Assemblage 23
Meta
      It is hard to believe that it has been about three years since Assemblage 23's last release, 'Storm'. Regular readers might remember that I reviewed Storm very positively and considered it A23's strongest CD overall. So of course the question is how does an act follow up a strong release? Not bad indeed.

      One of the weaknesses of electro is that by nature it tends to be repetitive. This is not always a bad thing; bands like Funker Vogt are quite listenable even though their music tends to repeat a lot. However, the bands that rise above, such as A23, Wolfsheim, VNV Nation and Wumpscut, actually write songs instead of just dance club hits one after another.

      Meta is no exception. While not as strong as Storm, it still has some pretty decent tracks that A23 fans would definitely be proud of. I felt the CD started off with the so-so songs like "Decades V2" and "Raw," which are decent enough but not very memorable.

      "Sorry," the third song, totally changes that with an excellent sound, strong beats and lyrics anyone in the goth scene can relate to. Anyone that knows some teen goth drama queen will immediately dig this tune.

      One song that really surprised me was "Madman's Dream," which didn't sound like an A23 song at all. Musically, it had the standard A23 beat but with additional piano that made it seem more like 1980s techno, and the vocals were more like a Duran Duran song. The other thing that makes it stand out is it seems to be about a specific instance, the response (or lack of) to the tragedy in New Orleans after the levees broke. While topical songs are not always a good idea due to a shorter shelf life, it is still an excellent song.

      "Damaged" and "Old" are the obligatory electro ballads for Meta. While A23 do ballads better than some others, I am not a big fan of them.

      Overall, as an A23 fan, I was quite pleased with Meta. It is a worthy follow-up to Storm and definitely has some hits on it, particularly "Sorry," "Madman's Dream," "Ghost" and "Binary." If you are already a fan, Meta is worth picking up. If you are new to A23, start with Storm, then Defiance, Failure and then Meta. By that point you should absolutely love it.

Honorable Mentions
      These are CDs I did not have room to do full reviews of but that are still worth noting.

16 Volt - FullBlackHabit
      After I first got into the big industrial names—Ministry, KMFDM, Front 242, Skinny Puppy and Front Line Assembly—I discovered 16 Volt. They were one of the first heavy-beat, percussion-driven electro bands that would help drive the club scene in the 1990s and into the new millennium. Now, after a pretty long absence, they are back on Metropolis with FullBlackHabit, which features plenty of cool guest stars.

Funker Vogt - Aviator
      Funker Vogt are the electro version of AC/DC or Motorhead. They can keep chunking out the same thing album after album, but it is still cool. The tunes on Aviator are catchy and should find their way quite easily to the clubs.

Edge of Dawn - Enjoy The Fall
      Straight from Germany, Edge of Dawn remind me a bit of Seabound. Enjoy The Fall is their debut full-length CD, with just a 2005 EP release to their name. Edge of Dawn are decent synthpop; it will remain to be seen if they have any staying power.