yelworC
“Brainstorming”
Official Website
(4/5)
After putting out 8 tapes between 1988 to 1991, yelworC got signed with the independent German label Celtic Circle. Unfortunately, their career, as promising as it was, has been rather short-lived. After only 3 official releases, yelworC split into 2 entities. Peter Devin remained with the yelworC name while Dominik Van Reich formed amGod. Nonetheless, the duo’s music had time enough to make a serious impact in the rivethead community. By inspiring musicians like Rudy Ratzinger, Rasco Agroyam, Oscar Storm, etc, yelworC shaped the new wave of dark electro. Brainstorming was their first and last full-length album.
Ever wonder what the hell yelworC means? Just read it backward!
The band name is an indicator enough of their type of music and the source of their inspiration. Ever wonder what yelworC means? Just read it backward! You get Crowley, as in Aleister Crowley. One can guess that dark music with dark lyrics is to be expected. And that’s exactly the case. The Dark Arts, horror movies, violence, decay, decadence, religion, death, just to name a few, are the crux of their haunted world. Their music is an unholy mixture of gothy pads, dark ambient synths, martial beats, gloomy basses, distorted vocals and a fair dose of dialogue sniplets and other assorted samples. An obscure dancey atmosphere that recalls those of some Skinny Puppy, Hocico, Wumpscut, Mentallo & The Fixer, Leaether Strip, Will, and the like. Brainstorming is a sure hit with the dark electro aficionados. Sadly, it’s now nigh impossible to find this gem (or any other yelworC albums) on the stores’ shelves anymore. Brainstorming is a classic in the genre and needless to say an essential addition to any respectful Industrial collection. One can only mourn the disparition of such an historical band.
Brainstorming is a sure hit with the dark electro aficionados.
Brainstorming sets the mood right away with the opener, “Funeral Procession.” Muffled delay screams, weird noises, dark pads, punctuated bassline and an aggro mantra (“funeral procession” screamed over and over) is what this song is all about. To give you an idea of what it actually sounds like, imagine Hocico with a pinch of Mentallo & The Fixer, and some Skinny Puppy over the top. Yummy!
“Curse” is your typical electro-industrial song with spokenword-like vocals, not dissimilar from the Nivek Ogre style of “singing”. Solid hard electro.
“Sacred City (Short Mix)” kicks in with an EBM bassline straight from Front 242 / Nitzer Ebb / Front Line Assembly. Distorted throat singing.
“Inquest” is a gothy one with its minor chord progression and martial panned drum beats. The vocals are again spoken.
“Blood In Face” is the most popular song of all the yelworC catalogue. Solid EBM with a serious dancefloor aim. Tigh bassline, rock solid drums, wicked vocals… weird seagulls screams at the begining though. A goodie from Hell!
“Anchoria” is another solid beat-driven electro-industrial one with great synth choirs and manipulated bell chimes.
“Sacrilege” is a dark ambient one with a nice touch of enterlaced gregorian chants, dialog sniplets, solemn beats and gothy synths.
“Spellbound” have a weird “western” guitar intro and undelying melodies. But it turns out into a good EBM track. Once again, the spectre of Skinny Puppy vs Front Line Asembly is present.
“Claustrophobia” and “Dreamless Vision” are surprinsingly dancey. Early 90s EBM.
“Golden Cross” is almost like an electronic version of Fields Of The Nephilim vs Skinny Puppy! Erractic drum beats, spooky organ-like licks and opera samples populate that “imperial” song. A weird one, in a good way.
“Get Vomit” is another hard electro one with string stabs and rumbling bassline. Another excellent dancefloor-oriented one.
“Celebration” closes the album with a fucked up ambience and its kind of “sum of all parts” feeling: the previous peculiarities of Brainstorming are gathered here.
yelworC is apparently still alive!
The classic alignment might have disappeared, but yelworC is apparently still alive. The official site is offering to the visitor a sample of a new song called Triune Junction from a possible upcoming album called Trinity. To everyone’s displeasure, the site contains no information about the formation and what is to be expected in the future from yelworC. Rumor has it that Peter Devin is actually shopping around for a record deal. If any of this is true, let’s wish him the best of luck. The yelworC fans aren’t dead yet !
yelworC consisted of: Dominik Van Reich & Peter Devin.
Track list :
- Funeral Procession
- Curse
- Sacred City (Short Mix)
- Inquest (Re-gripped from A.I.W.A.S.S. 1992)
- Blood In Face
- Anchoria
- Sacrilege
- Spellbound
- Claustrophobia
- Dreamless Vision
- Golden Cross
- Get Vomit (Re-gripped from A.I.W.A.S.S. 1992)
- Celebration
Review by;
Maschinengeist
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