SCAPA FLOW
PAX VOBISCUM 1988-2001
ALBUM ENERGY RELEASE: LATE WINTER, 2002 REVIEW: APRIL 3, 2002

Sometimes, when I have decided to finally make something a little extraordinary with my meals, it ends up such an anti-climax that I have to boil that freakin' pasta after all. And eating dry pasta aggressively, because the deliciously fried chicken was over-salted is not one my favourite things.
On the contrary, it usually ends with Leœther Strip or even Cat Rapes Dog shouting their anger at the world at ridiculously high volumes. This is tremendously helpful, for a synthpop nut like me, for expulsion of rage and disappointment. It may take a full album, or it may take a single song. Leœther Strip's "Adrenaline Rush", for example, always works wonders in restoring my sanity.
Now, I 've been told that Scapa Flow too, is aggressive and the source of admiration for many hard EBM fans. So, naturally I saved "Pax Vobiscum" for the right occasion. It didn't take long, as I, for the first time in years, fried my steaks to coal, due to numerous phone calls from someone wanting to get a hold of a plumber. After having heard only a couple of tracks from Scapa Flow, my anger did not disappear, although it sporadically faded, but it took another round of "Solitary Confinement" to finally calm me down completely.
I really need to hear someone promote the greatness of this band's earlier albums, as they have been hailed as milestones in the field of raw, uncompromising body music. Sure, here and there Scapa Flow impresses me, like the sound frame in "Drugstore" and the shapeshifting "Faith: the Only Anchor", but on the whole it's a mesh of bottled up rage and quite laughable lyrics, left for poor listeners to deal with.
What should be mentioned and taken into consideration concerning the future of Scapa Flow is the two brand new tracks "Birds on a Wire" and "Like Lovers Do". They easily outshine the other content on this compilation, with their more emotional, mellow approach. I'd like to hear a full album from the source of those ideas, but their back catalogue is nothing to get worked up about. Frankly, parts of it is embarrassing.
Now, quickly, someone help me set up a witness protection program!

NIKLAS FORSBERG