To change things up a little, this second half will focus on musicians & singers that I’ve already talked about, whether recently or a while ago. Today’s subject is Suicide Commando’s first album, Critical Stage. I’ve already covered Suicide Commando a couple months back with his 2000 release Mindstrip (Click “***” to read that review), which was a interesting mix between older sounds & newer technology (New at the time, at least). This release is interesting as well, but for different reasons. With that said, let’s look at Critical Stage, and see why Suicide Commando made a career from this release.
Background
Taken from the Suicide Commando website:
“Suicide Commando is signed to the German OFF BEAT label and releases its first full length CD "Critical Stage", including clubhits like "Traumatize", "Necrophilia".... and featuring Dirk Ivens (Dive) as guest vocalist on one track ("Where Do We Go From Here ?"). Several other tracks (including the club hit "Save Me") are released on different compilations during ´94 and ´95.”
Songs
Critical Stage (“***”): Sounding like it comes from a nuclear disaster sci-fi movie, the opening track to this album is a herald to the things that come. Johan Van Roy makes heavy usage of eerie & sinister sounds, and puts them together to create a calling card for toxic mutants. Be careful when you listen to this at night, or else something might slither up and turn you into it’s next victim!
Sheer Horror (“***”): Coming off of the opening tune, Sheer Horror continues with the “Sinister” theme. It also is the first song to feature Johan Van Roy’s vocals. They’re rather basic, and rarely to they change in tone. Because of how things were put together, it sounds like they almost never change in volume. As for the lyrics themselves, they’re also easy to get.
“Schizophrenic
eternal visions
locked up
let me out of here
get a grip
of your endless fear
sheer horror
hell is real
sheer horror
the devil inside of me
is taking control of me
(Repeats for a 2nd time)”
H.I.V. (“***”): Taking a more spiteful approach, H.I.V. almost seems like an attack against people with said sickness. Just take a look at the lyrics!
“Spreading diseases
Body decay
God's reprisal
You must pay
Your body's infected
Death is nearby
Your body's collapsing
Human decline
Disease, disease
Disease, disease
(Repeats for a 2nd time)”
It’s really bloodthirsty, and actually makes me a little uncomfortable. The instrumentation doesn’t help matters either. The sounds come across as if you’re getting infected with the virus. It worms itself into your system, and chances are you won’t be able to get it out of you. Maybe that’s why it’s on my mp3 player?
Traumatize (“***”): Another disturbing song, Traumatize makes me think that perhaps mister Van Roy has a problem. With that said, this doesn’t have as much of a spiteful nature as H.I.V. did. It starts out with a girl screaming in what I believe is a combination of English & German, but I’m not certain. Van Roy’s singing is present in this as well, but all he really sings/says is the word Traumatize. The effects in this are rather simplistic: once it gets into the core of the song, the beat becomes steady & repetitive, but at the same time makes for some great dance music.
So Many Questions (“***”): A common theme you might be noticing so far in Critical Stage is that the vocals really aren’t that special. Johan Van Roy keeps the volume at the same pitch throughout the whole time he’s singing, with only perhaps a second or two to change things. Lyrically, he repeats lines when new once should be introduced. With that said, things change slightly in So Many Questions. For example, here’s what he sings:
“Impressions of death
the last seconds of your life
tell me what do you feel
tell me what do you see do you see
the light the light of eternity
or is it just darkness
purgatory in hell Is there
a heaven Or is it just the hell
Is there a god to believe in
Or is it just the devil
So many questions
stay without an answer
So many doors
stay without an entrance
So many questions
stay without an answer
So many doors
stay without an entrance
(Repeats everything for a 2nd time)”
True, he’s still repetitive here, but the lyrics in question feel a little more substantial. The instrumentation, however, is still rather repetitive, and stays almost consistent in it’s repetitiveness. With that said, there’s kind of a dark beat to it, and you can actually into it’s sinister groove.
Time (“***”): Time has instrumentation that both repetitive yet different. There is what sounds like drums playing the same sound over & over again throughout the entire song. However, there is also a second set of electronics that accompanies the drum-like sound, along with what sounds like monks humming/moaning (I can’t tell). This makes for what I believe the most versatile song on Critical Stage, due to it’s sounds alone. Sadly, the lyrics revert back to the most basic form seen earlier.
“Time is running so fast
how long will it last
it could be an hour
it could be a day
we won't survive the time
we'll die anyway
time
(Repeats for a 2nd time)”
The one positive thing I will say about the singing is that at the end of the second portion, Johan Van Roy does change his volume, but only for a few moments.
