Music Review: The Order of the Fly – Hollow Voices of a Dead Generation
Review by Tony – Hell Feels Like Home
Hopefully you read my review of the newest Order of the Fly release Lambs in the Abattoir and are aware of just how good this band is. While Lambs is a huge slab of metal-flavored industrial, Hollow Voices of a Dead Generation is something very different but still has similar elements. On this release, The Order of the Fly create a toxic industrial landscape that throbs and oozes with radioactive mutations of punk, hardcore and metal. The vocals are clear and showcase a variety of styles from sweet singing to the anguished screams of the damned. The guitars have harsh punk feel with the technical prowess of the best of heavy metal, while the rhythm section is tight and dynamic with a great feel. The synth and electronic elements add a morbid electronic feel and create a terrifying landscape other bands can only dream of.
An instrumental entitled “The Urge to Self Destruct Pt. 1″ starts this off with the sounds of rain and a pounding electronic drum beat. The music has a swirling ambiance with bubbling atmospheric electronics. Slight tinges of industrial experimentation litter this track. It’s absolutely beautiful piece that leads into “What Have I Done?” Musically this is complex melding of driving punk with heavy guitars and industrial atmosphere. Ralphie Repulsive’s vocals during the verse are an anguished rhythmic hardcore growl which make a nice contrast to the melodic chorus which asks “What have I done to my life?” and answers “I’ve thrown it all away.” “Breathing Liquid” has a chaotic pounding metal riff with huge drums. There is also some great distorted synthesizer that follows the guitar but occasionally jumps to the front to give this a unique and amazing sound. The vocals have a slight distortion to them and alternate between a rough growl and sweet melodic singing. “Rot” has a monstrous pulsating bass line that dominates and drives this track. The guitars are a harsh and thrashing punk rhythm. In true punk fashion this song leaves you broken and bleeding in just about a minute and a half. “Children of Nuclear Armageddon” has huge distorted guitars and snarling punk vocals that break into lovely melodic passages. The lyrics are a chilling tale of being born in the wake of nuclear fallout. “Dying Garden” starts off with Iron Maiden-esque twin guitar leads and breaks into dark breakneck hardcore verse with great contrasting dark synthesizer. The chorus is melodic and does a great job of combining the metal guitars with an electronic atmosphere. This album closes with the epic “The Urge to Self Destruct Pt. II.” This track is a beautiful and complex culmination of all the styles and influences that make The Order of the Fly such a unique and special band. The beginning of this song starts up where “Part I” left off, with swirling industrial flavored ambiance building into a cool, danceable and funky metallic guitar riff. The verse kicks in with buzzing punk guitar while vocals are clear and melodic while delivered with punk rock abandonment. The chorus slows down and allows the synth to breathe in-between the vocals and guitars.
There is not a single dull moment on this album. I could write a college thesis on the intricacies and beauty of each song but I want you to hear this with your own ears and let it wash over you so that you can decide what these songs mean to you. The lyrics for this are dark and heartfelt with equal parts brutality and beauty. This album is a true piece of art that still manages to be more punk and more metal then anything you can think of. The packaging for this CD is gorgeous and has several great pieces of art, along with the lyrics. So if you really need me to sum this up for you, here it is: The Order of the Fly are the greatest fucking band on the planet.
Available from Amazon
Visit The Order of the Fly on Myspace!
Popularity: 2% [?]
[ ‹‹ Book Review: Lucid Nightmares by David Byron Shattered Dreams Productions Searches for Short Films for Terror Tube Anthology ›› ]
2006 2007 2008 2009 awesome 80s bad movies Best of bloody book review boring brutal campy creepy disturbing Fatally Yours film festival fun ghosts gore haunted horror comedy Horror Literature humorous independent insanity interview low-budget madness monsters murders News psychological release info revenge sequel serial killer short film slasher supernatural unique vampires violent Women in Horror Worst of Zombies