Pride and Fall- Border

Artist: Pride And Fall
CD Title: Border (digital single)
Label: Metropolis Records
Reviewer: Matthew Johnson
Date: 4/9/06

One of the first singles in a new series of digital-only releases from Metropolis Records, Pride And Fall's "Border" features five mixes of the title track as well as the exclusive track "Dissent." A club mix of "Border" starts things off, and like previous songs from Pride And Fall, this one bears more than a passing resemblance to VNV Nation, with trance and EBM influences in the forefront, accompanied by the dramatic vocals of singer Sigve Monsen. The original album version is a bit quieter, giving up a bit of the speed for some cinematic slower moments built around lush synth pads, but the two versions are similar enough to one another that you begin to wonder if the entire EP is going to consist of slight reinterpretations of the same track. Fortunately, Russian producer DJ RAM's remix is a bit more exciting, a high-BPM burst of energy that utilizes subtle distortion effects on Monsen's vocals for a much edgier feeling. Edge Of Dawn contribute a rather pretty pop remix, while terror EBM duo Virtual Embrace turn "Border" into a hard-hitting club stomp, complete with vocoder. The exclusive track is probably the biggest hook here for diehard Pride And Fall fans, and again there's that VNV Nation resemblance, but this time it's VNV Nation's latest material, a lot more like "Chrome" than "Joy" or "Legion," and full of bouncy electronics and catchy, upbeat vocal work. With so many remixes of the same track, though, this is a niche offering at best; DJs and obsessive Pride And Fall fans will probably check this out, but the general public might be better off picking up the new full-length album Elements of Silence instead.

Visit www.prideandfall.com and www.metropolis-records.com for more information on this digital release.