:CD Review: Komor Kommando – Oil, Steel, & Rhythm

Komor Kommando – Oil, Steel, & Rhythm
Released: February 28, 2011
Label: Alfa Matrix
Band Website: myspace.com/komorkommando

Review by: Christina Cubel

Much can be said about Sebastian Komor and his work with Icon of Coil, Zombie Girl, Bruderschaft, Moonitor, and many others. His solo project Komor Kommando, is pure, hard, upbeat electronic power industrial. In 2009, Das EP was released which included seven forceful tracks including “Das Oontz” and “Love Your Neighbor”.

The much-awaited first full length album is due for release on February 28, 2011. Oil, Steel, & Rhythm is exactly what you can expect; pure electronics with harsh industrial beats that keep you moving through every single track, 15 tracks to be exact. “Triggerfinger” and “Das Oontz”, which were on the EP, are included in Oil, Steel, & Rhythm. “Triggerfinger” has an almost rough techno beat with angry vocals which leads to “BoomTscheeKah” that has no vocals and enchanting almost funny tribal vibe. A pleasant surprise, vocals from Sascha (KMFDM) are in the pounding track entitled “Predator”. Hearing Sascha’s vocals against Komor’s hard beats make me want more or wish they would start a project together.

The best part about this album is every single track is different. Lots of industrial bands start to sound repetitive in full length albums. Bands seem to get focused on one type of rhythm then use it for the entire album. When I heard the track “Slaves to the Machines” I immediately thought of the similar song off Combichrist’s album Making Monsters. Trust me, you cannot compare the two. Komor Kommando’s electronics seem much more advanced in beats then a standard electric drum. Plus, the sound bites used in “Slaves to Machines” are amazing (better then just singing the same line over and over). The only thing I did not really care for in the album was the “Blues ‘N’ Tubes” and that was only because I am not a fan of beeping up against slower beats (reminds me of having to work in a call center years ago).

Watch out for tracks like “Shrapnel”, “Does Not Fuck Around”, and “Hasta Luego” because you will be stomping your feet to these tracks at the club. If you liked the DAS EP from 2009 you will need to own Oil, Steel, & Rhythm because the album is an extension of the upbeat electronic power industrial. Komor Kommando is definitely one of the most powerful industrial projects I’ve heard in a long time.

Oil, Steel, & Rhythm track list:
1. Rhythm Machine
2. The Factory incident
3. Shrapnel
4. Atrapado
5. Predator [feat. Sascha of KMFDM]
6. Triggerfinger
7. BoomTscheekah
8. Natural born filler [hellbound]
9. Hasta luego
10. Slaves Of Machines
11. Does Not Fuck Around
12. State of destruction
13. Das Oontz
14. Mambo Nr. 808
15. Blues’n’tubes

Buy Oil, Steel & Rhythm on Amazon.com