Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I like it, January 24, 2009
I won't dismiss the claims by other reviewers made against this album; I know where they're coming from, and I understand their frustrations with the new Apop sound. Stephen Groth has proven to be nothing short of an electronica god, but no one would know it listening to "Rocket Science". I guess that's why I'm still surprised that I took to this album as strongly as I did.
But then, electronic music and rock provoke two very different positive reactions from me. At its best, the electronic side of Apoptygma Berzerk transported me far away, and filled me with a sense of awe and beauty; it was a very transcendent feeling. Rock music in all its forms, however, never provokes such a reaction, and thus the two latest albums don't either. If electronica is my spiritual experience, rock is my secular experience, and "Rocket Science" is just that. It takes me away from the troubles of the day and fills my head with catchy choruses, driving drums and guitars, and a few synths here and there. It's not transcendent, but it's fun, and still inspiring.
Compared to "You and Me Against the World," I feel like the song writing has improved ten-fold, and I get the feeling that Apoptygma Berzerk is heading towards the nearly perfect rock/electronica hybrid; they're not there yet, but this feels to me to be a step in the right direction. In the meantime, as a vaguely electronic rock album, it satisfies.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
What do I fear the most? The possibility that "Rocket Science" is not enough...., January 23, 2009
So, here I am at 29 yrs old... I know what is good music by now. I loved the last 3 or 4 APOP albums... great quality music, filled with emotions, excellent productions, music that really hit the soul. This album is very very different. It feels like a bunch of B-sides from "You and Me Against The World" (which was my favorite album of 2005). There is not much difference in the production value (except it sounds a bit under-produced), the drums don't hit hard enough, etc....
The song-writing (except for "Apollo") is down-right terrible. Lots of repitition, chord progressions that never resolve, annoying guitar loops, etc... Not one song made me spark up inside like "In This Together", "Kathy's Song" or "Eclipse".
I feel not very much effort or time was spent on this album, and it's a shame because I LOVE APOP.. up until now.
What do I fear the most? The possibility that "Rocket Science" is not enough....
-Adam
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Different direction, but still great, January 24, 2009
I am a big fan of APB and also a supporter of the EBM scene. When I first heard YAMATW, I enjoyed it but it lacked the ability to stick with me for a long time. With the older albums, they never get too old or stale. That's why I had a lot of anticipation for this album because I didn't want more fluff. After hearing Apollo, it made me very worried since it appeared they were in for YAMATW 2. Luckily for me it wasn't the case, I must admit that most of my childhood I was raised from 80s music. If you are a fan of good 80s music, then you should definitely look into getting this album. Most of the songs are really catchy and have a fun feeling. I'm proud of APB for diversifying themselves, I think this is just a natural evolution of the band. Especially if you listen to the Harmonizer video single versions with guitars, then the cover version of "A Strange Day." I think this is where Stephan wanted to take the band eventually in order to stay relevant and different from other EBM bands that have long become stale. Regardless, this is a great album in my opinion, definitely recommended for fans of good 80s music with an APB sound attached.
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