Written by Shaun Phelps
Artist: [Immune System]
CD Title: [Cockstride EP]
Label: [Self-Released]
Reviewer: [
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
]
Date: [10-18-2005]
The Cockstride EP is the hard-hitting debut effort of Immune System, the first project of England-based native, Todd Ruzicka. Cockstride’s sound falls somewhere between Xorcist, KMFDM, and Ministry, with a dash of Meat Beat Manifesto. While Immune System shows similar characteristics with the above bands, however, Ruzicka’s music maintains enough personality to keep his sound fresh and personal.
Cockstride is comprised of crunching guitars, subtle, in-your-face keyboards, a healthy smattering of power tools and movie samples, and Ruzicka’s own stoically monotone vocals. Cockstride begins with Devil Stomp, a song closely akin to Ministry at one of its earliest incarnations--Twitch. While this is the least appealing song on this album, it serves as a good warm-up for what’s to come. The EP quickly takes a more personal turn with Fist, where Ruzicka walks the line between beauty and harshness; his uncharacteristically fragile voice leading his listeners through moments of melancholy piano contrasted by heavy keyboards and aggressive guitar. From there, Cockstride maintains an eclectically balls-out sound, going from harsh industrial rock to old-school electronics.
Sometimes haunting, sometimes sentimental, sometimes bitter, and other times completely devoid of emotion, Immune System’s Cockstride EP is an engaging release that will suck you in, get you going, and then end all too soon. There is something exceptional about Immune System, a sound all-too familiar but completely new at the same time. Immune System’s Cockstride EP is definitely worth checking out; which can be accomplished easily enough by visiting https://www.myspace.com/immunesystem.
CD Reviews 
Grave Concerns Ezine
