Binocular - reviews
About Heavy Metal
A vocalist is usually the face and main identity of a band, and when one is replaced it's a pretty big deal. It's an even bigger deal when a female vocalist is replaced by a male vocalist. That's what the Norwegian band Atrox has done for their fifth album. Gone is Monika Edvardsen, replaced by Rune Folgero.
Binocular explores the genres of avant-garde, progressive and gothic metal. The music is unique, and Atrox calls their style "schizo metal," which is pretty accurate. Every song has a different twist. Some are dark and ominous with a gothic atmosphere. Others are edgier and more experimental with a lot of progressive elements. Keyboards and samples set the mood for each track, and range from industrial to orchestral.
Folgero's vocals are much more traditional than Edvardsen's. His melodic and regular style actually gives the songs a lot more stability, and allows the music to be as experimental as they want without spiraling out of control. Binocular is a challenging, unique and ultimately satisfying CD.
Adresseavisen
Metall som strekker seg litt lenger. Atrox tørr å gå nye veier, og lykkes langt på vei med det.
Atrox har holdt det gående i imponerende tjue år. Jeg har ingen kjennskap til bandets fire foregående plater, men på «Binocular» har de byttet ut mesteparten av den originale besetningen og for første gang gitt ut et album basert på et elektronisk fundament.
«Schizo metall», kaller bandet sin metallmiks som like gjerne inkorporerer høytsvevende moog-synther og funkbass som trekkspill og saksofon. Betegnelsen er treffende, men antyder også svakheten til en plate som vil mye, kanskje litt for mye til tider. Låtene er ekstremt detaljrike, lydbildet åpent, samspillet tett. Likevel er «Binocular» forbausende lett å dykke inn i. Men når låtene er fylt med så mye innhold, er det også lett å finne noe man ikke liker. I mine ører er Atrox definitivt best når de enten er tunge og streite, som på den tøffe «Filthmonger», eller når de maner fram industrielle stemningspartier, som på «Headrush Helmet». Gruppas nye vokalist Rune Folgerø har en befriende no bullshit-måte å synge på som faktisk ofte hever låtene. Samtidig opplever jeg at føle-synthene og det til tider funky basspillet har motsatt effekt. Uansett er det befriende å bli kjent med et trøndersk metallband som tørr å gå nye veier.
HØYDEPUNKT: «Filthmonger» og «Headrush Helmet»
ANMELDT AV KAI KRISTIANSEN
Ancient Spirit Magazine
Puh, anstrengende Geschichte, was uns die Norweger ATROX da vor die Nase setzen. Aber so stressig einem der Sound zunächst auch erscheinen mag - hat man sich mal etwas intensiver mit "Binocular" befasst, entpuppen sich einige der zehn Stücke durchaus als Ohrwürmer. Größte Veränderung im Vergleich zum Vorgänger "Orgasm" ist, dass man sich von Sängerin Monika Edvardsen verabschiedet hat und der Gesang nun von einem männlichen Kollegen übernommen wird. Ansonsten bieten ATROX ihre gewohnt-durchgeknallte Mischung aus Prog / Avantgarde Metal mit einer ordentlichen Prise Industrial samt elektronischen Spielereien. Angetan hat es mir vor allem die erste Hälfte des (übrigens bereits fünften) Albums mit coolen Tracks wie "Retroglazed", "No Coil for Tesla" und vor allem dem genialen Groove-Monster "Headcrush Helmet", während die zweite Hälfte hier und da doch etwas schwächelt. Wer's gerne etwas extravaganter mag und nicht unbedingt auf die gängigen Genre-Klischees steht, sollte sich mal etwas Zeit für "Binocular" nehmen.
Joe, 9 Punkte
Dutch Progressive Rock Page
The very definition of a ‘cult’ band, self-styled ‘schizo’ metallers Atrox are best known - if at all - for former vocalist Monica Edvardsen’s, erm, distinctive delivery; her part Middle-Eastern diva, part scream queen act certainly gave the band a unique selling point, but perhaps detracted a little from the actual music. Now, five years after their last release, the band’s fifth album, Binocular, has appeared, complete with a radical line-up overhaul which sees them retaining just two members from their last incarnation. Edvardsen is out, replaced by male vocalist Rune Folgerø. Whilst his voice is hardly what you’d call run of the mill, its certainly less distracting (and a significant departure) from Edvardsen’s, and allows much more focus to fall upon the rest of the band.
In (very) broad terms, the music on Binocular could be likened to a mash-up of Faith No More (particularly the darker more claustrophobic style they adopted from 1992’s seminal Angel Dust onwards) and fellow Norwegian’s Arcturus, perhaps with a smattering of American mad-caps Dog Fashion Disco thrown in for good measure. Stuttering, industrial flavoured riffs, stop-start rhythms, a constant background (and sometimes foreground) buzz of beeping electronica and dislocated voices and various gothic, slightly sinister organ-led soundscapes are the order of the day, all topped off by Folgerø’s confident delivery. The vocals merely seem to emphasise the comparisons made at the start of the paragraph, bearing a passing resemblance to both Mike Patton and former Arcturus/ current Ulver vocalist Krystoffer ‘Garm’ Rygg.
Even within the strictures of the band’s fairly unique sound there is quite a bit of variety on show here. The likes of Retroglazed and No Coil For Tesla have a real momentum and sense of urgency; Traces is a slow burner which rolls along on an almost Massive Attack-esque dub groove, as does the closing Transportal, the latter successfully building a real head of steam as it reaches its conclusion. Filthmonger has some appropriately dirty-sounding riffs and shows a rawer edge, whilst Headrush Helmet sounds like the aural equivalent of a ride on a fairground ghost train under the influence of something stronger than tea… or something! The latter part of the album is generally of a slower pace, and the likes of Tight Tie and the title track perhaps come over as a little too discordant and disjointed for their own good, leading to a bit of a lapse in momentum, but even on these tracks the band’s sense of adventure and sonic experimentation means there’s always something worth listening out for. To top it all off, the lyrics are quirky and enigmatic – which I guess you might have guessed from some of the song titles!
All told, Atrox have delivered a pretty strong and varied album with Binocular; it may not be ‘progressive metal’ in the conventional understanding of the term, but this is an album where the boundaries are certainly being pushed, and lovers of adventurous modern rock music would be well advised to investigate further.
