We've posted another great review that's come in from the U.K., this one from the Zeitgeist site. It makes us feel all warm and fuzzy. Thanks goes out to Stuart A. Hamilton.
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Collide have been on the go for a fair old while now, and their brand of dark electro-goth has always managed to stir something deep inside me. There is a human element to their music that lifts it out of the generic, putting them far ahead of their peers. It's been a long time since the last proper Collide album, "Some Kind Of Strange", although there has been a remix album, a live DVD and the Secret Meeting side project with Dean Garcia from Curve to keep me happy and their hands far from idle.
But it's very reassuring to have an actual, proper, new Collide album to slip into the CD player. Lights suitably dimmed, headphones in place, phone taken off hook, and relax. And, oh, it's good. Half a decade gone, and it's like they've never been away. There are changes to their sound, but it's minimal, and sees them stripping away more of their industrial past, leaning more on ambience and moods.
It's still the vision of Statik and kaRIN, although Dean Garcia pops in for visit and Danny Carey from Tool pitches up with his drum kit on a handful of songs. The songs themselves have a tendency to come slithering in, insinuating themselves in places you'd rather have left alone, although there is still room for peculiarly melodic pop tunes like 'A Little Too Much'. It also sounds as though the remix project has left its mark, as some of the songs seem to have absorbed some extra vibe. Hell, 'Head Spin' could be an unlikely hit single!
But it's when Collide do that Collide thing that it all makes perfect sense. The track 'Chaotic' is almost a template for everything that is good about what they do, with a sensual yet rocking burst of darkwave that takes you far away on an aural experience you can't wait to repeat. Closely behind in second place is the quite stunning 'Silently Creeping', a song I intend to put on a loop for a few hours, just to see what happens.
It's another fabulous extravaganza in the history of Collide, by far the best darkwave / electro-goth / insert appropriate genre here release of the year, and one of the best albums of the year in any genre you're likely to hear. Go get it now.