Regen Magazine’s Ilker Yücel gives CULT OF FAKE 4.5 Stars
– Ilker Yücel, ReGen Magazine
10 years since the band’s full-length debut, Krankhaus, and Angelspit is still cranking out that signature blend of crunchy electronics with an uncompromising in-your-face attitude against banality and societal norms. For this sixth album, Zoog Von Rock called upon the fans for what turned out to be a strikingly successful Kickstarter campaign, and given the lyrical content of Cult of Fake, inspired by numerous political conversations held with fans and drawing on their opinions of the world, it’s perhaps the most fan-centric record Angelspit has yet produced. As well, though the previous album featured numerous collaborations, Cult of Fake is predominantly driven by Von Rock’s singular musical vision, incorporating samples and effects originally utilized on the band’s earlier recordings, ensuring that even after 10 years and six albums, Angelspit retains its unique identity.
From start to finish, Cult of Fake stays true to the Angelspit aesthetic; the songs punch hard with an acerbic wit that stems from the band’s punk/rock predilections, while the sonic textures throughout constantly threaten to claw away at the listener’s mental fortitude. “Thanks for Your Cooperation” begins the proceedings as everything from the beats to Von Rock’s voice bear a metallic resonance that plays well with the inherent catchiness of the tune as the lyrics insinuate themselves into the listeners’ brains, guaranteeing that you’ll be chanting along with each iteration. The whole of the album follows very much in this vein as songs like “My Little Blade” with its rapid drumbeats and fluid synth lines, the playful vintage drum machine intro being an especially nice touch, and “New Devil,” which sees Von Rock balancing his disaffected spoken word delivery with vocoders that sound like the audio equivalent of a distorted chrome reflection, help to create a decidedly biomechanical atmosphere. Throughout Cult of Fake is a distinguishable sense of steady rhythm and bouncy energy; for instance, “I Am Trouble” bursts through the speakers with a one-two punch, the layers of synths and subtle vocal harmonies giving the song an anthemic quality perfect for the dance floor. The same can be said of the band’s rendition of “On the List (She’s Not),” originally from the Nine Inch Nails classic Strobelight, as it struts with the swagger of a classic EBM track, which along with Loreli’s sultry vocals is sure to inspire a few snakelike movements, while “Happy Murderland” bears a somewhat disturbing ambience thanks to the addition of steely scrapes of some sort of detuned string instrument. Another notable track is “Breath” with its menacing cadence and shrilly crystalline synths, Von Rock’s brooding voice elevating the song into some mangled mutation of the industrialized experiments of Construction Time Again era Depeche Mode, while “Disaster Porn” is sure to be a live hit with its crowd chant chorus.
Zoog Von Rock has managed to forge a unique path for Angelspit, creating a sound that draws on numerous influences, yet sounds like no other entity in modern music. To call upon his fans to inspire his “soundtrack to ‘Hell Yeah’,” placing a greater emphasis on the immediacy of the beats, the depth and straightforwardness of the lyrics, and melodic hooks, which are abundant on every track – all elements intrinsic to music designed to get people running for the dance floor… Well, put simply, Cult of Fake is perhaps the most fun record Angelspit has created, one that celebrates the band’s audience and history without dwelling on nostalgia and declaring proudly, “Fuck art, let’s dance!” Full of the band’s usual blending of industrialized electronics with punk/rock individualism, the lyrics expressing manifestos of anti-corporatism, healthcare and education reform, and media oversaturation, Cult of Fake is very much the kind of album one should after over 10 years expect from Angelspit… and that’s a great thing!
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