Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hard II Label - Easy II Love, August 29, 2006
Celldweller has gained alot of respect and fans since the release of this. With many of these songs heard in Movies, Video Games & Internet Radio and a MySpace page filled to the brim with loyal Klayton fans. The ironic part is this guy is from Michigan (where I happen to live) where Industrial & Techno are far from the main trend. Yet this One Man Army is easily one of the most idolized independent artists in the state, If not the country.
The albums approach is a mix of several different genres. Alternative, CyberTek, Gothic, Industrial, Metal & Techno. They all combine into a well oiled machine creating some of the most original music i've ever heard. From gritty synthed out guitar riffs, to dark overtones with soft melodic vocals and everything in between.
Songs such as 'Tragedy' have lyrics easy to sing along with and fast paced music easy to dance to or even head bang to. Other songs such as 'Switchback' have a heavier Industrial Metal influence and even have Klayton singing in audible Growl/Yell form. Tracks with a darker grittier approach like 'Symbiont' have Cyber Goth written all over them and are a nice addition to the album.
Metal fans be cautious, This album really isn't all that heavy. I suggest checking out songs on MySpace before purchasing. Everyone else don't hesitate, This is a great and original album to add to your collection. Personal favorites include: Frozen - Tragedy - Symbiont - Afraid This Time.
-If you took the time to read my review, Please take the time to rate it and let me know whether it Helped you or Not.
-Thank you, A loyal Celldweller fan & Michigan Music supporter.
-Also check out these similar albums also made by Klayton..
The Beta Cessions by Celldweller
Take It & Break It Vol. 1 "Own Little World" Remixes by Celldweller
Take It & Break It Vol 2 "Frozen" Remixes by Celldweller
Circle of Dust (1992) by Circle Of Dust (Klayton's Old Band)
|
|
|
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
4.5 Stars. Excellent album., August 29, 2006
I was fortunate enough to get this disc a little while back, and I had no idea the version I acquired was a low bit rate, internet leak. So, about 2 months ago, I buy the album and never really do much with it, but yesterday I brought it into work and I was floored at the difference. Lesson learned: Buy your CD's, even if you get the "early" version. Or just wait for the final to drop.
Yes, Celldweller is not Circle of Dust. They aren't industrial. What we've got here is a tapestry of rock, house, drum n' bass, and industrial, and it's quite a project he has here. A lot of people criticize it because he uses clean vocals, catchy harmonies, and club beats. I praise the man for it, and I'll tell you why this album is amazing, and why it's pushing the envelope. (Hopefully the soon-to-appear sophomore disc will be the sonic powerhouse a lot of people have been saying it is). Also, I'm going to not compare it to Circle of Dust or Argyle Park, as this is a completely different beast.
First off, Celldweller is defintely catchy and poppy. There is no doubting this. Some of their songs, like the rap infused synthetic rocker Switchback, are high energy affairs that allow you to bob your head and sing along. However, the variety of song structures, the use of synths, heavily processed guitars, and throbbing programmed drum beats all come together to produce something that doesn't skimp on either the rock or techno side. This isn't electronica sprikled over numetal, ala Spineshank, and it defintely isn't techno with a bit of guitar filled in. This a perfectly balanced combination of the two creating something quite unique, good to the ears, and something you can dance to. Once the album progresses and you start hearing the acoustic bits, the catchy rock riffs, the vocoded female vocal leads, you'll start to understand: This isn't a faliure at industrial, it's an almagamtion of all the styles of music the man in charge (Klayton) enjoys.
The high points for me are without a doubt the 7 minute techno epic "The Last Firstborn", with its hypnotic house rhythms, amazingly well mixed guitar parts that don't overwhelm the general feeling but add immesurably to it, and the whispered/raspy spoken word/rap hybrid vocals. Add some cool guitar breakdowns and infintely creepy lyrics, and it's a 10/10. The other high point comes later in the album, the much shorter and more rock-styled Fadeaway. From the trip-hop intro, which quickly gets a dose of chugging riffage, to the soaring and amazingly catchy chorus, this song rocks your ears until it drops down into an unexpected acoustic break complete with erie synths switching between your ears and a solemn vocal performance.
I can't recommend this album enough to people who have an affinity for rock and an even passing interest in electronica and industrial rock (Front Line Assembly fans need not apply ;) ). Don't expect a mind-twisting, calculated insanity. This is not Aphex Twin with guitars. This is straight up 4/4 beats, a high range mix of vocals, simple rock guitars, enough hooks to hold down a hungry Oprah, and some of the best club sample work I've heard outside of rave dj's. If your idea of great music simply consists of how heavy it is, then you're better off somewhere else. If your benchmark of good industrial is Squarepusher or Aphex Twin (both of which I love, btw) and if your rock collection consists of Gorguts, Starkweather, or even to a lesser degree Trivium, this probably isn't the album for you.
However, if you can take some pop, some club beats, and a motherload of catchy rhythms, get this album. You will not regret it.
|
|
|
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Future of Rock, August 16, 2003
First, let me begin by saying (writing?) that I knew absolutely nothing about Celldweller, or any of Klayton's other projects, before purchasing this album. I purchased the album without hearing any of the tunes. I usually by my music on a whim. So far, I've found some absolute beauties, and Celldweller is one of those. What I like most about this album is that Klayton isn't afraid to experiment. There's something for everyone on the album. I mean where else have you heard metal cascading over a trance beat? Or some drum and bass, with a tinge of industrial? Klayton fuses alternative rock and metal, with industrial, trance, and even D&B. Some of the songs sound a bit polished, but in a good way. I've actually listened to this CD so much that I've had to replace the jewel case, it kept falling open from so much use. Don't let any of the other reviews disuade you from purchasing this album. It's a music masterpiece! And that's saying a lot. I'm an avid music listener and collector, but I'm very picky about what music I keep in my collection. If I don't like every song on an album, I don't keep the CD. And every song on this CD is great. I'm just praying Celldweller tours in my area, I'd love to see him live. Another recommendation, check out Zeromancer, they're another awesome discovery of mine, while surfing Amazon. Later.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
is Celldweller's 
