Avenpitch – Soon Enough

TC Electropunk Volume 5 is a hot rush of electronica and provocative guitars with one unifying quality, that is the clearly punk lyrics and patterns in both old and new styles. The synths bring about an industrial and musical quality, breaking the mundane repetitions we often associate with the base genre. Each artist brings their own take and variation, leaving one to wonder what is really at the soul of electropunk. Overall there’s creativity and energy but for some tracks, the sound is muffled due to poor mixing. For electronic artists, the bane of quality is having good post-production though artists like dosh tend to enjoy rawness.

The record sways in some interesting directions. Track 6 (MSRP “Control Freak”) and 9 (The Eighth “Wasted Heartbeats”) have a rock and grunge quality while 7 (One Two Three Dead – “My First Communion”) and 12 (Gabber Nullification Project – “Tickle Me Panzer”) could entertain mosh pits at hardcore shows. Track 4 (Pop Inc “Disenchanted”) is the most deviant of the record with a Celine Dion orchestra that beats into a Ladytron like sequence. Of course the most polished would be Avenpitch‘s title track “Soon Enough,” a rock out song with an infectious chorus. The long-time scenesters are already on their third album and are the organizers of TC Electropunk.

With local nu metal and experimental rock bands on the down low, the punks have seized the electronic age. If you’re a young band, this album presents a taste of the genre.

3 out of 5 stars