GOD MODULE
'False Face'
METROPOLIS RECORDS
God Module's 2011 outing, 'Séance' saw their return after a four year absence and re-established them as one of America's most relevant gothic-electronic acts. The kookiness of some of their previous efforts had been dispelled and in their place as a far more sinister and serious album. In 2014 the band return with their fifth studio album 'False Face' and once again dip into their bag of tricks to unleash some treats.
God Module's playful past did cast a long shadow over 'Séance', leaving it feeling somewhat scattered in its commitment to a serious horror atmosphere. However, 'False Face' immediately sounds more sure of itself, and while it doesn't have one uniting theme running throughout, the tracks do compliment each other well. The abundant use of film samples, steady dance beats and simple dark electro style melodies draw from the band's back catalogue, but 'False Face' doesn't simply retread old ground. Instead the band have incorporated more pop sensibilities and created a solid, varied dance record that will tick the boxes for long-time fans and also be a good starting point for new listeners.
The dark and frantic 'A Good Night To Die', the hard techno of 'Nothing But Mine', the anthemic title track, the sing-a-long friendly 'Through The Noise', and dark and dirty 'Destroy The Day' are easily the highlights on the album. Each one has club potential written all over it and adequately shows off all the skills in the band's arsenal without needing to rehash what has come before. The heavy use of melodies is just what the band's sound needed to progress beyond the dark intensity of 'Séance'.
In terms of production the only real issue is that some of the samples don't quite sound like they sit right in the mix and over power the rest of the track. However these are minor blips on an album which makes a bold evolutionary step to a more emotionally resonant style of song-writing, which is executed with great skill.
'False Face'
METROPOLIS RECORDS
God Module's 2011 outing, 'Séance' saw their return after a four year absence and re-established them as one of America's most relevant gothic-electronic acts. The kookiness of some of their previous efforts had been dispelled and in their place as a far more sinister and serious album. In 2014 the band return with their fifth studio album 'False Face' and once again dip into their bag of tricks to unleash some treats.
God Module's playful past did cast a long shadow over 'Séance', leaving it feeling somewhat scattered in its commitment to a serious horror atmosphere. However, 'False Face' immediately sounds more sure of itself, and while it doesn't have one uniting theme running throughout, the tracks do compliment each other well. The abundant use of film samples, steady dance beats and simple dark electro style melodies draw from the band's back catalogue, but 'False Face' doesn't simply retread old ground. Instead the band have incorporated more pop sensibilities and created a solid, varied dance record that will tick the boxes for long-time fans and also be a good starting point for new listeners.
The dark and frantic 'A Good Night To Die', the hard techno of 'Nothing But Mine', the anthemic title track, the sing-a-long friendly 'Through The Noise', and dark and dirty 'Destroy The Day' are easily the highlights on the album. Each one has club potential written all over it and adequately shows off all the skills in the band's arsenal without needing to rehash what has come before. The heavy use of melodies is just what the band's sound needed to progress beyond the dark intensity of 'Séance'.
In terms of production the only real issue is that some of the samples don't quite sound like they sit right in the mix and over power the rest of the track. However these are minor blips on an album which makes a bold evolutionary step to a more emotionally resonant style of song-writing, which is executed with great skill.
'False Face' may not be an earth-shattering revelation for the rest of the music world. However it is definitely a strong point in the band's own discography that hints at new potential directions for subsequent releases.