SOCIETY 1
"The
Years of Spiritual Dissent" (Crash; 2006)
Reviewed by Mike SOS
Freak show rock act Society 1 have issued a 30-track disc with an accompanying DVD encapsulating the porno director-gone-rock star Matt Zane and friends' rock'n'roll fantasy.
Falling somewhere between NIN, Marilyn Manson, and Rob Zombie, the band's musical output is nowhere near as enthralling as the spectacle of scantily clad girls adorning the band as they hang from hooks secured into their skin, but at least they've got cool visuals going on for the music videos.
Disposable and dated, the industrial metal-meets-Goth shock rock aura and unbearably dim Jim Morrison imitated spoken word interludes are only two of many reasons to avoid this one.
For more information, check out http://www.society1.net.
"Exit
Through Fear" (Earache; 2003)
Reviewed by Mike SOS
Like him or hate him, one thing is certain: You won't stop Matt Zane, whether it's his porn empire or his metal band, Society 1.
This former California socialite-turned-rock delivers a crushing industrial metal sound a la Fear Factory and White Zombie. Despite the fact that the industrial metal thing is pretty well played out, the guitars on "Exit Through Fear" are pretty slamming, and the band at times rivals anything Marilyn Manson or Ministry have put out recently. It's heavy, it's ballsy, it's deranged. And, at times, it fully expresses the nihilistic outlook other bands only wish they could.
It helps to have name recognition, but Society 1 never drop names or calls attention to Zane and his background. Instead, the pulsating and pounding techno-metal does all of the talking, and fans of the genre totally make out on the deal.
For more information, check out http://www.society1.net.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2008 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 28 Oct 2024 11:25:45 -0500.
