Death & Horror,Inc.: Bitter Alloys/Pressures Collide Reviews
I know what you all must be saying right about now, "Why the hell is
he reviewing a record that's almost 2 years old?!" Well, the reason
is that this band has just signed two new deals to distribute this
album domestically in the USA (through Van Richter Records) and in
Europe (through Kk Records). The record itself proves to be a very
catchy, danceable industrial recording relying more on synthesizers
and samples than on guitar riffs. Some songs here are very radio
friendly such as the lead track, 'Pain and Courage' for which the
band shot a video. As well, this outing includes two ambient
soundscapes, 'Undercurrent' and 'Black Hour,' which I think only add
to the length of this CD without introducing any significant content.
My favorite track was 'The Aftershock' which was by far the
"heaviest" track on the record because it incorporated some
noticeable guitar riffs. I also liked the slower, hypnotic,
trance-inducing tracks like 'Any Power.' I always find songs like
that to be a good escape from all the worries in my head. All in all,
a more than half-decent effort which I just might put in my CD player
one or maybe two more times (gasp!) :) - Gino Filicetti, Chronicles
of Chaos
DHI pound home brutal grinding industrial technology just screaming to be
played on a dance club's mega watt sound system. The massive battering
beats of these songs pummel the listener with scathing samples and violent
programmed beats. By the time that churning metal guitar kicked in at the
end of the opening track 'Pain and Courage' I was hooked. Song titles like
'Catastrophe','Rage' and 'Black Hour' paint a realistic picture of the
sounds emanating from Bitter Alloys/Pressures Collide. 'Ninety - Nine
Realities' is a pick of the litter with a killer mechanical beat that
brings to mind some wacked - out mechanical matching band with a groove.
Quite a collection of mayhem. - Gear Magazine
Van Richter records has added DHI's second release, Pressures Collide
to the 1993 Bitter Alloys limited edition extended play disc. Both KK
and Van Richter released the Pressures Collide disc but only the US Van
Richter version has the limited edition release. DHI produces a heavy
atmosphere of metallic noises, harsh grinding beats and aggressive lyrics
from vocalist Vicar. - TERRA INDUSTRIA Magazine
DHI have always used guitar, but there are lots of metal riffs on this,
which is something they have never done before. The programming is still
quite good and quite upfront and the songwriting has even improved. - Culture Shock Magazine
Dark and brooding tho it is, as if a couple of Metallica fans were
forced into using drum machines & sequencers out of desparation of not
finding a skin hitter. Possibly for fans of Stabbing Westward. File under
Corporate Industrial or heavy rock. - Damn Magazine
DHI's latest CD is more like a soundtrack than merely a collection of
industrial songs. The band
utilizes a myriad of samples in conjunction with synths, guitars and
violins to create these minature scores. "Pain and Courage" creates an
early SF theremin/horror film backdrop with growling guitars and
undistorted raspily shouted vocals taking up the forefront "Any Power"
places a deeply fuzzed and decided irratable bass in the front, creating a
classic sense of suspense with its clattering metallic beat and eerie
synths chords. 'Aftershock" is a murky blend of horn like sounds and
sustained guitar wails - an evil combination if ever there was one, and
then backs it with slow ponderous beat and a gravelly modified voice.Also
of note are the small number of instrumental tracks. "Undercurrent" is
centered around a tribal beat made from hollow log drumming and metal bars
being struck, with a foggy electronic backdrop to complete the imagery.
"Exanthem" is likewise primative tribal in nature, only here with more
overt Gothic darkness and industrial sequencing. DHI are not in the
mainstream of industrial music, but seem quite content to lurk around its
darker edges. - Michael Mahan, Alternative Press
This Canadian band has much in common with bands Godflesh and Sielwolf
when it displays its power. It is with frightening force. The songs are
put together well using conventional instruments like bute
guitar, fuzzed bass, violins and keyboards. Very rare is this band's
ability to send chills down the spine through use of eerie synthesizer
sustains and string sections in "Any Power" and "Rage". For DHI, the
release point is reserved for vocalist Vicar who is largely responsible
for such a lasting impression. His non irritable screams are raw and
clenched teeth strained. Admiration goes to the use of effects in the
4th instrumental track where a drum march is heard via underwater.
'Rage" effectively combines all of DHI's good qualities although
progressing downward in mood and pace - Chris Jagasits, New Industrial Sounds
DEATH AND HORROR INC's Bitter Alloys/Pressures Collide is yet another
hard edged industrial offering from the Van Richter label. They draw from many
aspects of this genre, spit out the cliches and create a unique sound for
themselves. I would describe it as Guitar Industrial meets Cyber Punk minus the Blipcore dancey-ness. The production is cold, but maybe intentionally so.
The vocals are blunt, hardcore sounding shout, using no distortion and little
in the way of effects. Lyrically, DHI are in no way typical either. They deal
with internal strife in a subtle and seemingly personal way. All in all, this
DHI release is excellent and highly recommended. I might even go as far as to
refer to it as an Industrial masterpiece. - Bob, Worm Gear
Started in Toronto in 1987, and named partially for a classic '70s BBC
sound effects album, DHI went on to open for such bands as Alien Sex Fiend,
Front Line Assembly, and A Split Second. DHI released Pressure Collide - their
second CD - in 1994. And now Van Richter Records in California and KK Records in
Belgium both license the disc making it DHI's debut release in the U.S.
