Collapse review

Collapse is a two-man French Industrial-Dance project featuring Amadou Sall (vocals, guitar, bass, sampling, and programming) and Pierre Gutleben (sampling, programming, and the didgeridoo… yes that Australian thingie, I shit you not). They have been releasing their brand of hard-edged, dark music on the world since 1997, when they debuted with the “One Back And No Return” EP. That was then followed in ’99 with the “Inbreeding” LP, and their “Link” LP in 2000. To quote the band, they are trying to mix “electronic influences, industrial sounds, harsh guitar riffs, dark vocals and the use of ethnic samples from Africa, Australia and Asia to create a new crossover identity”. What that more or less translates into for us simple folk, is a more danceable, and accessible version of Rammstein, with occasional hints of NIN, KMFDM, Fear Factory, and My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult. Does it work? Why yes it does! Metal or Industrial purists might balk at the unabashed, hip-shaking rhythms, but that will be their loss. The disc is pretty infectious, and I could easily see any of these tracks becoming a worldwide underground club hit. It also seems to cause involuntary speeding if listened to while driving. Ten tracks, and not a weak spot to be found. Well worth checking out if this is your thing. These guys should have been on the Crow soundtrack, they would have fit in perfectly. For more info on this impressive duo, check out collapse-music.com.
RATING = 7.5 Dark Industrial Dance Metal (Released 2004)