Into the Hole- Do You Want to Play With Me?

Artist: Into The Hole
CD Title: Do you want to Play with me?
Label: Self- Release
Reviewer:Richard Edge
Date: 4-04-06

The developments in, and affordability of recent music technology have tended to lead to music that is created on, and perhaps even to an extent by computers. In some ways it is difficult to avoid this in the world of industrial electronic music.

Coming from a punk background Italy’s Into the Hole claim to reject the world of virtual instruments and computer based sequencers, whilst still producing industrial, electronic type music. It is perhaps this rejection of these elements of the cyber world that gives ItH their organic, old-school sound.

Dirty analogue synth sounds abound, buzz saw guitars whine and drum machines tick mercilessly. Sometimes menacing, sometimes aggressive shouted vocals are made all the more disturbing by the slightly unfamiliar tones of the Italian accent.

In terms of stylistic comparisons, ItH at times sound akin to some of the more prominent original EBM artists such as Front 242, although perhaps with a more punk feel to things. Opening track ‘Useless’ is a good example of this, along with ‘Without Pity’

‘A Good Game’ is eerie, dark synth pop, with more of a sung vocal, and ‘The Dream of Reality’ comes somewhere between that and the aforementioned punky industrial sound.

This EP avoids most of the clichéd industrial scene tricks and traits, instead coming across with a genuine honesty and element of freshness. I can’t see ItH on MTV anytime soon, although I wouldn’t be surprised to find them in the role of the purveyors of dark underground pleasures for those in the know.

Visit the band: www.intothehole.com