:CD Review: Acylum – Karzinom

Acylum – Karzinom
Release Date: October 28, 2011
Label: Alfa-Matrix
Website: facebook.com/acylum.music

Review by: Review by: Tiffany Angeney

In 2004, Chemnitz based DJ Pedro Engel founded the project ACYLUM. The East German’s first full-length album Your Pain was released on X-Cem Records in 2005. The frequent and fanatical use of provocative samples staged huge controversy mainly in the German press. Pedro followed up with Mental Disorder on Rupal Records in 2007 and The Enemy on Alfa Matrix in 2009. After a long wait Karzinom is set to be released this Friday on Alfa-Matrix.

Track one, “Haus Am See”, opens with a chilling quote “Those who have hunted armed men long enough, and like it, don’t really care for anything”. The sound of an apocalyptic orchestra hits your eardrums and plays a maddening game with harsh Electro glitches. The orchestra pauses and Nadine Engel’s chilling vocals spill out over the madness. This is one of the most powerful openings to an album I have heard in years. The song literally terrifies and delights the senses. It’s a decadent mess of horror and beauty. Whatever you do don’t go to the House at the Lake.

“Shoot Em Up” is next. The song takes you in a completely different direction. Dirty static beats open the song and lend the way to a crash of drums and an intense bass line. The song itself is riddled with distortion and movie quotes. It’s a harsh hitting jolt in the face. “Sweat Cunt” is a mess of crunching distortion and distorted drum loops. “Angel” slows everything down. A lone piano plays a melody and gives way to the almost trance like melodic sounds of a synthesizer. Pedro’s rasping vocals float overhead and leave you feeling broken, yet so full of hope. One can picture a tattered woman, lost and alone, searching for a faint glimpse of hope. The song itself is very well produced, and hauntingly reassuring. The mix of English and German vocal lends itself very well to this song.

“Question” opens with a violin and a harsh hitting baseline. The song reminds me a little of “HellRaiser” by Suicide Commando. Your atypical standard terror EBM beat with distorted vocals and a predictive beat. While it’s a good song, it’s not thrilling. “Freeze” drops the beat completely. The violin and orchestra are the focal points. Simple and Elegant, with Nadine’s raspy melodies countered by the harsh vocals from Pedro, “Freeze” takes you on a disturbing journey into the recess of your soul were beauty and darkness dwell within.

“Deathzone” opens with a sample from the delightful movie The Brain From Planet Arous. The phrase “I am Gor!” is looped throughout the song. I can’t help but be reminded of Suicide Commando again though. It’s your standard terror EBM fueled with electronic aggression. “Flatliners” drops the tempo. The sample “Some lines shouldn’t be crossed” is riddled throughout the song. Purely instrumental it’s a fitting tribute to an amazing movie. Simple, well structured and clean. “Deutsch” starts off hauntingly with choir of children and waves of German. The beat hits and drives you out of your seat. Pedro’s vocals are clean, pure and chanted with utter precision. “King Acylum” quite frankly freaks me out. The samples of “V for Vendetta” to Nadine’s pleas and moans, this song is just odd. Good, but odd. The beat is decadently childish and chilling.

Track 11 is entitled “Silence” and quite frankly I wish it was. The song feels very drawn out and the vocals seemed force. While the violins layered over the drums add an element of beauty to the song it just seems like it needed more work. “Spit On Your Grave” features militaristic beats and distorted vocals

“Freeze (HausHetaere_Version)” is a little more down tempo then the original. Subtle glitch hop influences can be heard, and overall the song has a more modern feel. Not as disturbing, yet still as beautiful. “Question (Amgod_Remix)” is much quieter than the original but more upbeat, an intense driving synth line has been added and the vocals muted. “Silence (Reaxion Guerrilla Remix) is simply a quieter stripped down version of the original. They seem to have cut out a few of the main drops and but in some trance like sound waves. I simply can’t understand why they chose to remix this song. “In Memory” closes out the album. The blip of a heart monitor mixes with the unsettling laughter of children. Purely instrumental, simple and breathtaking it’s the perfect ending to this album.

Acylum’s Karzinom is a beautiful mess of dark electro beats, terror ebm vocal styling and noize elements all floating over the haunting sounds of an orchestra. It’s a literal mind fuck. Nadine Cooraz Engel’s chilling vocals blend well with the madness. It has its high points, and its lows, but overall this album is a must have for any fans of Terror Ebm or Harsh Electro.

Tracklisting:

1. Haus am See
2. Shoot em up
3. Sweat Cunt
4. Angel
5. Question
6. Freeze
7. Deathzone
8. Flatliners
9. Deutsch
10. King Acylum
11. Silence
12. Spit on your grave
13. Freeze (HAUSHETAERE version)
14. Question (AMGOD remix)
15. Silence (REAXION GUERILLA remix)
16. In Memory

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