Neotek - Brain over Muscle

This is a release I never thought I would have to review. I actually mentioned this release in my review of Neotek's 2009 release 'Sex, Murder and Rock 'n' Roll'. This is the album that was released before that one, and by that I mean back in 1995. So, now Black Rain apparently wanted to re-release it. 16 years after its release. Is it still relevant?

No. It is not. I am glad this is not my first impression of the band, because then I would probably have avoided reviewing their "latest" release. Even though I'm sure it has been remastered, the sound quality is still poor (a bit of 90's cassette mayhem).

The first couple of tracks are strictly instrumental, but I somehow get the feeling that they where meant to have lyrics from the beginning, because it does not sound like an instrumental track, it sounds more like backing music for vocals. When the vocals actually come, they are not that impressive either. No awful, I guess a lot of the 90's EBM bands had those kinds of singers, but it's not that impressive. Musically it is very inspired by the big 242, just like many bands that showed up in that era. Anyone else see the complete layout rip-off on the cover except me?

I like the track "Silence" though; it's a solid blast to the past that I really enjoy. Otherwise, I did not find anything that I will remember in the long run. Feb 21 2011