Published on Sep 21, 1998
Trent Reznor, move over… you’ve got company.
Although Los Angeles-based 16 Volt doesn’t like categorization,
their music is very much a mixture of insustrial and skeptical
thought, all put to rock (and, sometimes, even gentler) melodies.
Their fourth full-length release (and first for Slipdisc),
Supercoolnothing, shows how well this band has mastered
their craft.
Led by vocalist/guitarist Eric Powell (who also handles the
programming duties), 16 Volt quickly establishes themselves as a
name to be watched on “I Fail Truth”. It’s different in that the
focus isn’t always on the pained shouting of the lyrics like many
industrial bands get into; instead, the focus seems to be on
writing a decent song, one that has more substance than just
synthesizer work. Guitarist/bassist Mike Peoples and guitarist
Krayge Tyler help make sure that the sound gets fleshed out into
something quite workable.
The best part of 16 Volt is that they continually deliver
hard-hitting blows to the ears that make you wonder why they
haven’t been a household name yet. From the gentle verses building
to a powerful chorus on “Moutheater” to the subtle declaration
“Fuck the record industry” on “The Enemy,” Powell and crew
constantly initiate your interest and challenge popular views.
Especially noteworthy is his comment on “And I Go”: “I’m in love
with the devil, and she’s in love with me.” That should raise some
eyebrows.
But in the end,
Supercoolnothing isn’t an album that’s supposed to shock
people. No, it’s main purpose is to breathe some new life into a
style of music that some people might think is starting to
stagnate. And if tracks like “Dead Weight”, “Machine Kit” and
“Everyday Everything” are any indication, 16 Volt is doing just
that, and doing it well.
If Powell and crew don’t mind, I would like to offer my own
categorization of 16 Volt and
Supercoolnothing: a damned good album.
1998 Christopher Thelen and “The Daily Vault”. All rights
reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without
written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of
Slipdisc / Mercury Records, and is used for reference purposes
only.