Dødsmaskin — Fiende
The album titled Fiende was released in early 2018 by the well-known label Cyclic Law on the four-panel Digipak CD, as well as in digital form. Both versions are available for ordering on the label's website, as well as on the Bandcamp pages of the label and the project.
The cover of the album is made up of light colors. On a white background, we can see schematic light grey bars or something similar to a chip. In the foreground, there is a bloody fingerprint on which is located the Dødsmaskin name. Above is the name of the album, written in a dark red color. To be honest, I found the cover somewhat disappointed. Covers of this type were very popular in the mid-1990s, not only among industrial projects but also among metal bands. Personally, I never liked such album covers. As it seems like an attempt to make something stylish and minimalistic, but in the end, it comes across unfinished, as if done in a hurry ...
The album consists of five songs, with a total duration of just over forty minutes.
The first track titled "Syndrom" begins with distorted sounds resembling a sonar, then samples of metal beats and light background noise come in. After a couple of minutes, the speakers explode from the wall of chaotic noise into which, after some time, an aggressive electronic rhythmic line comes. Chaos gradually subsides, giving way to the atmospheric background, industrial samples and reverberated male recitative.
The second track is called "Konsekvens". After a minute atmospheric entry, we hear an electronic rhythm, backed up by background noise and samples, as well as recitative vocals made in the same style as in the first track. Then the aggressive rhythm is interrupted, and the composition ends with a rather calm rhythmic noise segment. Listening to this track, I involuntarily remembered the sound of the project This Morn 'Omina.
" Den Nye Døden " - this is the third track. In the first third of this track, we can hear an intense rhythm that almost resembles Techno, as well as rhythmic vocals. I thought that Das Ich might sound about the same now. Then comes a fairly calm part, close in spirit to Power electronics, which, developing, takes us back to the electronic rhythm.
Next are tracks four and five, come under the titles of "Blod Fra Helvete" and "Posthum". For me, these tracks merged into one, so I combined them together in this review. These tracks are virtually devoid of rhythmic pattern, invading the area of Power Electronics, Death Industrial, Noise and Ambient at the same time. Complex composition, very saturated with noise and samples, the sound smoothly flows into a calm simple final synthesizer melody. The album ends with several phrases, spoken by distorted male voice.
This is a clearly a well thought out & executed release. It's hard to imagine how long this album was preparing. I think, that project members have an amazing musical ear and taste. Such a saturation with various sounds requires a long and painstaking work, as well as, perhaps, love of your work. It is worth noting the perfectly clean sound and excellent balance. I heard every rustle amid the riot of other sounds, I could distinguish every detail. There was an impression that a large team of sound engineers worked on mixing and mastering.
My attempts to describe what is happening on this album are just words that cannot convey the mood, sounds, and atmosphere. I strongly advise you all to listen to this album.