VOMITO NEGRO FIREBALL ALBUM TRITON RELEASE: AUGUST, 2002 REVIEW: SEPTEMBER 12, 2002

It has been ten years since the most unusual of the Belgian block (Klinik and Insekt being the other members of this block; Front 242 can bite me) has released an album. To say that I had doubts about the relevance of Vomito Negro would be an understatement. Guy van Miegham and Gin Devo were always a favourite of mine back in the day but could they withstand the test of such a long break?
Yes and no. Gin Devo was fired from Vomito Negro shortly before this release thus leaving only music man van Miegham to soldier on.
If you loved the sounds of Vomito Negro before, then you will love this new album. The main strength is the fact that van Miegham has been bitten by the techno bug for this release. The track "Gaia" is featured in four versions all of which are quite enjoyable. Some stirring instrumentals are also included on this album and they very effectively pick up right where Vomito's last album "Wake up" left off.
But what is really atrocious are the lyrics. Don't read them, don't even try to follow along. The content is some of the worst English as second language I've ever heard. Also, the sound hasn't really been all that updated and this tends to give the release a very dated sound. Understandably, this release would have been quite evolved say in 1995 or 1996 but this is 2002.
I still am a fan of Vomito Negro and Gin Devo's being fired was overdue. It's also great to hear such a non-pop album in the electro genre. This band is one of the best examples of why EBM used to be so intoxicating. The aggression is marvelous, the music crisp and well-produced but the approach needs to be updated. I am quite sure that if van Miegham does another album under the Vomito Negro name it will be flawless.

PETER MARKS