Conclusion: 7 out of 10
TOM DE VAL
Heathen Harvest
Its hard to believe that I would ever be looking back on my love of music and ever thinking i'd hear a band that combines the music of Fear Factory and Solefald, but its true. Atrox simply meshes these two sounds together perfectly. With industrial and non-soaring clean vocals the likes of Fear Factory and the strange harmonies and keyboard melodies of Solefald, Atrox have easily taken the term Avant-garde and turned it into yet another new turn of the coin. However, its my opinion that the bands own coined term of “schizo” metal doesn't quite fit. This would imply that they have separate identities and as such I think that term is much better suited for the likes of Manes, but if Atrox wanted to do it they certainly havet he talent to take it there.
Atrox is a project that was born in 1990 after the decision to turn from their death metal styles and change names from Suffocation to Atrox. It would seem that none of the original members of Suffocation are left in Atrox as of today, so the band perhaps shouldn't even be considered related at this point. Speaking of Manes, though, it would be interesting to note that the two bands share a guitarist in Eivind Fjoseide. With a handful of demos and EP's early in their career, Atrox have put out five consecutive albums with the release of Binocular. Interestingly enough, this isn't the band's first interaction with Season of Mist. Though their last full-length was released through the esteemed experimental and raw label Code666, Atrox's 2nd and 3rd albums in “Contentum” and “Terrestrials” were both released via SoM.
This split and return would make sense though as the important role on the vocal side has changed significantly for Atrox. Now with female vocalist Monika Edvardsen gone, Rune Folgerø finds himself at the helm and this time the bands has made much more extensive use of electronics in their music. The nature of the music is fairly experimental and epic but it retains a weirdness that you would come to expect from a band with a Manes member.
So 20 years after the initial coming together, the band are far from coming full circle. If anything, they've flown off on a giant tangent into outer space where they're likely to meet The Kovenant somewhere for some odd duel in strangeness. Atrox have certainly made a well-deserved name for themselves at this point though and where they go past this no one will know until it hits. Much like a hurricane, Atrox are powerful but incredibly sporatic.
By: Sage
Icon Music Mag
Det er ikke ofte man får abstinenser etter å ikke ha hørt ei skive på en stund. Slike utgivelser er rett og slett sjeldne, og mangelen på dem kan gjøre enhver anmelder sliten og lei etter hvert. Binocular er derimot nettopp ei slik abstinensskive. Da den kom i april hørte jeg på den om og om igjen. Så tok jeg en liten pause, helt til jeg kjente at jeg faktisk måtte ta den frem igjen. Det er med andre ord takket være Atrox jeg karer meg opp fra anmelderdepresjonen og våger meg ut på gullgravertokt igjen. Graver man lenge nok, er det alltids litt gull blant all gråsteinen.
Trondheimsbandet Atrox har holdt det gående siden 1988. Mange forbinder nok Atrox med kvinnevokal. Men da Monika Edvardsen forlot bandet i 2004 tok Rune Folgerø over, og med Binocular viser schizometal-bandet at de fortsatt står steinstøtt til tross for skiftet fra feminin til maskulin frontfigur.
Atrox besto under innspillingen av -viNd- (gitar), Rune Sørgård (gitar/programmering), Tor Arne Helgesen (trommer), Erik Paulsen (bass), Rune Folgerø (vokal) og Per Spjøtvold (keys/vokal). Det er med andre ord mye som skal klaffe, og den melodiske, atmosfæriske, detaljrike, groovy og energiske elektronikametallen krever virkelig sin mann. ”Retroglazed” åpner albumet med sampling og lydklipp fra noe som sannsynligvis er gamle filmer, før det glir over i mer industriell metal. Det er hardt, distortioneffekten brukes hyppig, keyboardsampling er fremtredende, og vokalist Rune Folgerø bærer det hele med sin kraftige stemme. Spor nummer to, ”No Coil for Tesla”, er blant høydepunktene på plata. Tromminga er knallgod og nesten thrashete, og viser bredden og dyktigheten til bandet.”Headrush Helmet” er også et fint spor med herlige melodilinjer og variasjoner. Denne låten gir inntrykk av møtet mellom menneske og maskin. Atrox hyller, men advarer også mot den raske teknologiske utviklingen. Jeg vil også trekke fram ”Filthmonger” og ”Castle for Clowns”som spesielt fengende og interessante låter.
Samplingeffekter i hopetall kan ofte ødelegge ellers gode skiver og band som forsøker å være eksperimentelle og nyskapende, men hos Atrox fungerer det for det meste godt og det låter bra. Samplene er såpass forskjellige og forseggjorte at hver enkelt låt får sin egen atmosfære. Binocular byr på alt fra industriell metall på speed til roligere, alternative stykker, knallfet riffing, galskap, interessant bassgang, Nikola Tesla, sexy småthrasha tromming og ikke minst et lite stykke historie fra de siste hundre årenes teknologiske utvikling i tekstmaterialet. Har du blitt skuffet over industrielle og eksperimentelle metalband tidligere, er det ikke sikkert du blir det hvis du gir Atrox en sjanse.
"There is nothing human in here, just technology” synges det i “Headrush Helmet”. Godt at Atrox (enn så lenge) består av mennesker som fortsatt vet å håndtere teknologien...
Helle Stenkløv
Laut.de
Der kleine Hirnfick mit ungewöhnlichen Arrangements.
Review von Michael Edele
Atrox waren schon immer die etwas andere Band. Sozusagen der kleine Hirnfick, wenn man sich von gängigen Songstrukturen und griffigen Melodien ein wenig angeödet fühlt und auf der Suche nach ungewöhnlichen Arrangements und atypischen Melodiebögen ist. Fünf Jahre sind seit "Orgasm" ins Land gegangen und auch bei Atrox gab es in der Zeit einschneidende Veränderungen.
Sängerin Monika hat sich ja schon kurz nach der Veröffentlichung der letzten Scheibe verabschiedet und an Bass, Keys und Gitarre kam es ebenfalls zu Wechseln. Am markantesten ist aber natürlich die Tatsache, dass mit Rune Folgerø nun ein Mann hinter dem Mikro steht. Wie der sich bei den alten Sachen anstellt, lässt sich bislang noch nicht beurteilen, doch bei den neuen Songs beweist er ein enormes Spektrum. Mit zahlreichen Voicesamples und Trip Hop-Elementen setzt "Rertroglazed" ein und macht richtig Dampf. Rune hat stimmlich etwas von Burton C. Bell, wenn der mit rauer Stimme singt, ohne dabei zu brüllen.
