4st - Fourst |RagingPlanet, 2007|

Forced, Beyond and Beyond, Clockwork, Bipolar [-], One Foot Dance, An Enzyme Called Love, Twilight Roadkill, Kill Me Twice, Pure

It's the first ever Portugal band which as drown my attention that much. At the very beginning it's worth of a mention that a presence of Tom Baker who mastered the whole album is also significant as he surely appreciated their talent and music involvement. Baker is well known of working with a variety of rockstars to mention Nine Inch Nails, Rob Zombie, Deftones or Marilyn Manson, so choosing him for mastering work was the best solution.

[f.e.v.e.r.] releases the albums for a Portugal based record label called RagingPlanet and is one of the most professional bands I have ever come across since Fabryka first run along with other new discoveries like Mephistosystem, Fanoe or Lucky Striker 201.
The first thing what drew my attention was a very well designed CD artwork. I do state that the visual and even multimedia content for the CD is an important issue but sadly not many bands take care about it. [f.e.v.e.r.]'s albums have both of such features. Their bass player Luís Candeias is also a graphics designer for the band, responsible for multimedia (Flash) CD content as well as for their first ever black and white video animations for Bipolar [-] single track.

The musical content varies tho the songs are mostly guitar driven with a tremendous emotional charge but also with amazingly composed parts of the songs written for each of the instrument. Forced, Clockwork, Bipolar [-], One Foot Dance, Twilight Roadkill are sample songs that sort of. There is some extraordinary magic in their music, only 9 tracks (10 indeed because of one track hidden) only but after auditioning you'll want to listen to them over and over again.

I have no idea what influences they have but I can hear Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad), Rush or even Massive Attack fasten together along with the original [f.e.v.e.r.]'s vibe. 'Pure' song contains a leitmotif from Forced and forms a self-contained whole with the hidden track. The best ever song is Forced which I cannot tear my ears from and which is the first song by [f.e.v.e.r.] I learned from their Mypace profile, moreover found by a pure accident ;) The poorest song? There is any. I got only a promotional CD before its official release (2007) so I have no idea about the multimedia content of the CD but I guess there might be some as it happened on their previously released albums.

If you wish to learn [f.e.v.e.r.]'s music so begin from this album. If the band decides to make a career in an industrial rock style of music they presented on 4st album, additionally hiring well experienced producers at the same time, then I'm able predict an international success for [f.e.v.e.r.]. Good luck! ;) ( Katarzyna NINa Górnisiewicz. Must not be used for promotional or commercial purposes. See a Legal Note for the copyrights below)

Bipolar [-] |RagingPlanet, 2006|

Bipolar [-], Bipolar (Whore house mix), Bipolar (reinterpreted by corvos), Bipolar (Martin Rev Mix), Bipolar (Midi_geek Mix), Bipolar (Video edit), Bipolar (free samples)

Bipolar [-] is a single with a set of mixes for original Bipolar [-] track released on a full CD called 4st. In addition the band took care about the multimedia content of the CD so besides the audio tracks there are also free samples, 2 ring-tones, scripts with notes for violin and cello sections and a black and white videoclip kept in a comics like convention. All enriched with great Flash designs. Mixes vary so we got add-ons of drum'n'bass music, as well as a classical style because of cello and violin sounds, an entertaining 8bit music addition (yes, that one which you could hear while playing video games your Atari or Commodore computers - listen to Bipolar (reinterpreted by corvos) to have the idea.)

Bipolar [-] sounds to me more a collector's release with an interesting Flash content kept in the same cardboard box like design to be seen also on the CD artwork. ( Katarzyna NINa Górnisiewicz. Must not be used for promotional or commercial purposes. See a Legal Note for the copyrights below)

Iconflict |RagingPlanet, 2003|

Connection, Welcome, Argonaut, [IIII], Heaven Dividind Heaven, On Loss, Disconnection, Heaven Dividing Heaven (Video)

[f.e.v.e.r.] on their first album doesn't sound much industrial rock so you shouldn't consider this album as one of those. Their songs are progressive metal tracks based on guitars, drums and vocals with a slight add-on of samples, which either increase dynamics or subtlety, depends on the insensitivity. Inconflicts begins with a sample which reminds me sounds used in a video game Unreal but I may be wrong about it ;)

My favourite guitar driven track of the album is called On Loss with lots of finesse and progressive rock music additions to be heard also on albums by bands like Pendragon, Aragon or I.Q. Disconnection sounds like a soundtrack with its dark ambient background, and radio monologues.
It stands for a very interesting combination with the opening song called Connection and thanx to that, the CD becomes a concept album.
Rating for the CD is based also on very interesting and professionally designed artworks and Flash presentations attached to the CD as well as the live video for Heaven Dividing Heaven song. ( Katarzyna NINa Górnisiewicz. Must not be used for promotional or commercial purposes. See a Legal Note for the copyrights below)

...of Human Bondage |RagingPlanet, 2001|

D.W.D.H., Easy Scars, Do You Breed Summer?, This Easy, This Is Disease, Need To Bleed, Wide Awake + Looking Below, Hellraiser (Bonus), London Dungeon (Bonus),
Need To Bleed (Video), This Easy (Video)

The albums by [f.e.v.e.r.] vary but it's clear to me they keep improving and broaden their skills with every new release. ...of Human Bondage CD contains different but still guitar driven tracks with gentle used samples reaching from Easy Scars, a progressive-metal song with electronic beats, to industrial soundscapes (This Easy, Wide Awake + Looking Below).

An obligatory song to listen to is an industrial-rock cover for Hellriser (Bonus) originally recorded by Ozzy Osbourne and used also in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas video game. Totally awesome hit on this album with distorted guitars, solo riff and rather trance rhythm. The other cover is called London Dungeon originally written and performed by Glenn Danzig and released on a 7" vinyl EP by The Misfits in 1981. Traditionally, regarding [f.e.v.e.r.]'s CDs, this one also includes multimedia content with cool Flash designs and animations along with videos for Need To Bleed (cybernetic drummer is worth of watching for sure!) and kind of impressionistic, gloomy illustrating This Easy track. ( Katarzyna NINa Górnisiewicz. Must not be used for promotional or commercial purposes. See a Legal Note for the copyrights below)

Electronics (remixes) |Thisco, 2005|

Heaven Diving Heaven (Heaven remix by Bizzara Locomotiva), Do You Breed Summer (Shhh... mix), Easy Scars (Architectural mix by The Ultimate Architecs), This Disease (Thisease Demo by Moonspell), Need to Bleed (Nebula mix by Mofo), Argonaut (in Deep Space mix by Sci Fi Industries), On Loss (Aenima mix), Welcome (Through dub by Mecanosphere).

Electronics CD is a set of remixes made by a variety of artists like Bizarra Locomotiva, Moonspell, Aenima, Sci Fi industries or Mofo and many more. These remixed versions cover songs released on the two previous albums by [f.e.v.e.r.] - ...of Human Bondage (2001) and Iconflict (2003). It's kind of easy to understand that an artist with a vivid imagination can do lots of impressive things with a song, and in addition [f.e.v.e.r.]'s tracks are easy to remix because stay far from any cliche.

The best remix to me was reinterpreted by Bizarra Locomotiva for Heaven Dividing Heaven song - guitar driven, angry, edgy, dynamical and juicy. Other great remixes were done by The Ultimate Architects (Easy Scars) and Aenima (On Loss) with fragile and refreshing tunes. This time no multimedia content on the CD. ( Katarzyna NINa Górnisiewicz. Must not be used for promotional or commercial purposes. See a Legal Note for the copyrights below)

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