Alien Sex Fiend — Fiendology
The set comes in a slim line card slip case, and this takes in the three discs each in their own card sleeves, each individually named Alien, Sex, and Fiend. You also get a 24-page booklet, which features a host of pictures, flyers & artwork from throughout the projects whole history- both blending together the ghoulish, horror-fed & playful side of the project. And two new write-ups about the project, one coming in three pages & the other at one page.
The set takes in thirty-seven tracks, and over three hours of music that comes from between the years 1982, and 2017. Moving from their early ‘n’ primal offering, slam bang –up to date with a few tracks from their upcoming new studio album Possessed. The CD’s & tracks are not laid out in chronically or seemingly logical manner - so the whole thing has quite a nice feeling of both surprise & adventure about it.
Opening up the collection on disc one (Alien) we have “Dead And Re-Buried”- this 1984 track is best described as punchy electro-psychobilly, edged with death rock guitar, and ghoulish-yet-bouncing male vocals. As we move through disc one we come to 2017’s “Carcass(Carrion Mix)”- which brings together swarming ‘n’ swampy guitar hover ‘n’ chug, slow slamming bare bone electro percussive hits, and what sounds like an electrified & fuzzed didgeridoo. And towards the end of the disc, we have 1998’s “Bun-Ho!”, which sees choppy rhythmic samples of the words ‘Bun-Ho’, mixed with compressed Goth techno beats, a selection of weird honking tones & odd vocal samples, and ghoulish 'n' wailing slurred vocals repeating the words “So Little Time”.
On disc two(Sex) we move from the lo-fi techno beat speed ‘n’ arcade machine like scratching of 1985’s “Ignore The Machine( Electrode Mix)”. Onto 1984’s” E.S.T (Trip To The Moon)”, which best described as sci-fi goth-trionca- with it’s snapping ‘n’ locked beats, morbid synth simmer, Goth guitar chugs, and wavering shouty vocals that flit between goth & punk. Onto the noisy ‘n’ crude vibe of 2004’s “Gotta To Have It(Sliced & Diced Mix)” with its mix of elector cymbal abuse, sour & seesawing synths, and male voices shouting “All for Me- Fuck You”.
On the third & final disc( Fiend) we go from 1985’s “I Walk The Line (Alt Mix 2)", which it’s choppy synth lines, psychobilly guitar chugs, and anthemic-to-electro fired vocals repeating ‘I walk the line between good & evil’. To the cheeky ‘n’ rapidly electro punk/ techno vibe of 1990’s "Information Overload (Revamp Mix)"- which feels like a denser ‘n’ sleazed version of the Prodigy. Onto the lo-fi electronica erotica of 1988’s “Instant Karma Sutra”- which it’s sampled, stretched & bounced moans, electro tabla runs, and dirty beat slams.
All told Fiendology is a worthy, varied & mostly consistent three disc collection, from a band who have spent the 35 years creating their own distinctive sonic path.