Ein wenig fühlt man sich wie bei einer Kettenkarussellfahrt unter Drogen. Die Lichter fliegen an einem vorbei, alles wirkt surreal und sämtliche Eindrücke sind fast schneller und massiver, als dass man sie bewusst wahrnehmen kann. Nicht weniger treibend, allerdings ohne Trip Hop-Beats, geht es mit "No Coil For Tesla" weiter. Dafür greifen die Schweden auf jede Menge Keyboards und Sounds zurück, die nicht weniger beeindrucken sind. Dennoch verharren die Gitarren in der zweiten Reihe oder bleiben gar außen vor und sorgen damit ebenfalls für einen mächtigen Drive.
Ruhiger, aber nicht weniger sonderbar und interessant wird es mit "Traces", das zwar mit Tribalbeats arbeitet, aber dennoch anders daher kommt, als alles, was man sich sonst so hierunter vorstellt. Dabei wird es aber nie zu komplex und driftet nur selten (wie in "Orgone") in Kopfweh-Musik ab, auch wenn "Headrush Helmet" ein wenig in die Richtung tendiert. Dabei schreckt die Band weder vor Akkordeon, Spinett, Streichern oder Industrial-Klängen zurück und erschafft aus allem eine schlüssige Symbiose.
"Filthmonger" legt in Sachen Härte ein gutes Pfund zu, lässt aber immer noch Raum für sehr filigrane Klaviermelodien. Kein Wunder, sind Gegensätze für die Band noch lange kein Grund, sie nicht miteinander zu vereinen. Berechenbar ist bei Atrox sowieso nichts und so folgt mit "Tight Tie" eine ganz ruhige, dennoch leicht verstörende Klangkollage. Dazu tragen nicht nur die Voicesamples, sondern auch die Musik selbst bei. Der Titeltrack steigt anschließend mit Industrial-Sounds ein, macht aber in den folgenden sechs Minuten die volle Reise durch harte Gitarren, abgespacte Hippieklänge und alles was dazwischen und daneben liegt durch.
Deutlich entspannter bietet sich da der Anfang von "Castle For Clowns" dar. Das bei Atrox aber mindestens eine Gehirnwindung explodiert ist, sollte spätestens nach dem Mittelteil klar sein. Stimmlich erinnert Rune in diesem Song sehr an Hugo Ferreira von Tantric. Auch mit dem abschließenden, sehr jazzigen und zuweilen auch nervenstrapazierenden "Transportal" machen sie es einem nicht gerade einfach. Wer sich aber die Zeit nimmt und sich mit "Binocular" beschäftigt, wird auf keinen Fall enttäuscht sein, sondern ein Album mit extrem langer Halbwertszeit entdecken.
Review von Michael Edele
Lords of Metal
If you deliver just five albums in over 20 years there’s something going on. It could be that you are suffering of a structural writing block or that you really stink and it takes ages before you find a sucker to put out your shitty attempt or you are such a perfectionist that perfect isn’t good enough. Atrox is such a band, the fifth album in twenty years….
This fifth album ‘Binocular’ is a musical kaleidoscope. The style is best described as an avant-garde melodic kind of goth-industrial. Just fling Fields of Nephilim, Paradise Lost, Silverbullit and Aryeon in a blender and get the idea. Whatever the case, this baby can be heard. To be honest, it takes a while for this a hard oyster to open, but as soon as it opens up the pearls come rolling into the room. At first I only lasted two numbers, but after grinding my teeth it all fell into place. The samples, sound clips, floating synth-riffs became more and more compelling. The perfect example and one of the highlights on the album is ‘Headrush Helmet’. It starts out as this folky Doors-like adventure, but turns slowly into an industrial kick in the teeth. It works like a musical Stephen King book, compliments!
For those amongst you who are in for an adventure, this jewel is certainly worth your while. Yet again Season Of Mist brings us something extraordinary and to answer the question I raised at the beginning: I think these guys are perfectionists.
Frank D
Metal Ireland
It must be said that Atrox are genuine artists in the truest sense of the word. Not the pretentious filmmaker type wallowing in their own indulgent and excessively overbearing ideas but rather, the kind who ceaselessly pushes the envelope of creativity and dynamic expression that normal people can actually appreciate and enjoy.
For every band out there who teeter on the progressive edge of things, there’s always the danger that what they’re actually pedalling is simply not so, for even avant-garde is fast becoming weighed down with self-imposed requirements and rules. This eccentric Norwegian crew however have always marched to the beat of their own drummer and while it’s a given that their particular brand of metal has forever been an acquired taste, this new release of theirs is arguably the most accessible one to date. So does this mean that they’ve finally stopped being weird and gone for a more commercial approach?
The answer is not so much but it’s evident that their musical evolution is leaning towards a more industrial driven metal sound. Five years and the loss of a distinctive vocalist can change many a band but Atrox have come back stronger than ever, reinventing themselves in the process. New singer Rune plays a very significant role on this record, lending a gritty yet hugely melodic force to ‘Binocular’ that has never been present on any of their previous works in this kind of way before. In fact, a lot of the signature sounds are missing save for the infamous haunting lead guitar tone which made all the older albums so captivating.
It makes total sense why they’ve gone for this new sound considering the line-up change. Bands transform and grow but unlike Manes or to a lesser degree Winds, Atrox have thankfully retained a solid footing in metal. The harsh guitars that jumpstart ‘Retroglazed’ and the sinister chugging throughout ’No Coil For Tesla’ send shivers down the spine. Keyboards are constantly whizzing in and around the other instruments on every track and the intricate sense of mood is constantly altered by the sheer amount of multi-directorial creativity that’s going the entire time.
The samples and sound bytes are a nice touch too, adding a slightly comic element to the already exotic, opulent passages. ‘Transportal’ and ‘Headrush Helmet’ are equally deserving of praise, while both the title track and the meticulous ‘Castle For Clowns’ are nothing short of stunning. One could very likely be wholly satisfied listening to just the spacey sections by themselves they’re so rich and ethereal in nature. A potential complaint could be that they never last long enough.
‘Binocular’ is one of those albums that requires several listens to crack, but it’s refreshing and even more so with a good pair of headphones. The band must be commended for their relentless pursuit of putting out music which has never taken the safe progressive stance. At times they may strongly hint of Arcturus, Meshuggah and plenty others but their identity stretches much further. Somehow they almost seem like a futuristic musical circus band.
For those who like the wacky and the deranged it‘s an essential purchase. Just remember to give it a few spins first as somewhere inside the tangled web that is ’Binocular’ sits a great album, very little of which will shine should one try and quickly pick through the pretence of its construction.
