Review: Of Tanz Victims – 'Fighting False God'

OF TANZ VICTIMS
'Fighting False God'
ARTOFFACT RECORDS

Thirty years after its original release, the début EP by the mysterious Canadian industrial project Of Tanz Victims sees a long overdue vinyl reissue on Artoffact Records. 'Fighting False God' is a heady mix of first wave of industrial influences such as NON, Psychic TV, Cabaret Voltaire,Throbbing Gristle,and SPK, and the kind of dance friendly electronic basis of fellow Canadians Skinny Puppy. It's both noisy and psychedelic, abrasive and rhythmically pleasing.

The EP only features three songs that clock up a mere eleven minutes running time. But they make an impact despite their now primitive construction. Opening with 'Filth Of God' the band unleash a steady core beat augmented by low-fi punk guitars over which a myriad of samples and slow droning vocals vie to catch your ear. 'The Silent Follows' with a more dance-friendly, yet still morbid and morose number that draws heavily on early Cabaret Voltaire. 'Tape Machine K' closes the release with a jagged and demented blend of stuttering rhythms and samples.

In therms of the production it is primitive, and even with a bit of spit and polish the songs still sound like an old school demo. But that is essentially what you'd be forking out for if you felt so inclined anyway, so its a moot point.

The music is basic, and the sound is archaic and the recording is crude... but that doesn't take away from the fact that these were, for the time, pretty damn good songs that walk the line between the experimental roots of industrial and its dance-friendly future. Fans of the the band, or those of classic sounds of the genre for that matter, as well as collectors will definitely be satisfied with this release.  

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