Spin
Self Titled
8.1
Spin. Doesn’t sound like a good name for a metal band, does it? When I signed up for this bad boy, I had no clue what I was getting myself into. Based on the name, I figured they were either progressive rock or an even more indescribable genre. I certainly didn’t expect to hear industrial metal from Malta, but that’s precisely what I found on this four-track EP/demo. If, like me, you’re fond of Devin Townsend’s Strapping Young Lad, you’ll quickly fall in love with these guys.
A perfect blend of vitriolic riffs and melodic undertones, this self-titled demo will shock cynical listeners expecting the worst from a group named Spin. The opening track, “105°,” skips what has become a metal standard, the long-winded instrumental introduction, and goes straight for the throat with a pummeling riff, but what works most effectively in creating a chaotic atmosphere, which is an essential element in all industrial metal recordings, is the tone of lead singer Simon’s voice. Neither as insane as Devin Townsend nor as controlled as a traditional metal singer, Simon’s vocals register as aggressive, first and foremost, but contain a pinch of melody, which allows for a complexity not often found in industrial metal. One doesn’t get the feeling that he’s holding back any venom for the sake of the melody of the song, either.
What bothers me most about most industrial metal is that the industrial and electronica elements often drown out what is essential to metal; the guitar. Fortunately, this is not the case on Spin’s third recording. Second track “Destruction Unit” is a perfect example of this. Like “105°,” it opens with a strong riff, but layered over Josef’s guitarwork are a few sparse keyboard notes that create an ethereal tone. From my own experience, I find that industrial metal sounds best when the industrial elements work with rather than over instrumental elements inherent to metal as a broad genre, and Spin prove that hypothesis in a most positive way. For a few seconds, I thought otherwise, especially on third track, “Feed Your Mind,” which for the first thirty seconds appears to be simply meandering for the sake of experimentation, but the layers quickly build until listeners are left with a sound even more pummeling than the opening track.
Taking into consideration the fact that I was dreading reviewing this album and putting it off for weeks, I couldn’t have found myself more surprised when I sat down and gave this demo a few listens. This is an album I’ll keep in my iPod for a while, and not many independent releases find a permanent spot there. If you’re at all interested in industrial metal, even in the loosest of terms, you should make your way over to the group’s website and preview a few tracks. Hell, even if you normally hate the genre, Spin might win you over.