4.5 / 5 – David McCann
Metalnews.de
"Großartiger Psycho-Metal!"
Die ersten Alben einer progressive Psycho-Metal Band sind meistens nur einigen wenigen Freaks zu empfehlen. Fielen ATROX aus Norwegen anfangs noch vollkommen in diese Kategorie, ist das neue Album "Binocular" jedoch deutlich mehr als das. Nicht nur, dass man von einem fünften Album einiges erwarten darf, auch der Einstand des neuen Sängers Rune Folgero, der Monika Edvardsen ablöst, darf interessiert beäugt werden. Vielleicht war das auch der Grund, warum man mit dem blauen Sanitärfirmencover diesmal vollkommen neue Wege beschritten hatte.
Und vorab: Der neue Sänger macht sich prima, gibt der Band einen ganz eigenen Klang mit auf den Weg und kann ne Menge Charisma entfalten. Doch auch musikalisch muss man der Band nicht nur Freak-Faktor sondern auch Können attestieren: Die einzelnen Riffs sind richtig gut arrangiert und variieren sich angenehm oft in die Gehörgänge rein. Statt bloßer Überfrachtung wurde hier clever inszeniert und vor allem Fans von AND OCEANS, WATCHTOWER oder THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN bedient, aber auch genrefremde Hörer angesprochen. Denn zwei Dinge fallen besonders auf: Nicht nur dass Jazzkenner an einigen Stellen erstmals eine richtig gute Pervertierung ihres Genres beobachten können, auch die Instrumentierung mit ganz und gar unüblichen Instrumenten, wie zum Beispiel E-Pianos oder schweren AYREON-Synthies machen aus "Binocular" ein angenehm ungewöhnliches Erlebnis. Sich daraus ergebene großartige Songs sind zum Beispiel "Castle For Clowns" oder das einfach nur unglaubliche "Headcrush Helmet", eine Mischung aus THE VISION BLEAK Feeling, CRADLE OF FILTH Synthies und einem testosterongeschwängerten EVERGREY-Gesang. Zwar gibt es auch Songs, wo man das Gefühl eines um-den-heißen-Brei-Riffens hat, aber keine Nummer ist wirklich sinnlos. Allein schon durch die erfahrene Inszenierung, ist die Platte gut an einem Stück zu hören.
Weswegen das Fazit auch zwangsläufig nur sehr positiv sein kann. Selbstverständlich ist nach oben noch ne Steigerung drin, aber nach etlichen Luschenbands die versucht haben mit experimentiven Thrash-Prog nen Oscar zu gewinnen, tut ATROX richtig wohl. Hier gibt es nicht nur ein ungewöhnliches Cover, sondern auch ne Menge guter Ideen und Riffs. Definitiv was für lange Sommernächte im Keller!
Frederik Pankalla
Metal Norge
Atrox kan man vel si har undergått en betydelig forandring siden sist vi hørte dem på plate. Den gang var det svært så karakteristiske Monika Edvardsen som tok seg av vokalen, samt at musikken var komponert på et veldig annerledes vis. En litt avantgarde variant av Meshuggah og litt spaca progrock kanskje?
Et bytte av vokalist er muligens ikke den største forandringa her - for selv om et bytte fra et svært karakteristisk kvinnevokal til mannlig røst er ganske markant - så har låtskriveren fra de første platene kommet tilbake til bandet igjen. Det etter noen års opphold – et ganske spesielt trekk, med tanke på at han har skrevet hele denne plata. Denne re-ankomsten inkludert, så teller faktisk bandet fire nye medlemmer siden forrige plate, og naturlig er musikken en hel del annerledes. Atrox er et band under konstant forandring, de høres litt annerledes ut, og ganske spesiell fra plate til plate. Det skorter aldri på profesjonalitet og følelsen av at man hører på noe utrolig gjennomført.
Også denne gang framstår bandet som et uhyre velsmurt maskineri, der alle instrumenter og harmonier skaper en massiv vegg av musikk som nærmest velter lytteren over ende. Det er ukonvensjonelt, for å si det mildt - for skillet mellom elektroniske og analoge elementer er tidvis fraværende. Foruten at det bidrar til å skape en åpenbar futuristisk og særegen atmosfære, så framstår det for meg litt forvirrende. Den ekstremt fengende tråden er alltid gjennomtrengende, og jeg vil absolutt ikke påstå at bandet forsøker å sprenge grenser. Jeg vil si at de faktisk gjør det. Personlig greier jeg ikke å forstå hvordan jeg skal tolke selve måten plata er gjort på. Er dette metal, eller er det en eller annen form for elektronika? Eller er dette rett og slett en naturlig progresjon i måten å skrive metalmusikk på, er det en slik retning det kommer til å ta?
Misforstå meg rett, måten det er gjort på høres ikke sært ut for å være sært, men musikken er satt sammen av så mye elementer som flyter sammen. Man ender opp med å spørre seg selv når trommene sluttet å spille, og samplingene tok over. For den tålmodige og musikalske lytter dog, har de lagt inn utrolig mye snop hva teknikk angår, det skal absolutt ikke stå på bandets ferdigheter.
Likevel, jeg tror nok det er akkurat det litt svevende, futuristiske og massive bandet har vært ute etter å skape. Ikke helt ulikt hva Manes drev med, men jeg greier ikke helt å finne den samme stemningen her dessverre. Det framstår fortsatt en smule søkende i uttrykket. Dette høres nå ekstremt strengt ut, for plata i seg selv er et solid stykke stemningsfull og velskrevet musikk, som absolutt bør sjekkes ut om du er interessert i høre noe nytt og fengende.
Robert - 7.5/10
Metalreviews
Experimental Metal tends to fall into one of two camps: the zany, wacky camp, and the ‘progressive’ camp. The differences are usually pretty clear: few would identify Arcturus and Alchemist as belonging to the same genre, even though both are clearly leftfield acts. Both types of Metal have equal artistic value, and both can be equally fun to listen to. Unfortunately, people rarely listen to Metal for its experimental worth, so much as for the sheer racket that blasts out of the speakers. This usually leaves experimental acts to wither and pass away in that eternal wintry land where bands that are too much for even Metalheads go to die.
That Norwegian experimentalist horde Atrox has been in existence since 1990 is the first surprise that you’ll get if you look into the history behind this fairly unique act. Another surprise is how little the band is known, despite featuring two members of that other northern bastion of experimentalism, Manes. Certainly, Atrox has much to offer those in search of a varied and interesting listen, in sound somewhere between modern Manes and Nine Inch Nails, with guitar riffs mostly spurned in favour of a mixed and highly complex electronic backing, which can take the shape of all manner of effects and samples that add up to a convincing collage.
