Customer Reviews

Nu-En-Jin

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

 

 

If you know Mortal, you're probably expecting something different from their comeback album, and you'd be right. This time around the band is reincarnated as a noise-intensive post-nuclear industrial dance act. "Nu-En-Jin" is all digital drums, ambient FX and heavily distorted, screaming vocals with the kind of futuristic cyberpunk lyrics you'd expect form such an album. Its grating, its catchy ... The songs come in three flavors - the aforementioned computer-apocalypse dance mixes, affairs that eschew all melody in favor of pure destructive energy, much quieter, ambient tunes which actually contain some muted, melodic(hypnotic) singing, and a couple of remixes off Lusis which work quite well in their new setting. Jyro and Jerome continue to prove interesting throughout their diverse artistic incarnations, and this album is no exception. The songs are interesting, if not to everybody's taste, but "Nu-En-Jin" really shines lyrically. The lyrics are stories set in the near-future or some alternate history, often ripped straight out of a video game or a Gibson novel, but they manage to overcome their inherent cliches to explore some deeper truths about people. They also bring me to my major complaint about the album - the artwork overlaying the lyrics makes for an incredibly frustrating read.

For all of you Jyro Khan fans, you're in for a treat. But be warned, this is different than anything that Mortal has ever done. Since Mortals fall off the scene, Jyro Khan has ventured into his bands of Fold Zandur and Juggernautz (an incredible group I might add). But now he is back with vengance. I was a little taken back by Jyro's "screaming" of the lyrics, but the beat and mixing of music is outstanding. He takes his music to a new level. You'll love it.

It's no doubt most long time Mortal fans will be scratching their heads after listening to this record. Nu-En-Jin is not as accessible as previous offerings from this groundbreaking band. The band actually thanks "the handful of you for getting it, and the masses who won't" in the CD sleeve. However, I don't think all Mortal fans will feel completely alienated by the progression that the band has taken; not this reviewer anyways. Given that this project was a) highly anticipated and b) released on prominent christian-oriented indie rock label Tooth and Nail, it could have been easy for Jyro and Jerome to make that trendy industrial rock record sure to at least propell them into the upper ranks of the christian rock charts. They didn't.

The main thing different about Nu-En-Jin from previous Mortal albums is the obvious lack of pop sensibility. With the exception of the tranquil "muj0," most of the vocals on these tracks are narrated or screamed, never sung, and always distorted - recalling vintage Skinny Puppy. Despite the fact that Mortal has always been considered an industrial dance/rock act, Nu-En-Jin is actually Mortal's first true industrial album. Although there is some sampling of guitars, metal heads will surely be dissappointed by the lack of guitar work. However, the intensity and heaviness of tracks such as "Mr ArOchet" and "FMZ4" cannot be denied. Furthermore, we are treated to remixes of "Mytho-X" and "Enfleshed (The Word is Alive)," which previously appeared on the band's 1992 debut, Lusis. While I don't necessarily consider the new versions to be big improvements over the originals, the band does manage to bring a different vibe to the songs. If anything, the newer versions have less of an archaic feel given the originals are 10 years old as of now. Oh, and I should mention that "mytho ex (Green Edit)" features Switchfoot vocalist, Jonathan Foreman, on lead vocals.

Whether Nu-En-Jin was a "one off" come back deal for Mortal, no one seems to know. Hopefully, the guys will stick around for a while. One thing that is guaranteed, if history is any indication, their next album will sound nothing like anything they have done before. But, I think it's safe to assume that Nu-En-Jin is destined to slip through the commercial cracks.

I dont really know how to describe this album and why it's good. you kind of just have to EXPERIENCE it youself. To give you an idea of what this is..is two guys that were in an oldschool industrial christian band and then the 2 main guys signed to TOOTH & NAIL of all labels and released this cd as their "comeback" album. (one of them is the guitarist for switchfoot...wth?) Fans of the band from what i've seen didnt really like it, as its all electronic and uses distorted vocals that sound sorta like "whispered screams"...only loud. if that makes any sense. Nu-En-Jin (what is obviusly meant to read "new engine") is a strange yet enjoyable album that will intrigue you until you listen to it through and then realize you dont get why they did this. The lyrics are out of this world...they have a very futuristic kinda tone as does the music. Surprisingly they manage to sneak their Christianity in between all the electronics and distortied vocals. One really cool thing about the lyrics is most songs start with a little description of what time period or era or even alternate universe? they're from.

ex.

in FMZ4

"AD2021.parallel.PLN6-Western Territory.Fre Merzasphor.elite armed forces.San Rho Teran.soldier,avenger,bereft."

in Mujo(unCertainty mx)

"Somewhere A.D."

