Alkaline, a Scar Tissue side project, starts thing off with a lulled, experimental piece which serves as an excellent mood setting track. SMP immediately picks up the pace with 'Wet Wire', a minimalistic percussion piece, and PX5 maintains the mood on 'Undercut'. Noxious Emotion contributes a slowed down remix of 'Boundary' that appeared on their second album "Count Zero". While, I really enjoy the original version of this track, the torpid growling chorus of "Liar, Liar, you fucking liar!" really grates my nerves. Next up is Osofaux with the first downer of the disc. While the music isn't bad, the pure Synth-Pop sound certainly doesn't mesh well with any other tracks on "Glory of Destruction".
Other less than astounding tracks include 'The Law of Averages' by Miasma of Funk / Bis Ende which sounds as if it was written on a four track and 'Sweet Enough To Steal' by A New January which is so joyously happy that it doesn' belong here. One cannot forget to mention the killer contribution by Jonathan Sharp, better known for his work on New Mind or Bio-Tek, with his track 'Death Box' under the name of Tyrophex 14. This track is by far the most impressive and diverse on the compilation and makes the disc worth it's asking price alone. Also of note are the long drony ambient pieces by The Dawn and Fiercen.
Overall, "Glory of Destruction", really is not that bad of a compilation, even with the addition of a few tracks that really don't fit the overall mood of the project. Yet, one has to remember that this project was compiled not by a major record label with funds to draw big names, but a lone individual whose desire to help out the underground scene pulled these fifteen bands together and released a well designed final product. So go support the struggling artists of the underground and pick up a copy of "Glory of Destruction", because you might be surprised at the quality of some of the bands presented here.
Contact:
Catastrophe Records
P.O. Box 2154
Seattle, WA 98101
E-mail: catastrophe@biosys.net