Customer Reviews

The Damage Manual

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The word supergroup conjures images of rehashed 'rock stars' (usually with huge egos you know who you are) attempting to play something interesting with their so-called 'peers'. The Damage Manual is another thing altogether. Chris Connely (vocals Fini Tribe, Revolting Cocks, Ministry), Martin Atkins (drums PiL, Ministry, Pigface), Geordie Walker (guitars Killing Joke) reunite once again (they did an incredible album together as Murder Inc. (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LOOK THAT UP) a few years back. This time around, they bring Jah Wobble (bass PiL, Invaders Of The Heart) and Lee Fraser (keys Sheep On Drugs, Bagman) to deliver some serious aural damage. Building upon their fantastic EP One, they decided to bring us a full one. It's no holds barred aggro fest without the macho posturing, with some smarts to boot. Kids: school is in session and this guys are delivering lesson after lesson on how it's done. Connely's lyrics and delivery are accentuated by the band's incredible musicianship. I know Jaz Coleman and David Bowie would turn green with envy after listening to this. To boot, some remixes are made by Bill Laswell and Alex Patterson (the Orb) to accentuate the experience. This is definetely one supergroup that is very welcome to my collection.

Anyone familiar with names like Martin Atkins, Jah Wobble, Geordie Walker, and Chris Connelly should know exactly what to expect from this record- stunning percussion, deep, dub-infected bass, seethingm angular guitars, and topped off with a voice like a Scottish Bowie. The thing is, it's been 15 odd years and umpteen sideprojects later since we've heard these elder statesmen of post-punk sound so fraggin' good! It's easy to forget how utterly intense and vicious stuff like PiL, Killing Joke, Ministry, et al were in there day but here we have a record that reminds us. Tracks like "Sunset Gun" and "Blame and Demand" punish like Ministry used to before they went all metal but at the same time the entire CD maintains a clear sense of the future as well, incorporating modern elements such as drum and bass breaks. This is definitely the best thing Invisible has ever put out (including the Murder Inc. stuff)and anyone who is even a casual fan of any of the bands these guys have been involved with will certainly find something to like. The CD is a bit remix-heavy, but they're solid too- doing the reconstructions are Bill Laswell and Alex "The Orb" Patterson. It's so great to hear an album this intense and this intellegent come along after so many years of mediocrity in the so-called "industrial" scene during the 1990s. This is how it should have always been done. Buy it!

What a brilliant album! Much better than PIL, Killing Joke or RevCo (and way better than Murder, Inc, almost the same line up but without Jah Wobble). This music is hard to describe. It's certainly industrial, but with elements of dub -- of course, Jah Wobble's bass is as characteristic as ever (I think you could play anything over those wonderful bass lines, even Chinese opera).

It's heavy but experimental. It's certainly not easy listening. Its psychedelic and weird. Connelly excels himself this time. The lyrics are disjointed and evocative and his voice is stronger than ever. Atkins drives the music with his ferocious drumming. Walker's guitar fits in perfectly, heavy but without without being too noisy. Wobble is Wobble!

There are some interesting remixes, with even the Orb being involved, and, best of all, Bill Laswell (presumably brought in by Wobble). If only they could have made another album with this line up, but that wasn't going to happen!

What is the damage this is a manual for? I think you can guess...

This is the full length cd that delivers on all the promise of the earlier ep "One". The Damage Manual are Chris Connelly, Jah Wobble, Martin Atkins,and Geordie Walker. Collectively, they've been in Ministry, Killing Joke, PiL, RevCo, Pigface. et al and in the process influenced hundreds of imitators. Now, they are onto something utterly new. This cd is crushing in its' pure intensity and hypnotic at the same time. I am convinced that anyone who is into "aggressive" music and has an open mind will see that this breaks new turf and sticks in your brain immediately. I can't get enough of it. There is a lot going on in these tracks- and as a dream come true- Bill Laswell remixes several of them. Also, if you have the One ep, you still need this--there's no repetition of the mixes and you get new material to boot. Plus this full length gives you lyrics which are some of the most powerful poetry you're going to read in rock. Staggering...

An amazing album with many textures and details, Chris's voice is amazing and can seep between two extremes while Martin's drums are insanely loud and beat against your head, definately an album to buy... I have both this and the small ONE ep, and I still like hearing the new remixes and the originals of Sunset gun and Damage Addict, this cd has stayed in my cd player, Martin Atkins and Jah Wobble give a whole new meaning to Drum and Base... the 303 mix is awesome too... one of those must buy albums!!!!

If you've come this far, you probably already know that this is a supergroup comprised of musicians of some note in the alternative community. You probably also know that any fan of Murder, Inc. will want to snatch this up post-haste. Think of this disc as what the future sounds like. This album is far and away ahead of its time, mixing pop, industrial, technol, and bits of just about every rock genre - and doing it well.

Damage Manual released the "One" EP to great acclaim, and only build on that success here. The music is pounding, pulsing, and melodic in perfect combination. The Bowie-esque vocals with a scratchy finish are a perfect compliment to the raw-edged sound. This is truly a must-have for any fan of music just outside the box of the accepted alternative genre today.

This is one of the most important bands of the decade zero zero numeric. This "super group" has delivered the most brutally addictive album I have ever heard. It much like "refused"-"the shape of punk to come" which was brutal as hell but so damn catchy and accessible. Yes, above all things I thing anyone who likes industrial will pick this one up easily. It is exactly what I think the staple sound of industrial is becoming and that is a noisy vibration, much in the vein of the synths used by "cleen" in "designed memories", the song "believe", and the synth used by "Ohgr" in the song "minus addition". It the argo vibrating noise, a noise that in no way irritates the ear. On top of this awesome noise they add killer bass and killer guitar riffs. I love the vocals cause I love David Bowie's voice but I think the singer here has a better one, as he uses at times a sense of sheer desperation, then in other songs is a clear commanding voice. He has great lyrical control. And then the lyrics which are written in a very artistic manner enhance the experience. I agree with the other reviewers I cannot live without this CD! I can't wait for their next release... Thanks for your time, over and out!

The DAMAGE MANUAL came out with a mediocure EP entitled ONE a few monthes ago, but I was very impressed with their debue full length album. This band is basically an all-star industrial mega-group. Chris Connely (revolting cocks) on vocals, Martin Atkins (PIL, Pigface) on electronics, Jah Wobble (Killing Joke)on drums, and the fantastic guitarist also from Killing Joke, I forget his name....Any how, Atkins is the all reining master of gritty-techno electronics with Connely's David Bowie like voice to top it all off. This album has unique remixes of Sunset Gun, Blame and Demand, and Damage Addict which 1st appeared on the EP. This is a must by for any serious music fan, these guys aren't no TRL sell-outs, THIS IS THE REAL THING !!!!!