Death of Self - Accepting the Truth

As I already did a review on Death of Self's Embracing The Things We Hate About Ourselves, I was rather interested in taking a look at Accepting the Truth. It's a bunch of remixes from songs from the act's first album. And, as it was released prior to the first album, it may have confused a few folks when their heavier music popped out of the forest. It wouldn't really cause disarray now, but, in hindsight, it might have done that.

The reason I say this is because the remixes presented are rather soft compared to the hard beats and otherwise disturbing melodies that Death of Self puts out. I mean, the remixes are decent, just very odd to me. Consider The Gothsicles remix of Empty. It's definitely a catchy tune, and takes a more EBM tune, with lasers and other video game sounds taking present in the beginning (as should be expected from a group as notorious as they are). When taking a look at the original track, it screams depression and morbid, suicidal thoughts. The remix, when it comes to the music, makes it feel like something just a bit more happier is coming along.

I focused on the Empty remixes for a while. The reason being is that both Worms of the Earth and DYM both took a stand with the remixes. I immediately went to the DYM remix, because this song seemed to just scream of their likeness. If anything, they would be suited for the down tempo that Death of Self is used to. And, I was not disappointed. I enjoyed the remix's somber melody, and constantly moving synth work. Everything else combined in it was a work from the heart, and the act made the song their own for the taking.

The Worms of the Earth remix had a definite focus on piano work, and even added in some chanting right in the beginning. I thought that was a bit off putting to the rest of the song in general, as it stays within the dark ambient manifest for the first minute and a half, and then transforms into an experimental song, which throws a lot of shit from everywhere in it. A lot of bass drops, slow as they are, with the distorted and tortured echoes from the original that made it so great.

The last remix left of Empty would be the one done by Autovoice. It was a lot lighter than the original, still maintaining an all around dark atmosphere. However, the one thing I did not enjoy about it was the constant echo that was placed on the vocals. That was an effect that was not necessary.

One of the other two remixes on the album were that of No Control by Negutyv Xeiro, a proclaimed "psytech trancedustrial" project. I don't like when bands come up with their own terms for themselves. I also don't like it when the remix done by that same project isn't too good. It remains a bit clubby, but with a bass line that just never really changes and never hits hard enough, I have to proclaim that I did not enjoy this one all too much.

The final remix that I can talk about would be Fractured's awesome mix of The Edge. There's electric guitar work flowing in the background at times, with a real focus on the synth work, and almost trance like tunes. The vocals are a bit faded compiled next to this wonderful beat, which it the only negative side to it, but other than that, I really enjoyed it. I found myself paying attention more to the beat than the vocals.

So, for a bunch of remixes, this isn't too bad. Each of the artists mixed and mashed the originals and created something of their own with it. None of them are exactly perfect, but, hey, they're remixes. I hardly and rarely ever find a remix that I can give a perfect score for. They are scrumptious, at least some of them are, and they have their flaws, but this is definitely worth checking out. The only thing that I have to say is that these tracks should have made it onto 'Embracing The Things We Hate About Ourselves' as either a second, bonus remix disc, or as bonus tracks added onto the album in general. Aug 08 2013