Reviews / Album

Let’s hope they have the strength to wipe the slate clean and find their inner rebel once more.

The virtuoso brutality on display on De Vermis Mysteriis is something that has rarely been touched upon.

One can still hear the echo of Devin Townsend, as he screams from Planet of the Apes, '...We all rip off Meshuggah!'

There’s an honesty and humility to MMXII that lends unprecedented heft even to the record’s lighter moments.

Not that any of this is bad by any stretch of the imagination – Bear In Heaven’s coup is the juxtaposition of originality and familiarity – it merely becomes a soundscape rather than a suite of discernible songs.

Constantly exciting with a shimmer that still holds onto his roots of sound, Songs is a smart and individual affair, Rusko managing to break away from the current pack of dubstep producers without alienating his fans in the slightest.

How can so many cross-pollinations of genres and sub-genres deliver such a coherent longplayer? Must be all those mod cons working still.

From the album cover, to the mix decisions, to the title track to the release date, Euphoria is a bold artistic statement brimming with joyous pop hooks.

Everything clicks together so well, but at times it’s crying out for an instrument to stand out and do something interesting, or for the vocals to get a little ragged and raw.

It’s all done with apparent sincerity, but many will end up not quite sure where the artist’s true passions lay – other than in the mirror.

Although mostly indiscernible, the lyrics are included in the artwork and are bleak and borderline suicidal.

Whether First Serve is a spicy examination of the rap industry or simply a way for De La to experiment and have a little fun...