Army Of The Universe

Album Title: 
Prepare For The Hipster Sacrifice
Release Date: 
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Distribution: 
Review Type: 

Based in Milano, Army Of The Universe is an Italian Industrial Dance act which formed in 2008 when Trance and Techno producer Trebla (real name Albert Candiani aka Albert Vorne, plays the – analog – keyboards and does the extra programming in AotU) met up with singer Lord Kalidon of Kult Of The Skull God fame.

Inspired by retro visionary/ futuristic movies and the conceptual idea of a consistent dialogue between the past and the future, the duo quite immediately set forth to record a first EP entitled Lovedead (already released through Metropolis), released that same year. During 2010 the duo became a trio with the recruitment of guitarist Davide DavilTavecchia, and during 2011 Chris Venna (whom worked with Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Tweaker and others in the past) co-produced the band's full-length debut album Mother Ignorance. That same year, the band went on tour (started in August) with Industrial Rockers KMFDM, playing over 50 shows throughout North-America and Europe, on the way gaining the respect, appreciation and support of fans of the sub-genre. During 2012 the guys made a special single track entitled “Take Control” for use in a viral ad campaign by Adidas, and they subsequently released their new EP Kill The F* DJ (featuring a remix by Steve Aoki) through Dim Mak Records.

Meanwhile, Vrenna joined AotU as its official drummer, and the band completed its sophomore album, from which the EP Until the End was culled (both the original song features extra female vocals by Chibi of The Birthday Massacre). An additional (as yet unnamed?) EP will be released through Dim Mak. According to the info on the band's facebook page, the sound of AotU “...is made of analog synths and blade guitars, speeding around the echoes of '80s Metal and '90s Industrial, throughout the underground of Brit's school of Electronica, New Wave and Techno beats...,” which has gained the band comparisons to NIN in the past. Now, although that band features among the “Artists we also like”-list, the band also cites other “likes” in the form of Prodigy, Danzig, Misfits, Deftones, The Chemical Brothers, Depeche Mode, Faith No More, The Birthday Party, Billy Idol and Skinny Puppy. In other words, there's room for calmer stuff, and this is especially present in the vocals, which are never screamed or go into an aggressive mode. In contrast to the music, which is occasionally relatively sharp!

For your aural introduction to this band, you can check out the two (older) videos at the band's facebook page. You'll find a link for that (as well as the band's twitter & SoundCloud pages, and YouTube channel at the band's own (www.) armyoftheuniverse, where also a video is posted for the new single/EP Until The End. The band also can be found at (www.) myspace.com/armyoftheuniverse (but I was unable to open that page, and neither was I able to log onto SoundCloud – check out what's available there for yourselves!). Meanwhile, here goes yet another nomination for that “Best Albums Of 2013”-list of mine!

98/100