Angst is back, with more diversity than you can shake your sampler at - better production, and a pro-copied release. The thirteen songs here are at least shoulders (if not head and shoulders) above the previous release (Strain), though the vocals still sound young in spots. In general, samples are used a lot more, and he (Matthew M. Nordan) sticks to the techno/industrial side of things. The first song, "Descent," showcases the general feel of this album: heavy dance, in the vein of Under Midnight's latest. "Who am I to Question God," "Godshaped Void," "Boiling Point," and "Persistance," stay in this ballpark, though the last is an instrumental.
Don't worry, you diversity heads, there's still all the wild styles as displayed in the previous tape, they blend together a lot better than they did there. "Effexor (venlafaxine hcl)" carries the folk rock banner, and "Five in the Chamber" does justice to the original rap/southern rock genre. In short, if you liked the first one, this one's even better - if you've never heard the first one, this is a steal for $5. Available from 137 Records, P.O. Box 204963 Yale Station, New Haven, CT 06520-4963.
