UnterArt:
"Memento"

Track list:

01. Now or Never
02. Open End
03. Novalis Part I (Der Morgen)
04. The Antagonist
05. Exit
06. Novalis Part II (Ewig)
07. Pariah
08. Memento
09. Novalis Part III (Keine Gotter)
10. Perfect World
11. Atrophied

Total Play Time: 46:18

Rarely do I find something that's easy listening for my heart, while also able to switch into being something my mind can engage. Sometimes those two aspects can be polar opposites, and thus not work when put together in a musical release. UnterArt takes on the challenge and succeeds though, much to my enjoyment and I am sure others as well.

The music on Memento is mainly directed towards the dancefloor, and goes there in style. Numerous sub-genres of industrial music are seemlessly blended into the fast to medium beats, and the vocals of Chris Harms flow smoothly alongside them. His ability to go from crystal clear singing one moment, to a spoken, growl-like delivery or a scream and then back to singing is amazing. The changes to his vocal style are often, but well placed and never feel awkward or forced with the music. Check out the track Pariah for a great example of the scream in the chorus, and the track Perfect World for the spoken growl in the verse with a switch to clear vocals in the chorus.

While Chris Harms' vocals are impressive, and defintely make this album shine; the music is nothing to forget about or to not appreciate. Three of the tracks on the album (the Novalis tracks) are without vocals, and showcase the various styles the group delve into. The tracks have a rhythmic-noise / techno type sound to them, and do remind me of tracks that fellow Out of Line labelmates KiEw put out. Most interesting to me is how these three tracks don't interrupt the album's flow being interspersed within the vocal tracks.

The pinnacle of the album is oddly not a dance song at all. Atrophied ends the album with a slow beat, and very emotional synth lines and vocals. The chorus for some reason always reminds me of something I've heard in a mainstream music, and I don't mean that as a slight. It's the perfect example of how the men behind UnterArt are able to make something accessible in sound, while retaining individuality in their music as a whole.

As I mentioned earlier, the sound of Memento can either be easy listening for my heart, or food for my mind's thoughts. Sometimes I find myself content to simply enjoy the music's beats, synth lines and the pace that they inspire. Other times I am enraptured by the vocal changes and the lyrics themself, and let my mind capture them to admire and digest. I am confident that those who approach this album will find it as appealing as I did.

Reviewed by Bry'n
05.29.08