Customer Reviews

Solitary Confinement

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

 

 

Claus Larsen is the best thing out there in a world overpopulated with bands that think that all they need is a guitar and a synthesizer in order to do right. He is a true artist with a voice that ranges from lush and velvety to the very necessary yelling snarl that signifies frustration and rage. His love of classical music is evident throughtout the album. One of the best purchases that you can make if you are even mildly into the dark/heavy music bit...

It's pretty hard to give this album an overall rating without addressing each song first, so here it is:

1.Mortal Thoughts - Interesting into with lots of samples and a middle-eastern sort of synth with a powerful beat on top and Larsen's vocals are not very aggressive yet, but one can still feel the anger brewing in his voice. This song is excellent, but may seem boring at times, it really depends what mood you're in. 4/5

2.Strap Me Down - Starts very strongly and continues the strength right through. Only problem with this song is it's a bit repetative, but it still has some wonderful synth work, samples and a strong beat. The synths are very interesting and seem to save the song. Not bad, but Claus Larsen has done better. 4/5

3.I Am Your Conscience - The beast is unleashed, this was my favourite song when I first heard this CD. It is still an excellent song, but he has better. This is powerful and kicks the living day lights out of most industrial music. Actually this song and many other LS songs can only be described as Dark Dance Music. 4.5/5

4.Nothing Seen/Nothing Done - Excellent excellent excellent vocal use...wow...this is f@#ken amazing vocal effects. This is one of the best songs on this CD. Amazing and very powerful. 5/5

5.The Dance Of Deception - This is an instrumental track with some samples. WOW ... WOW ... this is the ultimate instrumental track. Very dark, chilling synths and a beat to match. WOW ... 6/5

6.Evil Speaks - The beast is released once more, but this time it tears everything apart in its path. This is the best song with vocals on this CD. Amazing power, F@?K! 6/5

7.Adrenalin Rush - Ahhhhhhhhhhh.....perfect...."Drowning in sh#t..." sorry I love that line. This is another amazing song that gives Claus Larsen the respect he deserves. I understand why so many people regard this song as Larsen's best. 6/5

8.Crash Flight 232/92 - "The end of the runway is just a wide open field" is the sample used in this brilliant track. "You won't get out of this alive" is the chrous, F@#ken grip onto your seat and be prepared to be taken for a ride. This is also a classi that will never die or get boring. 6/5

9.Croatia - Things slow down to a Morbid Angel type of doom sound (sorry to compare to death metal, but that is all that comes to mind). A little boring this song may seem, but once the middle-eastern synths come in you're on ride you can't jump off. This is powerful stuff and shows that Larsen is also capable of making powerful slow songs. Mind boggling samples. 5.5/5

10.Red Meat Attraction - Starts off with some samples...and then a really groovy bassline that you might hear on FLA's 'Hard Wired' comes in an takes over...then it is accompanied by a fast high-pitched synth which results in a totally new ground for the album. A bit repetative, but it works well and I don't even care when it sounds this good. 5.5/5

The following 2 tracks are BONUS tracks:

11.Jante's Revenge - This is a the most abstract song on the album and has an extremely powerful beat. It is mainly percussion and sound effects. There is some synth use, but not much. A bit boring but also has good parts too. 4/5

12.Antius (Psycho Strip Edit) - A powerful beat dominates this track. Synths are very similar to songs used in 80's action and sci-fi movies. I love this track, it builds up, then rips sideways, then calms down, then knocks on the devil's door...and then builds up again... 5.5/6

Now it's judgement time. From the results of what I ranked each song, it's clear this CD deserved an easy 5 stars, so that's what I'll give it.

I listen to pretty much EVERY "genre" of music because music is my entire life. Everything from Rozz Williams to 50 cent, to Frank sinatra to KMFDM, from Cannibal Corpse to Frontline Assembly, Beck to Snoop Dogg, and swollen members to kevorkian death cycle etc etc etc....And this album is THE BEST album EVER created. I seriously feel like I'm gonna just lose my mind when I'm blasting this into my brain with the headphones on. Because it's THAT GOOD. Claus Larsen is an absolute GENIUS!! Anyone who doesn't like this album is a f @# i n$ FOOL! You will NEVER find ANY album better than this cd. If I ever see Claus, I'll wanna just knock him out with a blow to the head. That's revenge for him knockin ME out with a blow to the head with his music. There's nothing better than this.

Clause Larsen's best and owner of the industrial music genre.His other releases have yet to archive this cd's sonic palette.

I first stumbled upon Leather Strip on a compilation cd years ago. I bought the album on cassette (yep...THAT long ago) and wore it out, but couldn't find it on cd anywhere near me, so I haven't been able to listen to it in a long time. So glad I was able to find it here. If you're into Early NIN, Ministry, skinny puppy, etc., chances are you'll love this album.

The very album that once and for all defines Leaether Strip. This was the album that got me hooked! Fast, hard, and furious. I considered Skinny Puppy to be the be-all end-all of dark industrial electronica UNTIL this album.

I first listened to this album after enjoying the 'vegger' version of 'Adrenalin Rush': I loved that version.
Then the album kinda disappointed me. I already had 'Legacy...' and 'Rebirth', and loved them (more than I do today), and the songs in 'Solitary confinement' seemed to me a bit repetitive and stmes even boring. Its production is much better than in 'Pleasure of Penetration', but I prefer the latter: even it's poorly made, it has more variety and inspiration. I know many fans consider 'Solitary...' leather's masterpiece; now that I'm not the fan I used to be, I respect it. But it gets me on my nerves the lack of inspiration and variety this album displays; ok, many people always expects from a band to be the same: the same beats, the same vocal distortions, ... but, come on, don't you think that 'Rebirth of Agony' and 'Legacy of Love & Hate' displays much more "art"? My ideal albums are those which contain moments of noise and moments of silence, express feelings of agressiveness and also sweetness or melancholy... But with some exceptions, all the songs here express the same feelings and contains beats much too alike.
My favourite songs are 'Adrenalin rush', 'Nothing seen nothing done' or 'Evil speaks', but definitely, there're other bands such as Skinny Puppy or Mentallo & the Fixer or FLA which have evolved in a better way, without stagnation.

Claus Larson is quite an artist. His lyrics are intelligent and pertinat to what is happening and because of how frightening and evil his voice and the truthful blatantly repulsive view of society brings out a sound that very few other bands could pull off. However, he can go overboard with the sound clips, but that's what the gast forward button is for, right?

this album is so incredible just enough rage to make you really feel what he is trying to get through.he will always he'll always be one of my fav's.

Claus has managed to produce yet another great album, which should come as no surprise to most of his fans. His realism helps wake up ideas and decensitizes society. Maybe that is something that needs to be done. The music is dark and extremely danceable.