Review: Velvet Acid Christ – 'Wrack'

VELVET ACID CHRIST
'Wrack'
SELF-RELEASED

Bryan Erickson AKA Velvet Acid Christ returns with a new single in the form of 'Wrack' to kick-off 2017. With a new partner in crime in the form of Shiva in tow, 'Wrack' sees Erickson shake things up a bit with the inclusion of a new band member but long-time fans will still be happy with the direction of the band's musical progression. The EP sees more focus on the industrial, ebm and metal elements of the VAC sound with a preference for steady dance beats and dirty synth bass dominating two of the three tracks.

'Wrack' kick things off with a dual female and male vocal attack, steady dance pacing and occasional piercing metal guitars crashing through the mix for a rousing club and live friendly track. 'Cog' follows on, this time with vocal contributions from Snog's David Thrussell for a dark and malevolent slice of electro-industrial that again likely find favour as a solid club anthem. Finally, 'Pill Box' brings out some of the trip-hop elements for a more complex and enticing listen that hints at great things to come from the next album.

The production continues that minimalist and live performance feeling heard on recent albums, but keeps (in particular on 'Pill Box') room for rich layering. The single is gratifyingly straight-forward in its approach making it very easy to dance to – uncluttered, efficient, and catchy.

This is a nice single that hints at a lot more great stuff to come. The first two tracks present the club-friendly electro-industrial sound that VAC has always done so well, while 'Pill Box' eases us in to the more trip-hop orientated tracks he has continued to experiment with and arguably begun to perfect. It definitely builds on what we were presented with on 'Subconscious Landscapes' and will undoubtedly pique interest ahead of the new album.  

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