neither here nor there). The EP is essentially divided in to three parts beginning with two original tracks, "Sent To Destroy" and "Prince of E-Ville" sandwiching an instrumental version of "The Kill", followed by three remixes of "Sent To Destroy" by Rotersand, Northborne (which features former Icon of Coil bandmate Christian Lund), and Suicide Commando, and three remixes of "Prince of E-Ville" by Babyland, Accessory, and Caustic. The three original tracks here are great. "Sent To Destroy" is a pretty standard industrial club anthem about war, nukes, post-apocalyptic scenarios. I do particularly like the chorus "Your God sent us to destroy". I was actually a little less impressed with the remixes of this song, especially the Rotersand Rework (although I do always love that Rotersand calls their remixes "reworks) as Germany's Rotersand usually puts out really interesting remixes that can take songs in entirely different directions. Its not bad, its just not all that different from the original version, same thing with the Northborne remix. The only remix I really enjoyed of this song was the version by Suicide Commando. Suicide Commando is a band that pretty much usually just makes other songs sound like Suicide Commando songs but its consistent and good. I normally don't like instrumentals as I'm big on vocals but I though the instrumental version of "The Kill" was very catchy and since Combichrist vocals are often just used as another instrument in a song I didn't miss the vocals. If anything the lack of vocals probably helped break up the EP just a little. As good as the title track of this EP is I thought the real standout here was "Prince of E-Ville" is a really funny track poking fun at members of the Goth/Industrial scene. I especially love the line about smoking Cloves and the sample from the film The Convent. I don't think Combichrist is lyrically breaking any ground or anything T.S. Eliot would be proud of, which is probably the reason Combichrist is my least favorite as LaPlegua has shown more thought and talent with Panzer AG but that's not the point of Combichrist. Combichrist is fun and "Prince of E-Ville" takes that fun to a higher level, like if Voltaire made aggrotech (maybe someday). The remixes here are much better with Los Angeles' Babyland probably putting in the greatest effort on the disc if nothing else but for taking the song and making it sound like something different but still catchy and adding guitars. The Accessory remix is pretty standard fair but solid and the other standout of the CD is probably the Caustic remix. I actually can't even say what Caustic's Matt Fanale changed about the song but there's something just tighter about it that really works. Overall this is a solid release for people that like remixes with slick production and slick artwork. One thing you can't say about Andy LaPlegua is that he skimps on releases with this forty-six and half minute EP. Favorite Tracks: Sent To Destroy, The Kill (Instru:Mental Version), Prince of E-Ville, Sent To Destroy (Sacrifice Remix by Suicide Commando), Prince of E-Ville (Princess Mix by Babyland), and Prince of E-Ville (Caustic Remix)
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Album a Day (EP Edition): Combichrist - Frost EP: Sent To Destroy
I would say I pretty much always enjoy the work of Andy LaPlegua whether it be Icon of Coil, Panzer AG, Scandy, or in this case Combichrist. Of his projects Combichrist is my least favorite but not because it's less than good but rather because I just love the other projects so much. However, as good as those bands are I think Combichrist+remix=gold. Whether its Combichrist remixing or getting remixed I'm generally satisfied with the result. I think the quality result comes from two factors. The first is that Combichrist is without a doubt the most popular of LaPlegua's projects, I think even surpassing Icon of Coil which is certainly a feat so that is going to attract a lot of wanting to remix his music. The second reason is that a lot of credit has to be given to LaPlegua for his choices on who to work when it comes in terms of who to remix and who to be remixed by, often seemingly trading a remix for a remix. This isn't to say that all the remixes are great as the 2008 Frost EP: Sent To Destroy (yin to the yang of the later released Heat EP) demonstrates both good and ok remixes (thankfully none are bad, some are just neither here nor there). The EP is essentially divided in to three parts beginning with two original tracks, "Sent To Destroy" and "Prince of E-Ville" sandwiching an instrumental version of "The Kill", followed by three remixes of "Sent To Destroy" by Rotersand, Northborne (which features former Icon of Coil bandmate Christian Lund), and Suicide Commando, and three remixes of "Prince of E-Ville" by Babyland, Accessory, and Caustic. The three original tracks here are great. "Sent To Destroy" is a pretty standard industrial club anthem about war, nukes, post-apocalyptic scenarios. I do particularly like the chorus "Your God sent us to destroy". I was actually a little less impressed with the remixes of this song, especially the Rotersand Rework (although I do always love that Rotersand calls their remixes "reworks) as Germany's Rotersand usually puts out really interesting remixes that can take songs in entirely different directions. Its not bad, its just not all that different from the original version, same thing with the Northborne remix. The only remix I really enjoyed of this song was the version by Suicide Commando. Suicide Commando is a band that pretty much usually just makes other songs sound like Suicide Commando songs but its consistent and good. I normally don't like instrumentals as I'm big on vocals but I though the instrumental version of "The Kill" was very catchy and since Combichrist vocals are often just used as another instrument in a song I didn't miss the vocals. If anything the lack of vocals probably helped break up the EP just a little. As good as the title track of this EP is I thought the real standout here was "Prince of E-Ville" is a really funny track poking fun at members of the Goth/Industrial scene. I especially love the line about smoking Cloves and the sample from the film The Convent. I don't think Combichrist is lyrically breaking any ground or anything T.S. Eliot would be proud of, which is probably the reason Combichrist is my least favorite as LaPlegua has shown more thought and talent with Panzer AG but that's not the point of Combichrist. Combichrist is fun and "Prince of E-Ville" takes that fun to a higher level, like if Voltaire made aggrotech (maybe someday). The remixes here are much better with Los Angeles' Babyland probably putting in the greatest effort on the disc if nothing else but for taking the song and making it sound like something different but still catchy and adding guitars. The Accessory remix is pretty standard fair but solid and the other standout of the CD is probably the Caustic remix. I actually can't even say what Caustic's Matt Fanale changed about the song but there's something just tighter about it that really works. Overall this is a solid release for people that like remixes with slick production and slick artwork. One thing you can't say about Andy LaPlegua is that he skimps on releases with this forty-six and half minute EP. Favorite Tracks: Sent To Destroy, The Kill (Instru:Mental Version), Prince of E-Ville, Sent To Destroy (Sacrifice Remix by Suicide Commando), Prince of E-Ville (Princess Mix by Babyland), and Prince of E-Ville (Caustic Remix)
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