Transhuman 2.0 (Limited Edition), |BitRiot, 2007|

CD 1: 1. Frequency In Cycles, 2. Order Out Of Chaos, 3. Insurgence, 4. Transhuman, 5. Deface, 6. Axiom, 7. Suspension Of Disbelief, 8. Actuator, 9. Sensory Deprivation, 10. Beta Blocker, 11. Antithesis, 12. Higher States Of Consciousness

CD 2: 1. Frequency (Recycled), 2. Sensory Overload, 3. Resurgence, 4. Chaos Incarnate, 5. Transhuman 2.0, 6. Deface (The Glitch Mode Stomper), 7. Pro-Dissonance, 8. (Paranoid) Disbelief, 9. Axi-Etherum, 10. LD 50, 11. Beta Blocker (Detox), 12. Altered States Of Consciousness, 13. Transhuman (Mix By Drukore), 14. Sensory Deprivation (Mix By Mindfluxfuneral), 15. Deface (Mix By Deadliner), 16. Suspension Of Disbelief(Mix By Perileyes)

There are bands who don't fail on the industrial rock scene. There are also bands which are passionate more about music than making money and in that way they improve their skills being focused on know-how and having a full control over their ventures. Yeah, music business can be evil! ;) Some of bands follow their influences, music they were growing up to and it has become the most precious passion for them through years. Such a new generation grew up on the industrial rock classics is represented by Cyanotic, of which musicians are in their late 20's or early 30's and who added "glitch" ingredient to their music making recipe.

Cyanotic has been active continuously since a few years, and the band leader - Sean can be found on most of industrial rock related discussion forums, including Fabryka's ;) The band members don't make rock stars from themselves, they make music for the people and it's kind of easy to talk to each of them. But there were stars invited to make the album Transhuman 2.0: from FrontLine Assembly and Eric Powell (16volt) to the artists better known on the American continent like Deadliner, Drukore, mindFluxFuneral and many others. Seems like passions and inspirations gave an excellent result, because besides a wide range of the CD accessibility (see Cyanotic's live shows where they also sell the CDs), continuous fans' support and positive reviews in music magazines, Cyanotic found a proper record label and promotor. BitRiot is based in Chicago and runs its business with a very professional attitude so I guess it will attract more original bands soon. Moreover it's a sublabel of Wax Trax II, which mother-label has been a cult record label on the industrial rock music scene in the 80s and the 90s.
Cyanotic have done lots of interesting shows so far and it's clear they care about playing with the best of the scene: from Marazene, Project .44, mindFluxFuneral, Manufraqture, Rabbit Junk, Jilt, Skinny Puppy, Frontline Assembly, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Meat Beat Manifesto, Dismantled, Stromkern, Dismantled, Acumen Nation, DJ? Acucrack, to Bile, Nocturne or Otto Von Schirach etc.

Transhuman 2.0 Limited Edition is a double CD album which includes out of print Transhuman 1.0. I wrote a review for Transhuman 1.0 some time ago in Fabryka, so this time I'll focus on the second CD.

There is no poor song on the album as I expected. Every listener can find something interesting to enjoy with. There are songs kept in a vibe proper for a dancefloor but also tracks with influences of trip hop, power noise music styles or typical for Cyanotic, full of glitches compositions.

There is a song I return the most often to when listening to Transhuman 2.0. It's called Axi Etherum by Eric Powell from 16volt, which first ever previews gave me an idea it should be the best song on the album - so it is. Trip hop rhythm, seductive vocals, mysterious atmosphere and cool sampled guitars in the end of the track stand for a masterpiece you don't find daily. Eric can perfectly mingle different styles of music so thus his FullBlackHabit CD is worth of a listening to as well. He can manage everything.

The next artist who drew my attention some time ago is Deadliner. I learnt his remixing abilities from RockWhore vs DanceFloor by Chemlab two years ago, where he made a song called The Moon Looked Down. Deadliner on Transhuman 2.0 came up with a remix for Deface, one of the heaviest songs on the original album. Deadliner has his own original style of making music so there is a lot going on in his remixes most often like interesting groups of samples, mixed and re-arranged in an awesome way. That's why Deface is worth of a listening and actually it reminds me a vibe known from music known from albums by This Morn Omina or Numb - trance, electronic and dynamical.
There is also another trance song - Sensory Deprivation by mindFluxFuneral but it's kind of different and more suitable for the dancefloors.

Transhuman 2.0 features also musicians who have been friends to Cyanotic crew for years, I mean Acumen Nation and Rabbit Junk. Speaking of Rabbit Junk - there is a song Resurgence which you must listen to, because it is one of the most modified songs with an aggressive background. There are also musicians less known on the scene but talented enough to draw your attention like Jairus Khan, Jason Prost, Tom Hutchinson (LiD), or Phil Disiena (Infocollapse) taking part on the album.

This CD definitely shows how creatively a set of songs seemingly hard to modify can be re-arranged and how important is a good, professional line up. It's not only about well known names but also the artists' skills they have learnt for years. Besides that, Cyanotic depends to the core of new bands which found a golden mean to refresh an image of industrial rock music, with a deep knowledge what the style means and what impressions it should give to the listeners to keep the original vibe with a use of the new add-ons at the same time.

PS. I'm the designer for the front and the back artworks ;)

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, 08/12/2008. Must not be used for promotional or commercial purposes. See a Legal Note for the copyrights below)