Vampyre Anvil - Tetsuo

In terms of industrial music, the first quarter of 2016 has been rather weak thus far for American audiences. Aside from a few crack shot albums from the likes of Venal Flesh and Servitor, I haven't seen much that could be shoved back in the face of the dark electronic circuit of Europe. However, like Lords and Saviors riding over a desert Hill just as the sun is rising, Jason Novak and Sean Payne are here to save the day. 

The names of these Chicago heavy hitters are very well known throughout the scene. Whether it's because they're running their respected labels Glitch Mode or Cracknation, or running their bands such as Cocksure, Cyanotic, and Acumen Nation, Payne and Novak are kind of like mini-celebrities of industrial with a certain charismatic air about them. 

That being said, these two juggernauts have teamed up to not only co-release an album on their revered record labels, but have formed a new project together: Vampyre Anvil. While the name itself is very fitting for Wax Trax! era industrial records, Payne and Novak have gone through an extensive process to make sure any fan of rebellious electronic music - including the older rivethead crowd who enjoy shouting about how the scene is dead - will have a blast listening to their debut album, Tetsuo. 


The name of the album is taken from the 1989 cult classic directed by Shinya Tsukamoto Tetsuo: The Iron Man. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend that you do. It's a weird sci-fi fantasy film revolving around the theme of mankind melding with the new technology and machines around them. I doubt a warning is necessary, but the film is for mature audiences. The album art also expresses a throwback to the film by using similar 16mm, black and white visual aesthetics. 

The music also focuses on the commonly explored man against machine/man with machine/man doing anything with machine complex that has been so thoroughly explored in the past by an infinite amount of industrial groups. While most include political themes with their music they usually fail. They either let their political message get the better of them and use one too many fucks which drowns out their lyrical content, or they focus too much on fiction and the issue they try and tackle is completely lost. This is where Vampyre Anvil differs slightly. 

Rather than being too left winged or right winged or attempting to be a know it all pretentious douchebag, Vampyre Anvil is having a fun and glorious time with Tetsuo. Without the need to include a modern day message, Payne and Novak have created a storytelling album with a colorful array of emotions that use more than just angry screaming at an innocent microphone to let loose. 

The first thing that I would love to point out about Tetsuo is that it has seamless transitions from one song to the next. I always try and listen to albums in their entirety rather than putting them on shuffle. Having that seamless transition makes me not only want to go back through the album once more, but gives me a sense of clarity and cures my OCD for the time being.

Now, the album in its entirety is glorious, and there are a few highlights I would like to point out. 'Prune That Dirty Stamen', crunchy and hard as it was, got me thinking I was listening to a song in the vein of a more cyber-infested Skinny Puppy. Inspired by hip-hop beats and crushing rap-metal courses, 'Carry a Knife to a Gunfight' was a very, very welcome surprise. While most of the songs on the album are fast paced and downright vitriolic, 'Eclipse' was a very powerful, cinematic instrumental that could fit the next film that takes place in a dark, cyberpunk dystopia. 

Even though I've only just received this album yesterday, I can count that I've listened to it at least four to five times from start to finish. Right now I'm on my sixth encounter with it and the songs still have not gotten tiresome or any less energetic or enthusiastic as when I first heard it. There are some albums out there that you need to listen to in order to fully appreciate and fall in love with them. Tetsuo is not. I can guarantee that anyone who comes listening to Vampyre Anvil for the first time will fall in love with their pulverizing music and tough as grits sound. 

This album will be available on March 25th in digital and a limited physical release format. Tetsuo will also come with a bonus download of an alternate, single-track remix of the entire album, so you will be getting your money's worth out of this. This is a highly recommended album and I give it the Brutal Resonance Seal of Approval for whatever that may be worth. 
Mar 23 2016