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Artist: XE-NONE
Album: Dance Metal [Rave]olution
Year: 2008
Xe-None from Russia can nearly be called a celebrity on
our webzine. Having one of the first reviews and the
very first interview with this band back then when we
started in 2004, I always kept a closer eye on them. Xe-None
isn't really a band that can be thrown within a genre.
Many descriptions already passed, such as 'eurodance
metal', 'industrial techno metal' and 'blood rave cyber
metal'. Let's just call it industrial metal from now on,
just a mix of 90's dance tunes and modern metal. If I am
not mistaken, I prayed for a full-lenght release night
after night each time I reviewed another 3,4 or 5 track
demo. Well, my prayings have finally be answered. 'Dance
Metal [Rave]olution' is the official debut full-lenght
of Xe-None, released by Reflexya Records and as always -
downloadable for free on Xe-None's official webpage!
'[Rave]olution' is the first track of the release. It
consist of wicked and modern (euro)dance influenced
keylines, distorted guitars and powerful programming and
vocal lines. 'Angels' is a little more uptempo and crazy.
It's an excellent mix of modern metal and 90's dance
tunes, with excellent interaction inbetween the male and
female vocals. The powerful programming suits excellent
with the keylines, and the straight forward guitars.
'Digital Fucker A.D.' is more metal based, and has a
more heavy sound. The soft and modern keylines are still
very present, but less dance influenced, which brings
the metal edges more forward - as well supported by the
brutal male vocals by Lexy Dance. 'Decay Dance' shows us
a modern mix inbetween trance, metal and a little techno
- all brought together within a catchy and easy going,
danceable song. 'Collapse' comes up next. It's probably
the most metal track on the release, with strong riffing
and powerful drumming. Sonically this song still has
many industrial influences (specially during the female
vocals), but it's less danceable than the other tracks
on the record - but therefore more powerful and metal.
'[Play]station' is again a wicked dance metal track,
with excellent synth lines and no nonsense guitar riffs.
The marching programming and the recogniseable vocal
lines fit in excellently, which makes this track in my
opinion the best one on the release. 'Amnestesia'
follows. It's a more atmospheric track, with modern
sampling and experimental guitarwork. Overall the song
has a more darker metal touch, which makes it sound less
extreme but more heavy. 'Day of the Dead' is the most
accessable and easy listening track on the release. It
switches from passages that are close to a ballad to
some more outgoing parts, without losing the original
waveish touches. 'Slave On Line' was back then in 2004
the first Xe-None song I ever heard. Anno 2008 the song
had some major improvements, but still the structure and
the original, danceable approach is present. It's a
modern, easy going track which switches from more heavy
to more powerful and extreme parts. The release ends
with 'Heaven Awaits'. It's a powerful track, with harsh
metal edges and soft, electronic based keylines.
'Dance Metal [Rave]olution' contains many songs that
appeared on preverious demos. Xe-None managed to make
slightly improvements to each one of them, like the more
harmonic keysound on 'Slave On_Line', the more modern
and wicked approach of 'Decay Dance' and the major
transformation of 'Digital Fucker' into 'Digital Fucker
A.D.'. After hearing the new tracks, and the new
versions of the older tracks, it is getting clear how
much improvement Xe-None made since the 'Digital Rape'
and 'Blood Rave' EPs. Not only have both Lexy Dance and
EvilAnn made big progressions on their vocals, as well
the band manages to exploit more creativity within the
smaller parts of the song such as sampling, intermezzo's
and vocal interaction. As well, there is more variation
within the song structures and they used different
exploitation of their influences in each track on this
release, which makes it an essential one when it comes
to variation, originality and musical talent.
'Dance Metal [Rave]olution' will beat the preverious (high)
scores that Xe-None recieved on their demo releases.
'Dance Metal [Rave]olution' will beat the currently
highest score on our webzine of an album released in
2008. 'Dance Metal [Rave]olution' will recieve the
highest possible score, and can be added to the very few
"totally perfect" releases that got reviewed on our zine.
And I know that 2008 is just five months old, I can't
see any album beating them anymore. Album of the year.
Period.
Vote: 100 / 100
Review by: Gerardo |
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01. [Rave]olution
02. Angels
03. Digital Fucker A.D.
04. Decay Dance
05. Collapse
06. [Play]station
07. Amnestesia
08. Day of the Dead
09. Slave On_Line
10. Heaven Awaits |
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