Review: Amduscia – 'Filofobia'

AMDUSCIA 

'Filofobia' 

OUT OF LINE 

When any band loses a member under tragic circumstances it can shake the remaining members to the core and often spell the end of a band. Admirably, Polo Acevedo has continued undaunted in building the legacy that he and his late brother, Edgar, started. The fifth album from Amduscia, 'Filofobia'  is the second since Edgar's untimely passing and sees Polo in the driving seat from start to finish.

Thankfully the band's dance-floor credentials are as strong as they've ever been with all the boxes ticked: distorted vocals, hard beats and searingly catchy melodies. It's a formula that comes with ease time and time again on songs such as 'Dig Your Grave', 'Revelations Of Innocence', 'Filofobia' and 'Where Is Your God' blending their rudimentary aggrotech foundations with trance, synthpop and techno to assure their presence on international dance-floors.

Though the dance-orientated intent of the album is well executed and has plenty of individual gems to choose from, there is little variation in tone or pace and it is a struggle to hold the listener's attention during extended listening. The only real variation come on the bonus disc with the excellent ambient styling of 'Insatiable Pain' which is a real high-point along with 'Suffering', 'Annunakis' and 'Scheol'. Had these been included on the main body of the album to break up the relentless barrage and add a little variety, then 'Filofobia' would quite a much more well-rounded album. It's good the songs have seen the light of day, but its a shame they’re just confined to the bonus disc.

The production on 'Filofobia' is quite frankly some of the best that Amduscia have ever received. It's crisp and clean, and the harsher elements of the band's sound don't overwhelm each other. However there is a reoccurring problem with Polo's vocals occasionally getting lost in the mix.

This is a fine collection of club-ready songs, and you'd be hard pressed to find a track not worth spinning. Yet there isn't really the sense that this is a complete album. It's just lacking a little depth that could have been solved by maybe just adding that little bit of variety. But Polo has stuck to his guns, and assured that Amduscia will live on.

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