PROJECT-X MODUS OPERANDI ALBUM ENERGY RELEASE: MAY 26, 2003 REVIEW: MAY 26, 2003

After moving into my new flat last November, I have been wondering how much my neighbours hear of the music I play. I listen to music almost every waking hour, and I can imagine that it can be quite painful if you're into classical music and get hard beats blasting through the floor. When I got the new Project-X album “Modus Operandi” a week ago my poor neighbours were put to further strain. This type of music really begs to be played loud, and so I did. In this case it really helps the music, as the sheer power and strength doesn’t show at low volumes. Being a responsible kind of guy, I of course turned it down after ten...
With this new effort we welcome a more refined sound from Sweden’s EBM band Project-X with singer and main composer Torny Gottberg at the front. The first six tracks include many great potential hits, as well as a slower, heavy piece - complete with piano - called “Blindfold” which is filled to the brim with malignant force. I get some Leather Strip vibes from this track, and that’s a great compliment in my book.
So what about the rest then? It goes a little downhill I’m afraid. The songs are more faceless and anonymous, and it all gets a bit similar after a while. The melody and drive of the opening numbers gets lost somewhere, and it sounds more derivative of other bands out there. Still, this band shits on many other groups in the genre from a great height, and I hope they get some more success with this new material. It's not very original, but it is made with skill.

JOHAN CARLSSON