Customer Reviews

Eulogy for the Sick Child

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

 

 

Imperative Reaction combines the depressing lyrics of American industrial bands (Skinny Puppy, Nine Inch Nails, and Praga Khan) with the inspired, organized, and atmospheric electronic music of European industrial bands. Eulogy has some great tracks on it (Scorpio, The Longing, Overcast), while some just seem like fillers. Overall, I think this a great debut release for Imperative Reaction, and that they should be commended for implementing the more European style to their sound.

If you love industrial, this album is a terrific way to get a lot of music from a crucial time in the development of the genre. They were halcyon days, at least for me.

There are reasons to fault the album; the lyrics and cover art, but as an artifact and representation of the genre, it is overwhelmingly exceptional. Get this one before trying any other Imperative Reaction, or maybe even before trying any other industrial.

Regards,
proclus
[...]

I buy a lot of EBM and industrial music and this album is by far my newest favorite for the year. I love industrial dance of this quality and every track on the album is strong. The music is complex with simple melodies layered into delicately harsh vocals and strong industrial dance-beats, and yet sustain excellent musical form. I was quite surprised to discover the band is based in the US because I would expect the sound to come out of Belgium or Germany. The closest bands I can relate them to are all on Metropolis - Wumpscut, Informatik, Decoded Feedback, etc.

With Industrial music hitting the wall lately, the lack of originality and innovation in much of the material in this genre persuaded some to seek out more challenging music. Imperative Reaction may fall into the dreaded 'Industrial Dance' category, but they do it exceptionally well and most of the songs on the band's debut release 'Eulogy for a Sick Child' are actually quite good. The style they have chose for their first release is nothing that many other bands like Funker Vogt, FLA, :Wumpscut:, Velvet Acid Christ, Leæther Strip, etc. haven't already incorporated, but again, Imperative Reaction has a very good handle on this. This is textbook Industrial - growling vocals, jumpy synth-lines, four-on-the-floor pounding techno beats, movie samples, and the like, but what makes this release interesting is the tight grip IR seem to have on this style. Ted Phillips' vocal approach is strangely close to Rudy Ratzinger's on many tracks but in light of the recent :Wumpscut: disappointment, I think Ted pulls it off better (wow, did I just say that?). The music is straightforward, complex, and well-crafted. DÆvE executes all of the tracks like a professional, and after listening to 'Eulogy for a Sick Child' it's no wonder Metropolis and Zoth Ommog snatched them up so quickly after the album's initial release. Songs like 'The Longing (For detachment)' and 'Flatline' hold their own with European club-stormers in the hard electro arena. The beats are nice and tight and the vocals flow imminently with the steady driving rhythms. `Eulogy for a Sick Child' is the beginning of something significant and genuine; where others have failed, Imperative Reaction is here to take up the slack.

I've always liked Imperative Reaction and somehow their music has managed to change in sync with my tastes. "Eulogy for the sick child" was a great album for it's time and still has some catchy tunes.

I ordered this thing and took the chance and I was let down. It's so lyricly boaring and musicly clitche. Same ol' stuff I've heard a million other times by a million other "bands". This is one of those albums that make you feel like running away from the EBM scene and becomming a hipster. Ok, not that bad, but this isn't anything would suggest. The next two album by IR that follow this are considerably much better, though still not five star records. Just stick to VnV Nation and Dismantled if you like future industrial music (or whatever). This is no place to start.