Concept 7- The Undeniable Constant

Artist: Concept 7
CD Title: The Undeniable Constant
Label: Earthspike Productions
Reviewer: Matthew Johnson
Date: 4/16/06

Concept 7 don't seem to have quite figured out if they're an industrial group, a punk band, or drum 'n' bass outfit, and they don't particularly seem to care. The result is an album that's too danceable for punk and metal purists and too psychotically aggressive for ravers, but undeniably appealing to more open-minded music aficionados. Despite the use of real guitar and voice, the tracks are put together with the cut 'n' paste precision of techno. Guitars are heavy but simple; though the instrumental "Tetrode" features some nice rock 'n' roll flourishes over hip-hop breaks and scratches, for the most part the guitars are used to add emphasis to the electronics, rather than to show off, and range from funk and metal influences on "Verge" to understated finger-picking on the comparatively quiet "Non-Fault Tolerant." The vocals are likewise kept short and to the point, repeated in brief loops and used to add memorable hooks to the tracks. You won't find extended metaphors or long, story-telling ballads, but the refrains of "Subversion" and "7 States Of Panic" will get stuck in your head, and you'll catch yourself nodding along to the breakbeats as the tag-lines jump back and forth across your synapses for hours after you've turned the CD off. It's ultimately that head-nodding factor that makes this a great album, from the industrial drum 'n' bass aggression on "Functional Concrete" to the darker, more atmospheric breakbeats of "Art Of War." The crunch of the guitars and the raw, gritted-teeth vocal delivery all seem designed and placed to get the beats stuck in your head, and it's a singularly effective approach. Check out Concept 7 if you like a little funky rhythm to your industrial; ravers with anger issues may also find this album an excellent outlet.

Visit www.concept-7.net for sound clips and other information.