XP8-Adrenochrome

Artist: XP8

CD Title: Adrenochrome

Label: 2393 Records

Genre: EBM, industrial

XP8 is Marko Resurreccion and Marco Visconti ( in groups like Grendel and Nitzer Ebb tribute band Muscle & Hate with Paul Toohill, and Sebastian Komor).

Xp8, started in 2001 as a trio including previous singer Paul Toohill. In 2002, they unveiled their self-released album 10111. Soon in 2003, they would release their first "official" demo"Forgiven", on the now defunct mp3.com website. They signed a deal with the Polish label Black Flames Records, who reissued the demo in May of 2004 as "Forgive[n]". This was quickly followed by an EP RE_Productions (Das Licht + Wet Dream) in October of 2004.

Their first studio album  Hrs:Min:Sec would be released on the premiere industrial label Infacted Recordings. Over the years, XP8 made a name for themselves due to their energetic live performances and their highly sought after remixes. Xp8 has released 4 official studio albums, including their latest Adrenochrome.

XP8 best describes themselves as "an airy blend of EBM, electronica, techno and trance, bringing their various visions and talents to life with synthetic vibrancy and danceable beats, crossing electronic genres with relative ease Aimed at the heart of the dancefloor, the music keeps listeners moving through the night in timeless waves, emitting subtle hints of the 1980s while slipping easily into sounds of the new millennium: glitchy patterns, sharp simulated strings, and clear vocals travel through bright sequences and brooding atmospheres."

 Adrenochrome is far more than just your traditional album: based on a story written by Marko, one half of XP8, in the late 1990’s and recently revised. It takes place in the not so distant future in a third recession London. It follows two individuals, Liam Bateman and Kath Hastings. Liam is assisting Kath from being captured by various organizations for information she carries. You follow them through all the twists, turns, and deception. The story is full of intriguing characters with larger than life personalities. Very cyberpunk in nature, calling upon all the classic themes of the genre and maintaining a distinct rivethead feel. Despite that, overall fans of sci -fi or suspense will be captivated as well. Every track on Adrenochrome is named after a chapter in the book and the music acts as the perfect accompaniment to the story. Adrenochrome will be released as a limited edition CD digipak, with a full color, 12 page booklet + a nicely formatted ebook in .pdf format sporting the stunning art of Vlad McNeally, aka kallisti:design.

Adrenochrome is probably one of the strongest and most poignant records that XP8 has ever released. All the elements are present that has made XP8 one of the biggest names in the EBM, industrial and electronic realm. Though the album was designed to be a musical accompaniment to the novel, it strongly and proudly stands it's own ground as a really incredible record. Though musically Adrenochrome doesn't explore nor break any new ground, it still manages to stand out in a sea of electro clones and mediocre talent that litters the electronic scene today. The vocals are clear and intelligible, while flip flopping from harsh to more of a poppy, new wave-esque style. XP8's polished sound makes one think of Apoptygma Berzerk. Songs like "Getaway" and "Hunter" reminds me of  updated versions of classic EBM acts like Nitzer Ebb, while still managing to capture the true essence of the 80's dark electro sound. Each of the 11 tracks on Adrenochrome seem to effortlessly flow into each other. Adrenochrome playfully flirts with a wide variety of genres like house, techno, trance and electro, which seems like the frosting on an already well baked and developed EBM industrial cake. Get ready to dance your asses off! Almost every track on Adrenochrome is a contender for a bonafide club smash, with the exception of "Going Underground", which has a slower, darker, more ominous vibe.

The only shocking, surprising and disappointing thing about Adrenochrome, is the complete absence of remixes. Technically, Adrenochrome is a strong enough release, that unlike many EBM records that heavily relies on remixes from named artists and producers, Adrenochrome is a powerhouse all on it's own. That being said, I'd still like to hear the different interpretations from various outside sources. Other than that, Adrenochrome is quite possibly one of the best albums of 2013.

Listen to XP8 Adrenochrome

Buy XP8 Adrenochrome