Normally I make all kinds of jokes when I do my reviews & such, but today’s subject is putting me into more of a serious mood. The music that’s on today’s album travels down a different road: it’s filled with themes & imagery of atheism, bloodshed, violence, and bodily harm to one’s self. If you are still willing and able, then please sit down and enjoy my review of Suicide Commando’s successful album of 2000, Mindstrip.
Background
Taken from the Suicide Commando website:
“2000 without any doubt became the most successful year in Suicide Commando's career so far. In May Suicide Commando returns with a first single "Comatose Delusion", taken from their forthcoming album. This single brought Suicide Commando to the absolute top of the international alternative scene. Even more success gained the 2nd single "Hellraiser"! Both singles reach the N° 1 position in the German alternative charts (DAC). In October Suicide Commando finally releases their long awaited "Mindstrip" album (available as a limited boxset as well), which also reaches the N° 1 position in the DAC album charts. The CD also is released in the US via Metropolis and is getting an amazing response. End of 2000 Suicide Commando start their "Mindstripping 2000" tour throughout Germany.”
Songs
Jesus Wept: Johan Van Roy, the founder of Suicide Commando, must have been a big fan of the first Hellraiser film, because you hear some audio from that movie before the song kicks in (Click on “***” to watch the scene in question). It’s a nice lead in to Jesus Wept, as the song would fit on an album for the movie very well. It’s methodical yet slick, bloodthirsty, and has a great beat. While I’ve listened to plenty of songs that were uncomfortable in some way, Jesus Wept is particularly spine-chilling. Be sure that the lights are on when you listen to this, and chances are you’ll be fine.
Hellraiser (Psychopath 01-version)(“***”): Despite being the second single off of this album, it’s the first song I think of when I put my earbuds in. I’d wager that this song is perhaps the most recognizable off of Mindstrip, and for good reason. To start out, it has a incredible beat to it. Johan Van Roy makes things intense, sinister, and oddly enough, adds a sense of sensuality to Hellraiser. In addition to the sounds, the lyrical choices complement what you’re hearing. There’s not much in the way of lyrics themselves, but what he selected is really bloodcurdling. Add his voice into the mix (I don’t think he’s the greatest singer on the planet, but does he have the intensity down pat), and you have a song that great for the dance floor.
Body Count Proceed (“***”): With Body Count Proceed, we run into Mindstrip’s main problem: some of these songs sound older than they actually are. In defense of this song, this songs much closer to the album’s release than some of the others. As for the musical content, there actually isn’t that much to talk about. It’s just one beat that repeated over & over, with only certain moments having another beat placed in that also repeats (But only until the singing or audio comes back in). The singing is particular strange, as the sound effect applied to the vocals makes interpreting the lyrics slightly difficult. Not a horrible song, but one that may be easily forgettable for some.
Raise Your God (“***”): Another song on Mindstrip that has audio from the Hellraiser films (Click on “***” to watch the scene in question), Raise Your God is just as intense as Jesus Wept was. However, it runs into the same problem as Body Count Proceed, in that it sounds older than it actually is. I don’t really want to repeat myself, so if you want to know what I think of this song, just look at the one I previously mentioned.
Mindstripper (“***”): Just by hearing the beginning of this song, you’d think that I would say that this song sounds older than it actually is, and you’d probably be right. To tell the truth, I almost was gonna say that Mindstripper sounds older than it actually was. After listening to the song once or twice, I’m reluctantly not going to say it’s old. While the sounds feel like they come from the 90s, it’s constructed & displayed as if it was from the early 2000s. It’s eerie, and makes for another song that you’d expect to find in a Hellraiser soundtrack.
Run (“***”): Now here’s what is perhaps the oldest sounding tune off of Mindstrip. I would argue that Run almost sounds like a song that would be more at home on Suicide Commando’s first album Critical Stage, and I actually like that album! The sound effects used were grating on my eardrums (It sounded very scratchy, and it was loud enough that I had to have my volume turned down. It worked...barely), and the vocals suffer from the same problem that was from Body Count Proceed. I wouldn’t say that Run is a bad song, but it’s the one that I least enjoy off of this album.
Comatose Delusion (Overdose Shot Two)(“***”): Although this was the first single off of Mindstrip, this is actually the second song I think of when I listen to this album. It’s not that I think the song is bad, because that’s far, far from the reason why. This is one of those songs that’s straddling between two time frames, and doesn’t know which one to pick. There’s times where certain sounds sound like they come from the 90s, and other times there’s sounds like those that come straight from the turn of the millennium. The singing is pretty much the same throughout the whole song, so I don’t really have a good/bad opinion about it.
Blood In Face (“***”): I was gonna consider putting Blood In Face in the same category as Mindstripper, but after listening to the first couple seconds, I’m going against that thought. Yes, this song sounds older than it is (Again, it’s sounds like a song that would have been included on Critical Stage), and some of the sound effects add to this age feeling, but due to the production methods of the time, it makes Blood In Face sound not quite as old as it feels. Less early 90s, and more late 90s.
Love Breeds Suicide (“***”): I’m quite surprised that Suicide Commando didn’t decide to have a third single off of Mindstrip, because if he did, then I’m certain that it would be this song. For one thing, it sounds very fresh & new (As fresh & new as any techno/industrial/aggrotech song from 2000 that is). Johan Von Roy doesn’t seem to use any of the techniques from the 90s in this song, and even if he did, it’s very hard to tell. The vocals are very clear for the most part, although the effect that’s applied to it might make you mishear a word or two. If I had any complaint about Love Breeds Suicide, it would be that it doesn’t conclude the album. Speaking of songs that conclude albums...
Slaves (“***”): I like this song! It’s got a great beat, the vocals are distorted but the emotion is clear, and overall is one of my favorites off of Mindstrip. However, I don’t feel that this is the right kind of song to end this album. It seems to have the same problem that Comatose Delusion has (Sounds like it’s from two different time frames), and it doesn’t know which side to pick. It’s also doesn’t seem to have that finality that Love Breeds Suicide has, but it’s definitely very bleak and depressing. Overall, Slaves isn’t the right song to end this album, but it’s still a good song!
Overall Impression & Rating
Mindstrip is not the kind of album for those who are all bright & sunny (Unless you’re bright, sunny, and maybe a little twisted). Mindstrip is the kind of album for people who’ve seen so shit, and have gone through some rough times. It’s bleak, it’s dark, it’s violent, and it showcases one of the world’s most talented electronic/industrial/aggrotech artists. If you would like an alternative to the standard techno-style music, then give Mindstrip a bloody chance.
Mindstrip gets a 8.5 out of 10
See you all next time, when I’ll look at something a little more classy. Until then, stay Otaku!
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