Various Artists - Fascist Communist Revolutionaries |Fifth Column Records, 1996|

1. Chemlab - Exile,2. Dessau - Suffered (remix),3. Acumen - Queener,4. Death Ride 69 - Fucked Up Generation,5. Haloblack - Distractor,6. Trust Obey - Hands of Clay (Schwer Gepruft Mix),7. Final Cut - Dim,8. Meathead - Gravida,9. Templebeat - The Brain Cult of Macho Irony,10. Vampire Rodents - Blind Acceleration,11. T.H.C. - Need To Destroy,12. Dive - Reported,13. James Ray & The Performance - Texas

It's one of its kind compilation CD with the classic artists of industrial rock style of music. Some of those bands quit, but f.e. Chemlab or Acumen Nation (here as Acumen yet) win new fans and release new albums, even in 2007. A few of the tracks included on the CD sound old-school considering technology and gears used in the early 90's but they still have their charm. However songs ideas are more important so gears are only the tools to help the ideas improve.

Chemlab - I guess I don't have to introduce to Jared Louche's venture, well know in Europe as well. One of the first industrial rock bands with great ideas, a bit of a madness and completely creative attitude. Touring this year in the USA with U.S.S.A. and Skeleton Key. Acumen (Acumen Nation) is a Chicago based band and I believe all of true industrial rock fans know what Chicago means in terms of this style of music. Acumen Nation tours with another Chicago based band Cyanotic these days, establishing even wider fan base by exceeding the limits of industrial rock adding drum'n'bass rhythms. Dessau - super band which didn't resist the passing time and a temporary lack of an interest on the scene, but in this case the track is more electronic than guitar driven, closer to EBM style. Death Ride 69, I don't know much about the band and their activity but in this psychedelic-industrial track they were close to the efforts of MLWTTK and, on the other hand KMFDM, thanks to the female vocalist Linda LeSabre. I think both LeSabre and Lucia Cifarelli are those rare women who found their ways into industrial rock music, considering the whole genre is represented by male line-ups for the most part.

Haloblack was a short time lasting project by Brian Black (in X-lover these days) with guest musicians featuring Charles Levi, the bass player most often associated to MLWTTK mentioned above, Chicago again. The track is a dynamical one, noisy with psychedelic guitar riff and irregularly appearing samples. Trust Obey was a very interesting band to me, one of those darker industrial rock efforts kind of Diatribe or Drown mixing heavy guitar riffs with rebellious rock vibe and sampling. It really sucks they didn't resist the passing time. Final Cut - genius song, very industrial rock, to me one of the anthems for this genre. Tempting vocals, rhythmic dynamics, simple song construction and this 'something' what attracts my ears to listen to it over and over again.

Meathead - rap vibe with industrial rock samples and edgy guitars. 'Templebeat' song made me a bit tired, I miss something in the track. Vampire Rodents - well known and respected on the scene in the 90's, doesn't exist, inspired by music of Skinny Puppy for the most part, but in this song I can hear influences of Bauhaus (similarities to 'Sanity Assassin'). After all this madness there is time for more lyrical 'Need To Destroy' by T.H.C., to me more gothic than industrial vibe.
The compilation finishes with a bit power-noise track by Dive (remixed by Die Krupps) and James Ray & The Performance in 'Texas' track with interesting guitars. I've heard James Ray in the other project called James Ray's Gangwar - this guy can sing like an icon of gothic rock music - Andrew Eldritch.

This compilation is worth of having, especially that put out by Fifth Colvmn Recors, not existing these days but gathering true industrial rock artists in the 90's.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz. Proofreading: Scott M. Owens. Must not be used for promotional or commercial purposes. See a Legal Note for the copyrights below)