music review

Sterile ::: "Warm Dark Noise"

synth - metal - industrial - doom

From the opening noises on this c.d. you suspect that this isn't going to be a happy affair. And it isn't. On this debut C.D. Sterile have created a unique industrial monster. This is due to the unique live keyboard work and tortured vocals of Angus Perrin, and the chunky bass playing of Brendan Decini. The pieces on this album are laced throughout with numerous dialogue samples referring to corporate democracy and the hypocrisies of organised religion. Musically, Sterile have taken the influences of Ministry, Godflesh, Fear Factory and Laibach (from their Nova Akropolos period) and moulded them into their own sound.

The opening track "Cult of Ego" is gut-wrenching, slow and doomy. It concludes into a collage of dialogue which then melts into the catchiest track on the album "Control". This features driving crunching guitars, minimal howling chanting vocals, flangeing analogue keyboards, and the sampled rantings of various unfortunates. Following this is a short untitled piece on acoustic guitar, which provides a pleasant break in the fury. "Corporate State" is another slow'n'nasty grinding track.

"Freedom" opens with a plonking synth-bass which is the only sequenced keyboard section on this album. It soon departs the scene for the entrance of the live distorted keyboard wailings that are Sterile's trademark. The closing two tracks were recorded live in Sydney Australia. "Auslander" is fast and furious. Unfortunately it is the only piece on this album where Angus really lets loose on the keyboard. It is unfortunate also because the tortured wailings of his distorted juno aren't quite loud enough in the mix. If only he wouldn't be so modest! The last track "Fear" is one of Sterile's earliest, written back in 1991, and features the rantings of a damn annoying american evangelist. The musical and production influence of Joseph Ficarra (see "The Word" review below) is also a major feature on this album - from some of the dialogue sound collages to the short classical piano piece. Highly Recommended.

Available for $15 (postage inc.) from: Sterile at PO Box 452 Bondi Junction NSW 2022 Australia.

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