Polluted Axis- The Ruin Nation

ARTIST: Polluted Axis

ALBUM: The Ruin Nation

LABEL: Crunch Pod

Genre: Noise

REVIEWER: Bug Gigabyte

DATE: 2/1/2011

What the artist has to say:

Straight off Polluted Axis’s website (www.PollutedAxis.com):

“This isn’t a remix CD. It’s not a demo. This is the original rhythmic noise version of The Trepanation Nation before I completely re-wrote it as my debut on Crunch Pod. There are 3 tracks that got re-worked for the CD and 4 of the original tracks that didn’t make it.”

My thoughts on this production:

Bore Hole

I like when a track gets straight to the point. After listening to a song for so long I like to fast forward past all the slow openings and put it on right before it jams. This is not the case on this production because it comes right at you like a freight train. I do wish I could hear something before hand to tell me shit is about to get real heavy or a better build up. This track would definitely be a club hard hitter. When I say hard, the sound of this track is like pushing the signals into overload. I love the use of percussion and how they act like it belongs with the synths.

Have Ether, Will Drill (All Out Of Ether)

The opening sound gives the sense of a drill about to do some major damage on your brain. I find this track hits way harder than first one did. I do wish I could hear more change ups in the arrangement on this track. This track offers a feeling, that all the sounds are about to bleed out of the speakers! (The fans for this type of style would consider this to be a good thing.)

Oopsy, Lobotomy

This track is one of my favorites. There are two different elements that make this track stand out: The sound of the killer bass drum and the break core influence. By the time I was done with this track I definitely wanted to hear more of it.

The Trepanation Nation (The Ruin Nation)

When using an 8 bit type opening, it is a great way to bring back memories for some of us. The feeling of the groove is what makes this track stand out above the rest. You can’t go wrong with the hard noise drum fills, in between a hard pounding bass drum. The break down where the 8bit comes back in the second time around is great breather for some. I get a really happy feeling when there is some type of release going on with this one. The weight is still there but some of it has gotten off my shoulders.

Brain Pulse

Recycling a sound from the first track is a great way to keep up the feel of the album going. I really like the upbeat bass drum and the pure white noise acting as a snare/open high hat. There is one sound stuttering out of time, but I do get the sense this was done on purpose.

Increased Blood Brain Volume (Bleeding Out)

I recommend to everyone, do not put the bass drum in the stereo field, you have to keep the sound in the mono channel. I do believe this track is an exception. The way it was presented it gave a sense of an explosion when more sounds came in, creating a great flow throughout the mix.

The Trephining Manual (Fuck The Manual)

“Fuck The Manual” is a great way to describe this song. I love it for its harsh guitar, high pitched percussive, ring noise and the use of white noise as a snare. The only problem I have with this track is the arpeggiator. I find the pitch is wrong in relation to the overall pitch of the track. This is a great ending track for the album if you can get past the arpeggiator.

Over all sound:

I feel that this album needs a little more mixing of frequency, but I must say the levels were spot on. I would also like to see more transitions and more use of panning on the stereo spectrum.

Recommended listening situation:

I recommend listening to this production in the car, in a club, on a horror movie/ dark sci-fi movie soundtrack, about to engage in a fight, and during sex.

Would I buy it? Yes

On a scale from 1 to 10:

1 = I’m using it for target practice

10 = I have three backup copies in case zombies break out.

Answer = 8.

Why?

The use of distortion was fantastic! Some sounds which should be synths were definitely drums. If you were not looking, you would have never known.

Some sounds in the same frequency range over powered each other and they were both hungry and trying to fight over the bread.

Now other noise bands listen to this….this is what a bass drum is supposed to sound like!

Final Thoughts:

You defiantly would like this, if you like minimal, hard hitting, noise crunching, experimental dance music. I would consider this band to fuck the dance floor up with me.

Links:

https://crunchpod.com/artists/polluted-axis/

https://www.facebook.com/PollutedAxis

https://www.last.fm/music/Polluted+Axis

https://www.myspace.com/pollutedaxis

https://www.reverbnation.com/pollutedaxis

https://soundcloud.com/pollutedaxis

https://www.youtube.com/user/luxotek