It’s more Ayreon than Aborym, yet extremists out there shouldn’t be put off, as this is far from commercial. The odd dip into suspiciously Korny territory will raise eyebrows, but for the most part Atrox steer a path through Jazz-infested waters, with nods to Mr Bungle (Castle For Clowns) and to psychedelic electronica (Retroglazed). As ever, the biggest tragedy here is that it’s genuinely difficult (if not impossible) to predict your reaction to the music on offer. The best that can be done is to offer similarly experimental voyagers on the edge of music, and to hope that you discerning listeners out there will know enough about them to decide if you’re interested or not. Ultimately, all that can be said is: fans of experimental music in general, you’ll enjoy this.
Killing Songs : Retroglazed, No Coil For Tesla, Headrush Helmet, Binocular
By Goat 75 / 100
MTUK Metal Zine
Hailing from Trondhein in Norway and comprising of members of such unearthly delights as Tactile Gemma, Manes and even Goat The Head, one would expect Atrox to be a little on the nutty side. Receiving three frankly odd CD’s from the ever reliable Season Of Mist and giving them all a two track spin this one instantly found itself on my review pile. Glad it did too as despite the fact that this is the group’s fifth full length album it was my first proper encounter with them and ‘Binocular’ is most definitely an album that requires a closer look.
I guess the cover of this does fit the music kind of well, although at first I thought it was kind of naff, it does rather illustrate the avant-garde mindset that is on show within this tightly constructed album. It should also be mentioned perhaps that my promo copy and no doubt the shop bought one as well itself, is a dazzling shade of orange! Electronic bleeps and some samples that sound as if they have escaped from a cop movie or Western bring us into opener Retroglazed. You are literally knocked flat by singer Rune Folgerø and his clean sweeping vocals that are truly reminiscent of both Simen Hestnæs and Kristopher G. Rigg; in other words absolutely perfect. The music itself is completely schizophrenic and does blend the eccentricities of Arcturus, Ulver, Ved Buens Ende and Manes together in a maddening stew of out-there-ness. Be warned it is also totally addictive, one play and you will be hooked. There is shit-loads going on in each and every track as well, the keyboards fly all over the shop, there is an unhinged psychedelic air about things and the lyrics are totally nuts. You don’t actually notice that the first number has finished and you have been thrust into the midst of ‘No Coil For Tesla.’ A moody acoustic passage at the end of this is your first pause for breath.
Samples are not over-used and are all intriguing, pretty much like the music and even the song-titles themselves. For instance what the hell is a ‘Headrush Helmet?’ Well this is a band who also had an album called ‘Orgasm’ so the mind boggles. Moody Manes like passages of electronica provide sparseness and edge whilst the music itself is not actually rushing, building things up for storming fruit and nut choruses full of funk and nonsensical lyrics. ‘Tight Tie’ starts off in such a ghostly, gloomy manner you cannot help but shiver, sampled voices loom out of some sort of distorted space time continuum before the actual track hones in on you in an unhurried fashion. The title track follows and injects a bit of a blackened roar into the vocals as it weaves and unwinds with some bombastic fervour, heavier than anything else yet heard on the album. Plenty of eclectic prog-bound keyboard cascades slow it all down though.
Finishing off with ‘Transportal’ you really do feel like you have been beamed off to another dimension over the last ¾ of an hour, this is heady stuff and manically enthusiastic. Could it be something they put in the water in Norway? Well this is the country that all the aforementioned bands as well as Fleurety and the similarly deranged Vulture Industries all hail from so it seems a foregone conclusion. Atrox are a bottomless well, worth drinking deep from and embracing the madness.
Pete Woods
MFG(Metalfrenn Gousseldeng)
I must admit that I had never heard of Atrox until yesterday. Since MFG has a promotional agreement with the label Season of Mist, we received a promo version of Binocular, Atrox’s upcoming record, and I was asked (since I’m into all kinds of progressive music) to have a look (or rather an ear full) and maybe review the album. Being an Atrox-virgin I first rummaged their web-presence to get an idea of what to expect, while I was waiting to receive my copy of the record.
Atrox describe themselves as a schizo metal band. They are from Trondheim in Norway and Binocular is their fifth studio album (although the band has undergone a lot of lineup changes in the past). I won’t go into the band’s history here. If you are interested, you can read all about it on their websites (links below).
So with an intense feeling of curiosity and wondering what exactly they define to be schizo metal, I started the first track “Retroglazed”. Starting out with ominous samples and sound bits from what seem to be numerous movie excerpts, the first song quickly turns into a powerful piece of industrial driven metal music. Hard, distorted guitar riffs, prominent keyboard samples and the incredible voice of Rune Folgerø turn Atrox’s music into a real and new experience. The second song “No Coil for Tesla” begins with an almost Sepulturan percussion intro and perfectly demonstrates the versatile repertoire the band has to offer. At times their music reminds me of Peter Tätgren’s Pain while at others I feel like I have been dropped into a Tim Burton production.
The samples are so diversified that each song as a unique atmosphere to offer. Calling Atrox a progressive, alternative metal band would not truly allow you to get a grasp of the eccentric sound they produce (even though there are noticeable influences from these genres) and so their self-given label schizo metal hits the mark perfectly. Binocular is one of those records that need several listens to let their genius be recognized. There is so much going on at times that you never know where to particularly pay attention to. Furthermore the repertoire of songs is so varied that the album does not bore easily. From speed industrial songs to slow alternative pieces, everything is present on Binocular.
If metal music (with an industrial touch) interlaced with very prominent keyboard samples, clean vocals and a big piece of crazy is your cup of tea, then you should not miss the 21.04.2008 when Atrox’s new release finally hits the stores.
Positively surprised of a really diversified album, I’m sending my regards to Atrox in their “Castle of Clowns”. May the Schwartz be with you!
9/10 - cnspiracy
Noiseweb
Mais d’où vient ce besoin de la scène norvégienne à s’échapper aussi souvent que possible de ses racines ? Contrairement à la Suède qui semble condamnée à ne pratiquer que du death old school ou mélodique, la Norvège voit depuis quelques années les représentants de son identité metal, un black-metal reconnu, s’échapper le plus possible dans des expérimentations métalliques. Comme si cette musique n’était réservée qu’à l’adolescence, et semblerait bien inutile l’âge adulte arrivant. Et le pire, c’est qu’à chaque fois, l’essai est bien gagnant.