Fate (“***”): Remember from a moment ago when I said that So Many Questions had more substantial lyrics than anything else....well, I lied. Feast your eyes on this!
“They coming to get you
You’d better hide
They looking for you
You can’t get out
They getting closer
You gotta run
They gonna get you
The end is done
Death is coming,
Coming your way
Death is coming
To take you away
They blow your head off
You won’t survive
The serial killer
Dead or alive
The scream of panic
The fear in your eyes
The scream of pain
Cut in your vein
Death is coming
Coming your way
Death is coming
To take you away
Death is coming
Coming your way”
Yeah the chorus is repetitive (Makes sense), but in the end he did make other lyrics, rather than repeating earlier choices. Sadly, the instrumentation in Fate is by far the most repetitive on Critical Stage. It never really changes, and overtime it can get rather boring. In my opinion, this is easily the weakest song on the album, despite the improved lyrical choices & usage.
Necrophilia (“***”): With a name like Necrophilia, you’d expect this to be a disturbing song, and you’d be right. Just look at the lyrics!
“I want to get your body
I want to get inside
your ice cold body
covered in shrouds
I want to taste your body
I want to taste your smile
you make me feel so horny
you're making me go wild
necrophilia
I penetrate your body
I'm getting inside
your eyes wide open
staring at the sky
I'm taking of your clothes
you're looking so livid
to hell with religion
you're dead, I'm living
necrophilia”
The lyrics alone are enough to make an average joe faint. However, with the way the instrumentation was done, it comes out looking like a song off of a dark comedy album. Yeah the lyrics are disgusting, but the instrumentation comes across as a combination of sick & silly. It’s really hard to find one solid theme, yet I think that’s not what Johan Van Roy wanted.
Revenge (“***”): Taking the possible comedic aspects and throwing them out the window, Revenge goes to back to the sinister/evil vibe that’s been very consistent throughout this album. Tragically, any lyrical improvements that were present in Necrophilia aren’t in this song as much. Take a look.
“Ashes to ashes
dust to dust
reincarnation
in god we trust
face to face
and eye to eye
facing relation
seeing you die
Ashes to ashes
dust to dust
reincarnation
in god we trust
face to face
and eye to eye
facing relation
seeing you die
die
die
god's revenge
god's revenge
god's revenge”
As you can see, Johan Van Roy repeats the main portion once again. Luckily, the small bit at the end is different, despite it getting repeated. Instrumentation wise, Revenge seems to have more going for it in terms. Things seem to change more, and there also seems to be a little more variety. Only 3 songs left. Lets hope this holds!
Where Do We Go From Here? (“***”): We have another great instrumentation piece. It is the most varied on Critical Stage, with different beats & sounds being used all over, creating a dark mood. Ironically, there is singing in this, despite being a instrumental piece (More on this in a sec). Here are the lyrics.
“Highways full of spirits
a red light stops it all
emotions full of tension
rising to your empty soul
where do we go from here ?
the sky so grey and dark
the future's disappearing
feeding like a spark
where do we go from here?”
For starters, it feels this was just a portion of a song that was to be used. Not that it’s bad or anything (The lyrical choices feel very appropriate for a Suicide Commando album), but it seems like there’s something missing. On top of that, it feels like the singing is very shoe-horned into the song, making it very out of place.
Under God’s Eye (“***”): I swear to god that when I first listened to this, I thought that it was a forgotten song from The Terminator soundtrack. It has that movie’s techno-industrial vibe, along with the mechanical production style seen in The Terminator’s musical choices. Ironically, my complaint of simplistic & repeated lyrics that was used in just about every other song, actually works in Under God’s Eye’s favor. Here they are!
“Under god's eye
Under god's eye
Under god's sky
We must believe
We must believe
Under god's eye
Under god's eye
We're under god's
Under god's eye”
As you can see, it’s the incredibly basic lyrics that have been present in just about all the other tunes, but it complements the Terminator feel that the instrumentation seems to provide.
The Dreamhouse (Mental Version)(“***”): Critical Stage concludes with The Dreamhouse, an instrumentation piece that has somewhat of a metaphysical aspect to it. There are certain sounds that invoke the feeling of the mind, of dreams, and of the beyond. It comes across as something that could put you to sleep, and conjure up all sorts of energy.
Overall Impression & Rating
Though Critical Stage sounds & feels incredibly archaic, it’s this simplistic approach to Industrial Metal that gives the album it’s charm. Done at a time where the technology was still a little primitive, the music on here shows that even when you don’t have much, you can still pump out great music. Simply put: Critical Stage is a classic!
Critical Stage gets a 8.5 out of 10.
See you all next week. Until then, stay Otaku!
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