and Europe. The unconventional sampling techniques make each track stand
on its own. Only lightly incorporating the overused cyberpunk/electro
elements, the industrial flavor - deep,gravelly vocals pleading with us
about life - predominates. Pressures Collide starts off with "Pain and
Courage" - a hard driving Nitzer-Ebb like industrial with intense beating
vocals. But my favorite is "Rage": a seamless transition brings you into a
factory of robots and mechanized acid rain. The dense, thick industrial
has no vocals; instead the blurry, muffled samples work perfectly. It's
intense and energetic. This is KMFDM with Wire sensibilities- and just
enough electronics to make it mod without becoming techno muzak fit for
the frozen food aisle. It's recommended to anyone craving well produced
industrial. - Lisa Crosby, Eye Magazine
This is industrial music you won't be seeing on MTV. Slower, more factory like beats combine with samples, deathly guitar riffs and eerie keyboard melodies to create a grim album. DHI creates ambient evil soundscapes of a post - apocalyptic
wasteland. In the needle tracked vein of the earlier work by Canadian
brethren Skinny Puppy. DHI is sure to create a Halloween mood anytime of
the year. - Don Smith Moorman, IndieScent Magazine
The Van Richter release is heavy industrial music with some great dark overtones. I like Pain and Courage, Rage, and The Aftershock. Some really good samplings on this one. - Lou Sorrentino, Black Moon Magazine
Superb blend of electronics and guitars, intense and danceable with the occasional soundscape. - Isolation Tank
Canadian four piece Death and Horror Inc latest release is this CD which
represents both their lp Bitter Alloys and their ep Pressures Collide.
Musically it is a very good band combining a number of influences and a
number of sonorities into a unique blend of heterogeneous dynamic
creative and ever changing evolving sequences of various moods...
Several songs feature usage of metal guitars, yet many songs are deeply
industrial and quite hard anyway; also they do delight creating
extremely indust-feeling slow soundscapes made of cold atmospheres and
warm sounds. Even if it is actually three years old it is most likely
the latest issue of the band. - Marc Urselli-Scharer, Chain D.L.K.
Where's the love for this band? Along with Sielwolf and The Fair Sex, I'd vote them some of the most underrated of bands. Really in a class of their own actually. On Bitter Alloys/ pressures collide, DHI sounds much more confident and fleshed out. This is actually some pretty freaky stuff. I can't even begin to describe their sound or compare them to anyone, maybe a little similar to early Frontline Assembly, maybe not. All I know is, 'Afterschock' is one kick-ass song and one of the scariest eletro songs ever. These guys were onto something here, its a shame they didn't keep it. Fans of Skinny Puppy, Frontline Assembly, or any of the other Van Richter labelmates will probably enjoy this. - harsh_stone_white, Discogs
Another band discovered by Van Richter, and seriously, in my opinion, one of the best industrial bands ever. The production quality on this CD is great, and I always have to up the volume on it when DJ ing. Bitter Alloys/Pressures Collide would probably go in my top 10 industrial recordings of all time. I prefer Bitter Alloys / Pressures Collide over the standard Pressures Collide because it contains the amazing remixes of the Bitter Alloys EP. Most remixes are usually garbage but these are actually top notch and in some ways surpass the originals. This is a must own for fans of the godfathers of industrial such as Skinny Puppy and Front Line Assembly. There are similarities to the aforementioned bands, as this will undoubtedly happen in electronic genres, but this band excels beyond even where those bands went. There are some amazing tracks on this disc, and really not a single track I can say I dislike, a true rarity. For an industrial CD chock full of dance floor killers, look no further than this incredible and often times overlooked release. Because it was released by Van Richter most long time fans of the genre know they are in for something special. .Bitter Alloys/Pressures Collide is an industrial masterpiece. DJ Deathwish
I don't think there's any real good comparison to Death and Horror Inc (DHI), except maybe Front Line Assembly. Their sound is pretty unique. DHI's first release(album and EP compiled and remastered by Van Richter) was great, but they sound much more fleshed out and diabolical on Bitter Alloys/Pressures Collide.
What we have here is some of the most menacing electro industrial I've ever heard. And I don't mean Skinny Puppy or NIN menacing but totally in a class of their own. Bitter Alloys/Pressures Collide really taps into some frightening atmospheres but would also work well on the dance floor. Its great for club play at night or just a night walk. High quality guitar riffs are present, especially on Ninety Nine Realities, but it never really dominates any song. It merely adds an essential buzz to the pounding electro/beat experience. Highlights include 'Any Power' which is a good sampling of what DHI does best. The ominous deep bass notes lurking in the background with the buzzing bass and its catchy beat, and an occasional wash of eerie strings. The vocals are harsh or deadpan which are in perfect compliment. 'The Aftershock' is the crown gem track on this release. It gets my vote for one of the most frightening electronic songs ever with its menacing bass lines, brutal march beats, demonic whispers and shouts and high pitched bursts of a pneumatic drill that shake the senses. There are quite a few unsettling instrumentals, the standout track being 'Exanthem' which is haunting and lovely featuring tribal percussion, ominous machine like beats, and beautiful synth lines. In summary Death and Horror Inc is a highly underrated industrial band. Every electro industrial fan owes it to themselves to purchase this release right now or else you're missing out big time. Amazon.com
On the thirteen track Bitter Alloys Pressure Collide, cyber- kinetic Toronto trio Death and Horror Inc. construct another mechanical mosaic. Transforming spiky beats, distorted guitars, Luciferous vocals and found sounds through the use of samplers, sequencers and synthesizers. DHI turn out nuts and bolts dance music, from the grinding cyclone maze of "Pain And Courage" to the blipping steel thrusts of "Red Carnival". Available on Van Richter Records. Karen Bliss, Impact Magazine
Back to DHI page