Mis à part la pire pochette de ce début d’année, Atrox revient avec un ovni relativement envoûtant. Première grosse surprise, les vocaux, qui ont bénéficié d’un soin tout particulier, avec une écriture efficace des mélodies. Et surtout fini Monika Edvarsen, et arrivée de Rune Folgero. Autant dire que la surprise est de taille, surtout que plus que par le passé, les bidouillages électroniques en tout genre sont légion, donnant à ce disque une atmosphère toute particulière. On se retrouve vite le long de l’écoute à être captivé par les expérimentations ici proposées, malgré des superpositions contre nature, avec des claviers aux sons douteux, des riffs en complet décalage avec les vocaux qui les accompagnent.
Il y a un peu de Faith No More dans ce disque, et surtout beaucoup de savoir-faire et une vraie prise de risque. Reste que la formule une fois assimilée, on s’ennuie un peu plus sur la fin du disque. C’est là où le groupe devra encore progresser pour passer au niveau supérieur.
Geoffrey - 7,5/10
Pavillion666 Webzine
Voilà un bien joli piège que vient tendre Atrox. Surtout ne se fier ni au nom du groupe, ni au visuel particulièrement peu glorieux qui vient caractériser « Binocular », car c’est une musique en pleine réussite qui vient se profiler dans la lumière de ce…5ème album ! Et oui, la famille métal est décidément merveilleuse : il n’est pas rare de découvrir un excellent groupe et de se rendre compte que celui-ci a déjà plusieurs réalisations à son actif. Oui je l’avoue, pour le coup je découvre Atrox et aborde Binocular comme un touriste aborde Tokyo : complètement perdu et en en prenant plein l’objectif.
A peine atterri sur les lieux, c’est une question cruciale qui vient se poser : la carte mémoire de mon appareil sera-t-elle assez performante au vue du paysage qui vient s’offrir à mes yeux totalement ébahis ? Bienvenus à la citée de la perdition. C’est effectivement une musique particulièrement riche que produit Atrox, et ce d’une manière qui semble la plus naturelle au monde. Pourtant, il règne sur Binocular une certaine complexité, un brin d’extravagance et de démence qui n’est pas sans nous remémorer certains passages de Ulver, Solefald par exemple ou plus particulièrement Manes ; ce n’est d’ailleurs pas un hasard puisque plusieurs membres de ce groupe se retrouvent dans le line up ici présent. Parfois torturées mais pas malsaines, les compositions au tempo lent s’axent alors sur un fort coté groove. C’est aussi un bel aspect progressif qui se dégage (« Orgone »), avec des rythmes inconstants mais pas non plus totalement déconstruits ;Clic : petit flirt vers l’ambiant (« Tight tie ») – Clic : Clin d’œil de guitares dissonantes – Clic : bruitages samplés qui jaillissent – Clic : Une belle mélodie – la visite du monde certes particulier mais bâti très solidement d’Atrox est un pur moment de bonheur. La ville est vaste, les méandres des ruelles innombrables, et pas un plan à l’horizon…fichus urbanistes…qu’importe, une fois perdu c’est alors une descente plus profonde qui s’amorce, entraînée par des titres captivants (« Castle for clown ») à la limite de la folie.
Pour éviter de soulever à nouveau le fameux débat sur l’avant-gardisme, (mon dieu, que les gens sont compliqués) Binocular s’auto défini comme un disque sortant avant tout des sentiers battus, une sorte d’architecture psychotique des plus séduisante et qui donnera envie pour les uns déjà d’acheter l’album, et pour les ignorants, dont je suis, de s’attarder vivement sur la discographie de ce groupe à tort bien ignoré.
9/10 - S.Y.L
Planet Music & Media
Vor eine relativ große Herausforderung wird man beim fünften Full-Length-Album der Norweger ATROX gestellt.
Hier wird druckvoller Powermetal mit relativ breitwandigen Elektronik-Spielereien veredelt, was das ganze mehr als einmal in die Nähe der Australier ALCHEMIST rückt. Anspruchsvoller, verspielter und nicht gerade beim ersten Hören in seiner Gesamtheit erfassbarer Metal ohne Anspruch auf irgendein Etikett – das ist gut so!
Tracks wie das hypnotisch-abgehackte „Traces“ , die Elektro-Rock-Walze „Tight Tie“ oder der jazzig-durchdachte Titeltrack zeugen von einer reifen Band, die alles andere als Trittbrett fährt und ihr Ding kompromisslos durchzieht. „Binocular“ bildet den bisherigen Schaffenshöhepunkt dieser schon seit 20 Jahren (!) existierenden Band und man sollte sich diese musikalische Traumreise auf keinen Fall entgehen lassen!
MikerOwavE
Progressive Area
L'aventure du groupe commence en 1988 sous le nom de SUFFOCATION mais au vue du nombre de formation évoluant sous ce patronyme, ils décidèrent de changer pour ATROX. Tout d'abord Death metal, le groupe tend vers une musique progressive d'avant garde aide par les vocalises "sous acides" de sa chanteuse Monika EDVARDSEN, et ceci dit, effet accentue par les pochettes de la formation (celle de "Contentum" vaut largement le coup d'œil).
Le groupe Norvégien enregistre et sort son premier album "Mesmerised" en 1997 et sous le label Season Of Mist, sort "Contentum"(2000) et "Terrestrials" (2002) puis ils changent pour Code 666 et sortent "Orgasm" (2003). Et les voila de retour sur le label Francais pour "Binocular".
Que c'est il passe depuis cinq ans ? Et bien déjà un fait assez important pour être rapporte : le groupe a change de vocalise et de vocaliste.
Monika s'en est allée en 2004, laissant le poste vacant, elle sera remplace par Rune FOLGERO, un homme comme vous pouvez le remarquer.
Et c'est un changement étant donne la dimension que Monika pouvait donner a la musique du groupe. La dame possède en effet une voix totalement hors norme et il était légitime de penser que tout ATROX repose sur elle. (D'ailleurs la question se pose : qu'est elle devenue ?)
Dans un terme musical, "Binocular" n'est pas si diffèrent des autres, la musique a toujours ses accents "trip sous acides", délirante et tout droit sortie d'un rêve. La voix de Rune quand a elle, est carrément plus rock, plus grave a la limite du Death.
