Psyclon Nine - INRI

As harsh as some bands may call themselves when delving into the topics of religion, none really come close to actually analyzing the whole picture, seeing what is already established in the Christian world and pointing out fallacies with an intelligent argument rather than just flipping off the globalization of Christianity for no reason. Psyclon Nine, however, strikes off this stereotypical nature of most hardcore bands with the release of 'INRI', and in listening to this album, you discover that not only are you presented with a kick ass plethora of music, but are also delivered a pile driver of religious messages that can make you think.

"INRI", the title song, begins off the album, with a harsh vocals, reminiscent that of a banshee caught in the net, and continues throughout the whole album. However, that is not a bad thing. It really gave me the good feeling kind of goosebumps, where you just sit back, relax, and just know you're listening to something amazing. The actual sound within the song presents a wide range of synth works, with church organs blending in the background making for an all powerful piece.

Alas the music and vocals being amazing, it is the lyrics within "INRI" that make you really shutter. Implementing Revelation 13, King James version, is a parallel to the modern world, discussing the nature of the beast and comparing it to that of the modern world makes a really powerful effect. If anything, INRI is the most powerful song of the album. Which is also a sad thing.

The rest of the album is great, but nothing really compares to the amount of thought and emotion presented within that of "INRI". The religious themes persist throughout the album, most notably in "Hymn to the Angels' Descent", which is more metal oriented industrial than anything, but also keeps up with the church organs that backed "INRI".

There are a few breaks in the rage and carnage that Psyclon Nine came up within the album with a slow, religious hymn called "Requiem for the Christian" era, which calls upon a Jewish prayer. The other break comes along in the form of The Unfortunate, which has a creepy kid's voice in the beginning, followed by a xylophone repeating itself and what sounds sounds like soldiers marching to drums.

The final song, "You Know What You Are", is a remix of Ministry's song of the same name. While I can't say it's a personal favorite, it still is decent. It has a nice flow to it, a nice bass, but the laughing is very annoying in the song. It's just something I personally could not stand. The vocals in this song change it up, coming from the banshee like screaming, to more distorted vocals usually found in harsh EBM.

Final verdict, Psyclon Nine really pushes towards disestablishing what has taken thousands of years to build by pointing out the flaws within the Christian world. It may turn off some, but, if anything, the album is a great artistic piece that can be appreciated by anyone for a love of vociferous music. Nov 22 2012