Review of Herrschaft - Architects Of The Humanicide

It’s good to see the always intriguing Code666 get off the mark in 2007, and they’ve done so through a triad of disparate releases from tech death crew Tholus (through sister imprint Goregorecords), post-black metal from Holland’s Control Human Delete, and this debut MCD from Paris’ Herrschaft. Architects of the Humanicide is a twenty-three minute glimpse of Herrschaft’s vision of a bleak, post-apocalyptic future (as if there were any other kind), as told through blackened industrial metal. The electro elements take center stage, and although the majority of the material is quite heavy, the riffs typically support the keys and programming, stepping to the front intermittently to provide a more organic metallic battery.

Combining the pneumatic drill press crunch of a Rammstein and the seething, hateful, dark soundscapes and blackened-heart of Skinny Puppy, Herrschaft create dense layers of a cold and mechanical base, and contrast that inhumanity with snarling blackened vocals. The five tracks on Architects of the Humanicide alternate between songs that are more riff driven and ones that seethe with dark, electro-fueled waves. “Apogee”, “Self Bondage” and much of closer “De Flemmes et d’Ombres” all boast heavy, crunching, but quite basic riffs that provide hook and partner with the percussion to deal out hammering aggression that punctuates the substantial programming underneath it. “Apogee” is probably the most effective of the three, “De Flemmes et d’Ombres” the most diverse and atmospheric, while “Self Bondage” is the square, but not unwelcome peg, sporting a practically rave-ready chorus. On the more electro, less metal side, intro track “Rise to the Humanicide” fades in and builds to noisy, screeching crescendo, and “Haunting Torture” is a slow journey that has a creepy tone of self-loathing and hatred established through frequently whispered lyrics and an off kilter clean synth line. It’s probably the least overtly metal track on the album (although “Self Bondage” rivals in that regard), but works quite well by providing a contrast that’s as sure-handed as its surrounding material.

As you would expect, Architects of the Humanicide has the studio polish necessary for this style, so the sound is quite good. Most of the instrumentation, including the vocals, is heavily effected, which contributes to the album’s inhuman, futuristic feel. Although this is critical to achieving the album’s desired character, some metal fans may find Herrschaft leaning a little further toward the electronic side of things than they prefer, but fans of industrial metal should certainly find something to like. The band is working on a full-length that should be available late this year, and it will be interesting to see what they can do with a full album’s worth of material.

Release Details

Herrschaft

Architects Of The Humanicide

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