'Phenomena'
The near 20-year German
veterans sufficiently whetted appetites with the precursory EP
release of 'Trial And Error' earlier in the year. Now its time for
the main course in the form of the band's newest full-length studio
release 'Phenomena'. The red-shirted quartet of Solitary Experiments
are a band that have always deliver the goods. Their dance friendly
blend of synth-pop, ebm, trance and goth has seen the band amass an
enviable back catalogue. But just where does 'Phenomena' fit in to
it?
Well its blatantly
obvious from the start that the band are going to be on top form. The
instrumental opener 'Tilting At Windmills' is a nice and hard track
that drips old school ebm and industrial and makes for a brave choice
as an opener due to its three-minute length. The band then ease fans
into the true pace of the album with the exceedingly addictive
'Salvation' and the trance-orientated 'Trial And Error', both of
which exude that big club filling sound the band have made their own.
While 'Epiphany' balances hard beats, sombre vocals trance leads and
the pop quality of The Crüxshadows.
'Quicksand' changes things up a little with a more classic ebm meets
Depeche Mode sound that pushes the sing-a-long lyrics quite hard.
'Game Over' provides a slightly harder take on the formula, while the
likes of 'Now Or Never' and 'Beacon Light' feature a more airy and
reverential atmosphere. The band then head straight back into pure
dance-friendly tracks with 'Steering Wheel' and 'Stars' resurrecting
the energy of the album's earlier offerings. The album finally rounds
thinks off with the mid-paced sombre pop of 'Liebe Deinen Traum'.
This is a nicely varied
but consistently paced album that offers up a selection of songs that
tick the boxes for both club play and liver performance. The
production and mixing is solid throughout and allows the styles at
play to blend together.
There is a problem with
its consistency though, as the album doesn't really throw any curve
balls that make the listener sit up and take notice. Instead it has a
kind of “best of” vibe to it that kind of dulls an extended
period of listening. However it is undeniable that in terms of song
writing and performance, 'Phenomena' is a fine milestone for the band
which features plenty of memorable tracks that will surely become fan
favourites.