K-Bereit- Distort Neural Unit

Written by Matthew Johnson

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ARTIST: K-Bereit

ALBUM: Distort Neural Unit

LABEL: Sigsaly Transmissions

REVIEWER: Matthew J.

DATE: 7-20-10

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The newest incarnation of pioneering French EBM act Kriegbereit, this project features the programming of Dominique Lallement, perhaps best known for his work with Front 242's Jean-Luc de Meyer in Cobalt 60. As you might guess, K-Bereit's sound is decidedly old-school, with simple but powerful electronic beats and cold synthesizer sequences backing the aggressive barks and echoing bellows of vocalist Frederic Sebastien. Opening track "None" recalls the early, pre-guitar work of Die Krupps with its icy electronics and clanking rhythm, and "Whatever May Come" is more dance-oriented, its drum machine more insistent, Sebastien's vocals less confrontational. "4lif3" borders on power noise with its harsh rhythmic minimalism, though deadened vocals and a jagged keyboard phrase kick in to bring things back into classic EBM territory; similarly, the caffeinated beats of "If Only" are speedy enough to give modern terror EBM artists a run for their money, but Sebastien's hoarse delivery and the backing vocals of Punish Yourself's Miss Z. give things a raw edge that brings to mind early Nitzer Ebb. If K-Bereit's music is firmly rooted in the original EBM sound, they're certainly not averse to giving newcomers a leg up, and this album features four bonus tracks from up and coming fellow French acts Psychosomatik and Under All. Psychosomatik's "H5N1" and "Ground Zero" are moody and understated, while Under All's "My Kiss" and "Whip Me" are more epic, the former full of ominous symphony strings and the latter driven by nervous electronics and looping rock guitar. Both guest artists share enough of K-Bereit's old school aesthetic not to sound out of place while also providing enough sonic variety to break things up a little. Inspired by the classics but relevant to today's club-goers, this album serves as an excellent introduction to France's current EBM scene and is sure to please fans of the better-known Belgian and German pioneers.

Visit Dominique Lallement and Frederic Sebastien at www.k-bereit.com.