CoC : Mnemic - Mechanical Spin Phenomena : Review

Mnemic - _Mechanical Spin Phenomena_
(Nuclear Blast, 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (7 out of 10)

The surprise split of electro-metal pioneers Fear Factory was greeted with shock and a fair amount of dismay by many a metalhead, and while they have subsequently reformed (sans Dino Cazares), it will still be quite some time before we're likely to see a new Fear Factory record hit the shelves. In the meantime, Denmark's Mnemic may well hold over any fan desperate to satiate their craving for some heavily industrial-tinged metal, but while the Fear Factory comparisons are more than justified, Mnemic also recall strains of Meshuggah on "Tattoos" and the relentless hammering of Strapping Young Lad on "The Naked & the Dead". Critically they also inject their music with enough character to ensure its ascent above a mere Xerox of their influences, and with the aid of a fantastic sound courtesy of Antfarm Studios and producer Tue Madsen (The Haunted, Konkhra), _Mechanical Spin Phenomena_ turns out to be surprisingly good. All is not perfect however, and Mnemic's nu metal inclinations sour proceedings dramatically on tracks like "Closed Eyes" and "Ghost". So while they fail to, as they so boldly state in their bio, "kick every fuckin' ass around", Mnemic have at least delivered a debut that is worth checking out if the any of the previously mentioned bands hold any interest for you at all.

(article published 21/9/2003)

CHATS
26/12/2003	J Smit	Mnemic: Into the Great Wide Open

ALBUMS
18/1/2007	J Smit	6.5	Mnemic - Passenger