Global Fobia (promo) |Kaos Krew, 2010|
Tinnitus, Shine, Arabian Shake, The Loop, DisOrder
Global Fobia it's the third release by Finnish industrial metal band with a line-up consisting of Uffe (guitars, keyboards and programming), Göran (lead guitarist, lead vocals) and Tomas (bass, backing vocals).
After several listenings it's sure the album brings rather simple songs based on repetitive guitar riffs, solos and synth backgrounds. There are also nice drum beats and interesting arrangements in „The Loop” with the southern USA music like add-ons (f.e. ZZ Top style).
I found „Shine” interesting as well however it lacks also a wider construction of the song, but I am suggesting more complicated arrangements because I can see guys can play guitars very well. Moreover „Shine” needs more lyrics and if Göran's skills of guitar play are very good I cannot tell the same about his vocals. He's definitely not attracted to effect the listeners with his own voice. Other than that „Arabian Shake” has cool guitar riffs interlaced with the song and indeed somewhat reminds the Far East music inspiration, but on the other side it lacks vocals but also any hard hit drums would be greatly appreciated.
The last song on the promo called „Disorder” is underlined by very sharp guitars sound but there are also rather flat drum beats and when it comes to my taste, too much of the synths used. Such a mixture reminds me that typical European form of industrial metal, where
stricte trash or black metal bands add poor, easily accessible samples to their raging guitars. The effect isn't stunning for sure.
I liked the artwork of the CD which shows a wide, dry, cracked land and nothing else on the horizon. There's a blond girl perhaps 4-5 years old, wearing a light dress and rocking on a swing with her back turned to whoever is watching. That's a truly great example of an empty childhood image which lacks joy and attractions and where rocking on a simple wooden swing and dealing with her own thoughts or dreams are the only entertainment.
Kaos Krew has some potential to make their music bigger but they should work more on enriching their songs arrangements, empowering their drum beats and bass but also looking for a lead singer with a gravelly powerful hard rock voice so that the effects of their work would sound much better.
(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz. Proofreading: Scott M. Owens. Must not be used for promotional or commercial purposes. See a Legal Note for the copyrights below)