Dismantled-The War Inside Me

Artist: Dismantled

CD Title: "The War Inside Me"

Label: Metropolis Records

Genre: EBM, Industrial

Website https://www.dismantled.org

Reviewer: Reg Davey

Date: 7-1-11

With Dismantled's first release since the re-issue of "Standard Issue" a year or two ago, and the first album proper since 2007's "When I'm Dead", it's safe to say that their fan base have been waiting with bated breath for the new album. Well, here it is, it's finally here. But what's it like?

Well, really really good actually. Possibly the most accomplished offering to date from Mr. Zon (for he is Dismantled), it's a mature, confident trip into the inner dicotomy of the mind and lifes experiences that Dismantled excel at.

Full of nasty, dirty feedback loops and schizophreic beats that pummel the listener into submission, and lyrics that rip open the bare breast of the Human Psyche, this is a distinctly uncomfortable piece of work and listening experience.

To me, one of the stand-out tracks on the album is "Disease", which is a very down-tempo, restrained and introspective number. It's almost reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails "The Day The World Went Away".

It's in this kind of composition that I feel that Zon is strongest, where he really reveals his ability as a composer.  "The Bathroom Floor" sounds much like a mid-career piece by Manson. Title track "The War Inside Me" could very well be  one of the strongest tracks that Zon has written, and is full of a kind of urgent energy that is waiting to break free.

"Scrape The Bullets From Your Eyes" reminds me of early Assemblage 23 almost, and is, well, a beautiful piece of art. As for the rest of the tracks, well, you'll just have to have a listen and find out. There isn't a single bad track on the album.

The whole album definitely draws on a range of influences, being that there are flashes of the aforementioned

Nine Inch Nails, the darker albums by Numan, Apoptygma Berzerk, Marilyn Manson (again, mentioned already),  Front Line Assembly, amongst a list  that's frankly too long to summarize in a few words.

Lyrically, this is one dark piece of work, occasionally suffocating in their intensity. Quite frankly, this is not a light-hearted album, so if you're expecting something feel-good (but then again, if you know anything at all of Dismantled, you should know this by now) then you're going to be disappointed.

Another point, it's refreshing to see albums like this that have a definite stamp of originality and personality on them, rather than just going for the same old zeitgeist-inducing beats that some acts at the moment, indeed some of the biggest, seem to be content in throwing out.

The War Inside Me - A dark masterpiece that in my view everyone should track down.