H. Zombie - Mutation

H. Zombie is a musician, songwriter and producer, a member of two Spanish deathrock / post-punk bands, and now in Los Carniceros del Norte. He has also this solo project H. Zombie. His first EP 'From Heaven to Hell', was released in 2008, a mixture of post punk, rock and electro psychobilly. Now he has released this EP called 'Mutation, which he says ventures into dark electro, aggrotech and industrial music.

The EP begins with "Taxi Driver", nice synth lines and drums which build into a techno influenced aggrotech track, with a dance beat. It's not a floor-filler but will get a reaction. The vocals are typically harsh, far too quiet for my liking although it is the style of many similar tracks, very much Hocico and Amduscia like in delivery. "En Två Tre" ("One, Two, Three" in Swedish - Editors note) has a great dance beat from the start, and a great rhythm. Vocals come in and then it takes off, this very well could be a floor-filler. The vocals on this are distorted and synthetic, but although still secondary to the music this time work well and are good. Another good aggressive aggrotech track.

"El Dia de los Muertos", includes a much more horror soundscape, a more complex track and another floor-filler, hasn't got the consistent dance beat that "En Två Tre" has, but when it moves it really shakes the floor. The bass lines are unforgiving and getter better and better. More Hocico style vocals but it's also the style of the genre and the vocals are good. Driven by aggression from the start, which seems to be building up from track to track, it's exciting and makes you dance, a really super track. With "Mutation" comes a difference, it is missing much of the dance rhythm of the previous tracks but shows more what H. Zombie is capable of in terms of composition. The soundscape is full to the brim of different sounds without sounding muddled, with some good vocals once again.

We finish with "Tengo un Pasajero", another dance orientated aggrotech track, with harsh spoken vocals. Driving synths and drums give it a good rhythm and once again so much aggression, and makes for a good finish.

Conclusion
The first time I have heard H.Zombie and I am impressed. It's aggrotech without to much of the hardstyle influence that so many bands seem to be indulging in. Only five tracks but they all feel natural and make me think that H. Zombie can fit in easily amongst the leading contenders in this genre. Yes there are many similarities to Hocico, Amduscia etc., but he ain't no clone! So if you like Dark Electro/Aggrotech I recommend it strongly, as it will be 25 minutes of pleasure. I have heard so much bad stuff from Hocico soundalikes recently, I can safely say this is different. How? Because I have given a string of high marks recently and admittedly sat here trying to think of something wrong with this EP to take some more marks off. But, in all honesty I can't do it. Jul 13 2012