Review: Controlled Collapse – 'Lust'

CONTROLLED COLLAPSE
'Lust'
SELF-RELEASED

Polish electro-industrial outfit Controlled Collapse return with their brand new single 'Lust', taken from the band's forthcoming album 'Post Traumatic Stress Disorder'. The single marks the band's first release since 2013's 'Ruins After Babel' Remix album, and even though it only features two new tracks, they give a strong hint at what is to come.

The singles original cuts 'Lust' and 'Life-Death' show off two very different aspects of the band's sound with 'Lust' engaging in a heavy blend of guitars and pounding electronics that will appeal to industrial rock fans. While 'Life-Death' is a classic blend of ebm and electro-industrial characterised by steady beats, gritty synth bass and heavily vocoder use.

The remixes focus exclusively on the title track and offer up four very different interpretations. Reactor7x's mix takes the song into club-friendly territory with it's dance-orientated style. R010R give the original a classic ebm makeover, while Decoded Feedback open up a cavernous harsh ebm version, before God's Bow close the track list with a more minimal and tranquil mix.

In terms of production the band are sounding great. They are heavy where it counts and still keep a great sense of melody and just a little hint of experimentalism flowing throughout the tracks.

If this single is anything to go by then 'Post Traumatic Stress Disorder' is going to be a very interesting album. The band have given us a warning shot with 'Lust' and hopefully the album will deliver a direct hit.  

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Review: Controlled Collapse – 'Ruins After Babel'

CONTROLLED COLLAPSE
'Ruins After Babel' 

MACHINERIES 

Poland's Controlled Collapse released a forceful album in the form of 2013's 'Babel'. An album which melded the band's decade of experimentalism with a clear and focussed dance floor agenda that blended techno, rhythmic industrial darkwave. It was a compelling listen, but will the new remix EP 'Ruins After Babel' bring anything new out of a varied and well executed album?

Kicking off with the old school ebm orientated techno of 'Ruins (Mental)' the album takes a brave step opening with an infectious instrumental rather than a full-blown dance mix, however it works through the sheer power of its grooving synths and toe-tapping beats. Die Braut's take on 'Change The World' by comparison feels fresh and and suitably epic blending big future-pop synths with slow industrial beats. The Paralyzed by H.EXE mix of 'Numb' wanders into recent Gary Numan territory albeit with a purer syth-based execution for a great dance track.

'Fragment Of Time' featuring Aleksandra Burska on vocals was an undoubted highlight of the original album, but the remix featured here just doesn't do the original justice and by comparison sounds flat and uninspired. Volt 9000's take on 'Dzień Sądu' on the other hand is a dark and stripped back affair that loses none of the menace of the original and brings out the band's more experimental flourishes nicely. 'Change The World' contributed by remix contest winner Nick James is a pretty straight-forward minimal and ambient mix that focusses heavily on the rhythms and slowly breaks out the old school synth sounds before throwing some dubstep embellishments. Absured Monkey Project continue from the previous mix nicely with a more frantic pace and more overt dubstep elements filling the track. Finally 'Phoenix' rounds things off nicely with a nice blend of ebm and slow groaning bass for a subtle but catchy finale.

Although 'Babel' was a strong album, Controlled Collapse and their partners in crime have still managed to wring some new and interesting takes on the original songs. The variety of the remixes means that even on it's own this feels like a continuation of the main album rather than a mere appendage. This should ensure some continued club play, but it's one that casual listeners with certainly enjoy as well.

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Review: Controlled Collapse - 'Babel'

CONTROLLED COLLAPSE 

'Babel' 

MACHINERIES / ALCHERA VISIONS 

Polish electro-industrialists Controlled Collapse have been making music for a decade now combining the more experimental arm of the harsh ebm spectrum and mix in hints of techno, rhythmic industrial and even a bit of darkwave. It's a sound that many seem to strive for, but inevitably don't achieve, instead becoming caught up in the clichés of the scene. But not Controlled Collapse. With their third outing 'Babel', they distil ten years of work down into one definitive statement.

The album is full of the unexpected. Yes at its hear it is a hard and dirty dance album. But the constant shifts in tempo and key changes in the songs give this a more rockier edge that will definitely play well live. The shifting beats, sparse but effective guitar and accomplished synth work make this a very compelling listen. But when you throw in the many vocal styles at work here, it becomes even richer.

Songs such as 'Pain', 'Numb', 'Dzień Sądu', 'Cube' and 'My Fault' are ready made to take on dance floors around the world with their body moving rhythms and utterly infectious melodies that channel the likes of Suicide Commando, :Wumpscut:, Ade Fenton and Kraftwerk. But arguably the album's true highlight is the stunning centrepiece that is 'Fragment Of Time' featuring guest vocals from Aleksandra Burska. It's simply one of those songs that the stars seemed to have intangibly aligned on, with the dual male and female vocals, synth strings and throbbing bass coming together for a memorable song.

In terms of production this is a fine example of how to mix an album. It feels fluid and organic with all the different elements within the songs having room to breath, allowing the listener to take every nuance in.

Controlled Collapse have crafted a definitive album for themselves with 'Babel'. It's everything a good electro album should be – accessible, yet experimental and melodic, yet heavy – giving the listener plenty to get their teeth into. CC have taken some bold moves that have paid off in a big way, and if they can get the coverage they deserve, then there is no reason why this album shouldn't be big.

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Review: Controlled Collapse - 'Dzień Sądu'

CONTROLLED COLLAPSE 
'Dzień Sądu' 
MACHINERIES 

'Dzień Sądu' literally means 'Judgement Day'. While the end of the world or a hopeless future is a common theme among ebm and aggrotech bands, this glimpse of Controlled Collapse shows they are anything but common. The Polish act, created by Wojciech Krol, has been producing music for around ten years and their third album, 'Babel,' is due in March. This four track single is the first to be released from the album and comprises two remixes as well as the single and an instrumental.

'Dzień Sądu' has no slow build-up, no gradual rise, just straight in with jarring guitars, an urgent beat and Krol's native tongue, distorted and dictator like. Not necessarily a dancefloor hit but undoubtedly a great album track. 'The Cube', remixed by The .invalid, is hard not to move to, and while CC say their material is less aggressive and more melodic than previously, there is enough distorted guts in this to make it uneasy but compelling listening. And dancing.

The second appearance of 'Dzień Sądu' is another remix, this time by R010R, a more ambient electro version adding more bleakness but no less urgency. 'G.I. Joe (Silent)', an instrumental track, has the feel of a relentless march, although the upbeat synth melody makes it almost peaceful in places. Four tracks of well produced and carefully structured industrial ebm make a welcome introduction for 'Babel'. If this selection of material is representative of the forthcoming album, dancefloors and djs across Europe should expect to hear a lot more of Controlled Collapse.

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