Manufactura- In the Company of Wolves

ARTIST: Manufactura
ALBUM: In the Company of Wolves
LABEL: Crunch Pod
REVIEWER: Matthew J.
DATE: 3-17-08

It wouldn't be accurate to call Manufactura's latest CD a "greatest hits" or "best of" collection, because technically it's all new material. On the other hand, this collection of remixes, collaborations, and new experiments is perhaps the best introduction to the project. Compared to the act's "proper" full-length releases, this isn't nearly as bound by a specific theme, attitude, or sonic mood, so it's a much better representation of how diverse Manufactura's musical efforts over the past decade have really been. There's plenty of club-ready power noise, of course. Combichrist's remix of "Sex & Suicide" and Caustic's mix of "Control.Domination.Response" highlight the more lyrical, EBM-influenced side of Manufactura with relentless beats and cold vocals drenched in cavernous reverb, as does the brand new track, "Hollywood Babylon." Manufactura's own "Full Contact" mix of "You're Fucking Worthless," though recent, offers a pretty representative example of the brutal power noise of the project's earliest material. Unlike a lot of rhythmic noise acts, though, Manufactura's also done some wonderful slower pieces, more appropriate for quiet brooding than violent dance moves, and two of the best examples of that show up here as collaborations. A cover of Swans' "God Damn the Sun" with The Operative is slow, bleak and terrifying, with emotionally deadened vocals drawled achingly over extended industrial textures. "Canto Gypsy," a collaboration with Displacer, combines spoken word in Spanish with dark trip-hop rhythms. Also unexpectedly haunting is a three-way collaborative mix of "Deep Waters" featuring beautifully sad vocals from I:Scintilla's Brittany Bindrim over a subtle rhythmic remix from Daniel Myer of Destroid and Haujobb fame. While some of Manufactura's earlier releases have been somewhat inaccessible due both to their violent sounds and violent themes, this release is essential listening for anyone who's into power noise or hard electronic music. Longtime fans should pick it up for the new tracks, DJs should pick it up for all the club remixes, and newcomers should pick it up as the most accessible introduction to a brilliant but difficult artist.

Go to manufactura.sistinas.com for more information.