CD Reviews! From Synthpop.net and thisiscorrosion.com
Synthpop.net
This is the debut full-length release for Corporate Soldiers, a New Jersey based Industrial/EBM/Synthpop band that came out of nowhere to my mailbox and promptly blew me away. The three members of the band are JbCyrus, Sik Aura and The Laibon, and with this EP, the band has made it clear they are very committed to their music, sparing no expense in getting some very big 'name' remixers to create new versions of their songs. Assemblage23, Implant, Flesh Field and Cesium 137 all contribute mixes to the disc, but the remixes can only be so good, no matter who's doing them, unless the source material is high quality. Happily, that's easily the case here.
"Adapt Adjust" opens the album, and it's a perfect example of how this band takes elements of Futurepop, Industrial, EBM and Synthpop, and creates something that will be familiar and appealing to fans of all those styles, and yet still unique and new. "Go Home" and "Separation" are both just as excellent, and "Go Home" in particular seems destined to be a dancefloor smash.
The remixes are, as can be expected, equally outstanding. The range the gamut of styles, from trashing Nitzer Ebb-esque Industrial, to Futurepop, to EBM, and beyond. FGFC820 launch off the remix section of the cd with a very hard-stomping version of "Separation", and from there it's simply one excellent remix after another. I could comment on each one individually, but simply put, this is a excellent set of remixers. It's obvious the band put a lot of time, effort (and money) into selecting their remixers for this cd, and it paid off splendidly. This is a excellent, low-priced EP that I simply can't get enough of, and Corporate Soldiers has really done a excellent job of introducing themselves to the world with it. Highly Recommended!
thisiscorrosion.com
All That's Lost is self-released EP from a 3 piece band from New Jersey called Corporate Soliders. Their styleixes techno, ebm, and synth styles into a blend that is aurally refreshing to the ea
"Adapt Adjust", the first track, is a great track, with staccato vocals and a good beat that will sure to be heard on the dance floors. "Go Home" has a more techno feel, with its the repeated sample at the beginning, but has a nice vocal effect and a synth line reminiscent of Funker Vogt. "Separation" keeps the tempo climbing ever upward, with heavier distortion on vocals and a strong, pronounced beat. There's a hint of tribal sound in the background and once again, some old-school techno flavor.
Following these three tracks are 8 remixes from FGFC820, Cesium_137, Assemblage 23, God Module, Implant, Flesh Field, Terrorfakt, and Mesmer's Eyes. This is quite an impressive list of top-notch bands/remixers and I'm all for remixes, but when the remixes outnumber the actual number of songs almost 3-to-1, you might have exceeded some upper limit. Honestly, many of the remixes are great and each band adds a unique style to the tracks, but I think the original tracks were definitely strong enough to stand on their own.
The final track on the E.P. is an instrumental bonus track called "PVRGE - Official Mix". There's a nice track introduction ala Speak-n-Spell, and again we get a nice pounding beat suitable for the dance floors. Not sure why this is a bonus track and not a regular track, but it's a welcome addition.
Overall, Corporate Soldiers' All That's Lost is a great introduction to a band that will surely go far. A four track E.P. seems like a tease, but only time will tell if Corporate Soldiers' future endeavors will equal this quality release.
-legion
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