When this arrived I was somewhat entranced by all the cover art which suggests something from space plummeting to earth. It was especially profound as we were getting reports of meteor showers lighting up the skies and I was starting to come round to the idea that perhaps it was not going to be zombies heralding the end of days but that childhood terror the triffid coming back to haunt me. But I digress before I even start as next thing was realisation that I had actually covered this Czech bands last release Analysis and had found it rather good. This gave me the chance to not only get to grips with the new album but go back and give its predecessor another spin too.
This is nicely packaged with grim and futuristic artwork and there is no doubt a concept behind it all. This goes hand in hand with the music from the group who do not go down the route one normally gets from Czech bands i.e. unrelenting grind (one of this lot served time in Poppy seed Grinder) but this is what is admirably described on the one sheet as ‘annihilating cyber metal with industrial overtones.’. We are also told that it was mixed in Canada as well and even that this was done by a cyber specialist and video game composer called Rom diPrisco for 150 CZK. Listening to this it is pretty evident that they got themselves a right old bargain.
A nice chunky sound and bouncy groove hurtles out the speakers as we blast off into the first of eight tracks ‘Hostile In Your Skull.’ Bear like growls are bellowed out by singer Ales ‘Gulesh’ Hampl and it is impossible not to find yourself wanting to bop along to it all. The programmed keyboard sounds give this a very space laden and futuristic vibe with some wooshes and swooshes flailing around and when the clean harmonic croons come in this really does go and give mid era Fear Factory a run for its money. Load Of Destruction wipes things out with an eminently dance floor friendly beat but it does so without forgetting the metal ballast and nicely crosses over and melds the two styles together. The future techno bombing raid impacts well and kind of hits like a mix of Combichrist, Aborym and the aforementioned Fear Factory.
This album is only eight tracks and runs at 36 minutes. I could have actually done with them going for ten and expanding this to the 3/4 of an hour mark as it needed that little bit more but that said there aint an ounce of fat on it so what the hell. I do like the Terminator etched intro to Zealots, there is plenty of atmosphere about it before it builds into a slow brooding clanker of a number. ‘Fear’ has a touch of Ministry about it due to the guitar chug and the clean vocals are back really effective in taking things in another direction. As for last song ‘The End Of All’ it has a wicked melodic keyboard weave and it’s a fitting way to literally end it all.
Minority Sound probably have not made a huge impression outside their home country which is a shame as on the strength of both the albums I have heard they deserve to, so if you get the chance to explore The Explorer you should definitely do so (and I should be shot for such a corny wrap up).
(7/10 Pete Woods)
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