La musique, elle aussi continue son petit bonhomme de chemin se faisant plus grave, plus sombre et peut être dans un certain sens plus sérieuse via cette voix masculine; et oui, la voix de Monika pouvant amusée certains plus qu'autre chose. Avec "Binocular", ATROX perd cette curiosité mais ne se font pas dans la masse pour autant. Avec ses accents Trip Hop, Jazz et Electro et son metal plus accentué, la musique prend une dimension plus conséquente, plus "reelle" si il est possible de le concevoir bien entendu. De toute façon une folle ne peut être impartiale avec une musique de fou. Alors si vous logez d'une une jolie cellule capitonné, vous vous sentirez comme chez vous. "Musique de fou ? Du tout !"
La visite de la section aliénation de l'hôpital ATROX est toujours ouverte, réjouissons nous !
Alors dans le fond ATROX reste toujours ATROX, si l'on pense que le groupe est toujours le même sans Monika. La longue absence du groupe laisse a penser qu'ils ont du bien réfléchir et/ou bien faire leur choix avant de se décider a repartir.
Si tout comme moi, vous étiez tombes sous le charme des vocalises de Monika, vous serez retissant a vous engager dans l'écoute de "Binocular" mais au fond ce n'est pas si choquant que cela et vous risquez d'être seulement un peu nostalgique mais ça passe, je promets.
Car il faut l'avouez, c'est un très bon album.
Et croyez moi, les fous ont toujours raison.
Écrit par Spleen
Quintessence
Atrox is a band from Norway and it can be said that they are not one of the most productive in the genre. As far as I know that band exists for around 20 years and “Binocular” is their fifth album. I’ve listened to a couple of their albums in the past and it can be said that their music is not always easy to listen to. Their experimental/ avant-garde music is something you have play a couple of times before you get into it. With “Binocular” they do something different compared to their previous releases. It seems that they try to mix even more elements into their music then ever. You hear great melodies, catchy riffs, but also samples and synthesizer sounds. It’s very hard to describe their music. Think of a mixture of avant-garde, gothic, symphonic music and industrial. It sure takes time to get into their music, but as soon as you do, you know you have a great record in hand.
Andre Groeneveld - 5/6
Radio Revolt
Tilbake til framtiden.
Det norske avantgarde metal-bandet Atrox’ femte utgivelse Binocular er en spennende reise i tid og rom.
Binocular gir lytteren en slags presentasjon av de siste hundre årene av historien. Dette skjer i en ukronologisk og merkelig rekkefølge.
Det har jo vært en helt syk og enorm utvikling fra menneskets side bare de siste hundre årene når man tenker på at denne planeten faktisk er ca. 4,5 milliarder år gammel. Disse høyteknologiske mulighetene gir grunnlag for mye glede, men også en del bekymring. Med sin altseende “kikkert” står Atrox litt på avstand og betrakter sin versjon av evolusjonen. Allerede fra første låt, “Retroglazed”, blander de fortid og nåtid. Fremtiden er i form av ett futuristisk lydbilde, der det blir brukt mye synth og digitale effekter som deretter blandes med litt “eldre”lydklipp. Det er sært og rart til å begynne med, og det skal sies at det tar en stund å bli vant til denne litt skrudde kombinasjonen av forvridde menneskestemmer og musikk, men etter flere gjennomlyttinger fester noen av låtene seg mer og mer fast til hjernebarken. Høydepunktet på denne utgivelsen må være “Headrush Helmet”. Denne låten gir lytteren et herlig møte mellom menneske og maskin. Det er ingen tvil at Atrox hyller, men også advarer mot utviklingen og datateknologien med tekstlinjer som “There is nothing human in here, just technology” og videre “God damn! I am in my wicked machine and I like it,”Atrox tar en ny og annerledes vei enn i tidligere utgivelser, og de kan være godt fornøyd med at de ikke velger minste motstandsvei, men våger å satse på noe som er sært og lite kommersielt.
Anmelder: Øystein Paulsen
Rockpages.gr
Dark, beyond, complicated, mystical… Norwegians’ fifth album is a perfect sample of uniting Paradise Lost blackness with Metallica anger and the shinning abyss of Monster Magnet, all inside a “progressive” vehicle. The boys are still around after twenty years of creating and playing. They surely know what they’re doing.
Vocals which rip off prefabricated lil’ ideas about sound and stuff, keyboards that Jon Lord would love to listen to or play along with, sound and structure beyond any stereotypes and “space” production. Atrox yell “present” and they are coming for our heads. Speaking of which… “Headrush Helmet” is fine sample of supeRock. One could state that this wild groove of the album is its main characteristic. Maybe the fans were feeling kinda weird as this is the first album since Monika Edvardsen (vocals) left. I must confess though that I don’t miss the female vocals one bit. On the contrary, I’m so into that VOICE on “Orgone”, I wanna kick a cement wall. Mayhem! Let’s go!
Costas Koulis
Satan Stole My Teddybear
Atrox has spent much of their musical career treading water in the realm of avant-garde metal and unfortunately not gaining many fans along the way. Up until 2004, their efforts featured vocalist Monika Edvardsen, whose incredible range was matched only by her inability to restrain her talents within the contexts of the song. Atrox thought they were pushing envelopes, but instead, they were pushing people away. However, after the band's 2003 effort, Orgasm, Edvardsen left Atrox for whatever reason and the band was left to reinvent themselves. Rather than find another shrieking siren, Atrox turned to Rune Folgerø to fulfill the vocal position. The resulting retooled Atrox finally issued a new release called Binocular in 2008.
The difference between old Atrox and new is as stunning as night and day. First and foremost, Binocular is actually quite good. Their previous three releases often featured moments where discerning listeners might say, "Harumph, not bad, old sport" at various intriguing sections, but on the whole, Atrox was very difficult to sit through. Binocular rectifies that problem. Part of that reinvention can be credited to Folgerø's vocal approach. While Edvardsen had a striking range and no idea how to properly use it, Folgerø has a limited approach and somehow manages to deliver the lyrics with passion and conviction. It is without a doubt a case of doing much more with less. Musically, Atrox has moved into the "weirdo-metal" area, working with industrial aspects, layers of samples and electronic influences. However, the wall of guitar rhythms should dispell any concerns that the band is going to mimic, say, The Prodigy. Binocular is best experienced with headphones as the production is very textured and there are quite a few things going on in the background. And unlike many metal bands, Atrox has developed a strong sense of dynamics, giving Binocular a sonic edge.
Atrox has moved away from a style that was difficult to endure and have thoroughly reinvented themselves in a refreshing manner. Their sound dwells roughly in the same area as Solefald, except featuring real songwriting skill. In fact, I probably shouldn't compare them to Solefald at all, because that's just mean.