in Fl0ranclaude

"AD1962 December 22, Philippine Islands. Lucena provence. "...it rained on the day of our wedding and we both somehow caught a fever! We didn't have a place yet and no money for a hotel room, so we spent our wedding night in a little shack""

so yeah...pretty awesome. These aren't really said in the song but the add a little effect to it. Heres an example of what they do mixin "FUTURISTIC SETTINGS and CHRISTIANITY

from the song Teraferma

""Massive first strike, distorting daylight, blurring space-time, devastation worldwide, maps of stretch and silence, echoes of fallen gates above once solid cities, death still regenerates

"calm your fear and lift up your eyes, we're breaking free of Terafirma tonight, fearless angle to the edge of sight, we'll race the darkness till we reach the light""

The music itself sounds to me like the perfect soundtrack to like half-life or sin or whatever other futuristic game theres is hah. It has an often "subby" bass and the beats range from industrial to mild drum and bass to a little hip hop in one song. The songs often have a weird aura that just screams "over 9000!....so dont question it" that usually comes with a smooth synth background to the beat and random effects going on around you. My favorite tracks are the 2 slow songs. (one is "intrumental"). Mujo(Uncertainty Mx) is seriously the music that would play if you just woke up alone in a post-apocalyptic world with no clue whats going on or where everyone is. Fl0renclaude is the instrumental. It sort of like Mujo. I guess this album just has to grow on you..its so unusual. Considering it came out in 2002 Mortal's Nu-En-Jin really stands out while flying under the radar....IN THE FUTURE!!!....sorry.

Overall its a pretty good album and definitely out of the norm. its worth checking out.

Also the booklet art is pretty cool. the cover has that kid with the "training" helmet, and the inside is white with golden letters and a bunch of kinda overlayed silhuettes of bombs and army dudes and stars and other stuff...its pretty tight.

Having grown weary with much of the Christian music scene, I was happy to discover a band such as Mortal that stepped out of the normal sound and opted to do something new. While not necessarily entirely original in sound or implementation, I have still yet to hear any artist pull off the same style in such a catchy manner without sacrificing substance. Nu-En-Jin has been, and remains, one of my favorite albums, and is one that I regularly listen to when I want something that I can just sit back and enjoy. It makes me want to move, to write, and just gets me out of whatever mood I am in.

As a testament to how good this album is, a friend of mine, who usually dislikes just about anything "Christian," absolutely loves this album. It's great driving music as well. Definitely not for everyone, but a great CD for anyone that can get into the Industrial sound.

This is by FAR one of the best "industrial" albums of the decade! ... This album reminds me of the aggressiveness and urgency the band displayed during a live show. For those who don't know too much about mortal...picture ministry on speed (only this time they learned how to play thier instruments)....

I originaly got into mortal because of thier industrial edge - uncommon in Christian music. This album really shows off some of that edgy side again. With heavy guitars, and lots of crazy stuff going on - its definately pushing the edge a bit.

The songs arent as musical or melodic, but the lyrical depth is all there just like what weve come to expect from the crew.

This album is rich.

I nevery really enjoyed their first few albums, because it seemed that each song never really went anywhere. In other words there was this tention in each song that never seemed to brake free. There are few exceptions like Rift, and Cryptic to name a couple.

This is where the new recorded shines, their full energy is released, and is very adictive. So with out any further explination... See for yourself how great this album is...

A horribly upsetting come back album by the legendary band, Mortal. In general, Nu-en-gin follows in the tragic steps of general Christian alternative music, diminishing the already low musical standard for this second rate industry. The once mighty Mortal pioneered what many consider to be the most revolutionary, innovative, and well-written industrial metal music. Now, having forsaken the general use of their guitars and abandoning Jyro's use of his one-of-a-kind voice, Mortal has decided to cater to the under-influenced, under exposed and mediocre expectations of Christian contemporary industrial rock. The Christian hard music scene has successfully run off legendary greats like Circle of Dust (Klay Scott/Scott Albert), Believer and Vengeance Rising. Respectively and debatably, the same fate has befallen Mortification and Tourniquet with their sub-standard progressions, apparent in their most recent records. Unfortunately, most Christians have never discovered how great a gift from God their sense of hearing is when applied to music. A shift to less advanced, poorly written and produced sounds in the ears of the listeners, especially Christians, has resulted in the causal outcome of such poor "music." I own all of Mortal's albums, as well as every Fold Zandura release. I have had the discouraging experience of following Mortal through their steady regression into the Christian music industry's musical sub-standards. The whole idea of message before melody has acted as a thorn in the side of Christian music, resulting in unfortunate, legalistic, and unbalanced so-called "music." This imbalance has left many listeners with a cookie-cutter message and generic, unoriginal music. Tragically, Jyro and Jerome have fallen prey to this imbalanced standard. We who demand and expect quality in industrial metal have been given no choice but to turn to the secular music industry for musical, artistic hope. So, the gulf only grows larger between that which is called "Christian" and "Secular." How unfortunate!