Review by John Chedsey
Terrorverlag
Mit vier ordentlichen Alben konnten sich die Norweger ATROX einen guten Namen im Avantgarde-Extrem Metal erspielen. Doch mit dem Wechsel von Code666 zurück zu Season of Mist wurde auch gleich eine Änderung für die Position am Mikro vollzogen. So ist Monika Edvardsen auf „Binocular“ nicht mehr zu hören und Gitarrist Rune Sorgard versucht sich nun als Sänger.
Schon zuvor fuhren ATROX in den Gewässern progressiven Avantgarde-Metals, doch das neue Album wird selbst dem bereits mit der Band vertrauten Hörer einiges zu knacken geben. So fügen die Nordlichter ihrem eh schon vertrackten Sound noch elektronische Elemente hinzu, was den Hörgenuss einerseits sicherlich vielseitiger und interessanter gestalten kann, ihn allerdings auch nicht wirklich leichter macht. Da gibt es auf dem 5ten Album wieder die komplexen Songstrukturen, die wirr erscheinenden Gitarrenmelodien, progressives Drumming und eben auch mal atmosphärische mal aufschreckende Elektro-Sounds und Samples. Dazu fügen sich allerdings immer mal wieder sphärische und packende Meldodien und düsterste Melancholie-Passagen hinzu. Die Übergänge von den einzelnen Bereichen sind des öfteren allerdings recht überraschend, so dass man (als Beispiel sei hier mal „Headcrush Helmet“ erwähnt) nicht nur einmal recht plötzlich aus einer melodischen Groove-Passage gerissen und mächtig durchgeschüttelt wird.
So ist der eingeschlagene Weg von ATROX steinig, kantig und nur schwer zu verfolgen. Zudem fehlt einfach die Aussicht auf ein Ziel, den großen Aha-Effekt, eben den großen Durchbruch mit einer bestimmten Komposition. Wenn man diesem zugegeben interessanten Weg noch eine deutlichere Richtung zuordnen könnte, dürften diesem auch verdienterweise mehr Anhänger folgen!
Fafnir
The Metal Observer
There is a tendency for any Metal band with a keyboard to go ahead and label itself “Progressive,” “Avant-garde,” or any other categorization that signifies the group as being unique. At this point in its career, ATROX straddles the boundary between something truly original and just another Metal band with Industrial undertones and electronic beats scattered hither and thither. After spending much of their history sounding like late-period ARCTURUS with a female vocalist (not a bad thing, certainly), ATROX now have a male lead singer and, on their latest album Binocular, are devoting much of their energies to creating catchy songs as well as mind-bending ones.
The band describes itself as “Schizo” Metal, a portrayal that is apt for perhaps more reasons than the members intend. On songs such as “Transportal,” for example, the music switches from regular, beat-driven synths and guitars to insane, spastic rhythms for no discernable reason. During these instances, it might be more accurate to call ATROX Dissociative Identity Metal. Since the band seems dedicated to merging a variety of sounds (which is most welcome), it would far better serve the music if these incongruent elements were blended together with greater subtlety. The way "Binocular" is structured, the music seems more haphazard than anything truly bizarre or groundbreaking, which is regrettable.
The fortunate fact remains that ATROX is good at both straightforward Metal-influenced music as well as left-field eccentricities. Even when a particular song contains what, by all rights, is really bits of three different songs thrown together, each of those individual parts is enjoyable on its own. The multiple personalities of the album also generate a fringe benefit: the diversity of sound present on "Binocular" prevents the music from becoming tired after repeat listens. Of course, if this very genre annoys the listener that is a moot point, but hopefully the wide variety of stylistic changes on the record will get an equally wide a variety of people to give "Binocular" a chance. Besides, any album that has samples of Charlton Heston screaming “you maniacs!” and “damn you all to Hell!” from Planet of the Apes in its opening track has something going for it.
7,5/10 - John
VS-webzine
Autant prévenir de suite, je ne connaissais pas Atrox avant de recevoir ce "Binocular" (leur cinquième album), donc je ne m'amuserai point à comparer avec les précédentes oeuvres. Le groupe norvégien a quand même 20 années d'existence au compteur, ce qui n'est pas rien. Il semble qu'il y ait eu un peu de changement du côté du line-up depuis la sortie de "Orgasm" en 2003, dont le départ de la chanteuse Monika qui est ici, remplacée par un homme du nom de Rune.
Les Norvégiens jouent un Metal plutôt Avant-Gardiste assez facile d'accès, mélodique et définissent leur style comme du "schizo-metal" ce qui est assez juste si on prend l'excellente prestation du chanteur Rune qui maîtrise son sujet avec un talent déconcertant et se retrouve comme principale attraction du groupe.
Grossièrement, on pourrait vite faire un raccourci en disant que Atrox pratique un Electro-Metal tant cet album regorge de bidouillages en tout genre qui retiennent la plupart du temps l'attention. Ca fourmille de détails sans être indigeste et colle très bien à l'ensemble, ils ont dû y passer du temps mais, les arrangements sont plus que réussis.
Si les guitares sont bien présentes, j'avoue que je n'ai pas été convaincu de ce côté-là. La faute à des gros riffs assez communs, certes bons mais, on ne peut pas dire qu'il y ait eu une grosse recherche de ce côté-là.
D'ailleurs elles sont très en retrait dans le mix comme la basse (dommage car sur des titres comme "Traces" et "Binocular", il y a du beau boulot).
Vous rajoutez un côté grandiloquent à la Arcturus (le chant aidant) qui n'est point déplaisant, quelques délires rappelant Faith No More, comme ce passage country sur "Retrogazed". Il est même dommage que l'on ne retrouve pas cette touche de folie tout au long de l'album.
Difficile de sortir un morceau plus qu'un autre, l'album étant très homogène mais certains tirent leur épingle du jeu comme l'ambiance glaciale de "Hedcrush Helmet" où les émotions émergent d'un chant soutenu par les riffs menaçants façon Red Harvest, le rentre-dedans "Filthmonger" qui me fait penser à du Testament version indus, la montée en puissance et les passages lumineux de "Binocular" ou encore l'ambiance de cirque sur l'évocateur "Castle For Clown". Mais aussi un titre plus ambiant, "Tight Tie" très proche d'un Ulver.
Hormis quelques défauts, ce "Binocular" s'avère réussi, cohérent et captivant de bout en bout, aucune envie de zapper un titre. Découverte tardive mais très agréable et qui devrait en intéresser plus d'un.
Arnaud - 15/20