Chronique SoundShock (UK)

Alexis Lun 11 Fév - 22:41

http://www.soundshock.net:80/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=478&Itemid=27

It is an extremely rare occasion on which an album that can truthfully be described as ‘mind-bogglingly mental’ is released, but if there was ever a record befitting of that title, it is ‘2 Unlimited’. Ravers need not raise their glo-sticks in celebration; this is not the self-titled return of the 90’s techno act, but a debut from French wackos Pin-Up Went Down that straddles so many different styles of music that it becomes almost impossible to describe the band’s sound in this relatively short space. Consisting of former Carnival In Coal drummer Alexis Damien and the mysteriously named Asphodel on lead vocals, this dynamic duo manage to turn the concept of genre on its head, shaking it by the trousers until the album’s closing moments.

The first striking aspect of ‘2 Unlimited’ is the gorgeous vocal qualities of Asphodel, a relative newcomer to the game. Her sensual voice lands somewhere between the talents of Amy Lee and Kate Bush; never afraid to push itself towards eccentricity, but always retaining a strong sense of melody. She does well to accompany the insane number of styles that are referenced on the album, with folk, pop, jazz, punk, electronic, industrial and death metal all playing regular parts. Whether it’s the System Of a Down-cum-Lacuna Coil-cum-No Doubt headfuck of a song that is ‘Nearly Dead Bat Make Up’, the Finntroll-inclined ‘Cadavre Exquis’, or the Rammsteinien ‘Only Some Shitty Chemical Stuff’, the whole album rocks, mocks and shocks its way through a startling variety of songs that often need to be replayed to be believed.

This diversity is potentially a weakness as much as a strength though. The increasingly psychotic paralleling of genres suggests that leading man Damien is having the time of his life, but it is often at the cost of coherent songwriting, and the overall quality of the album sometimes suffers as a result. However, when Pin-Up… get it right, they nail it, and so for every slightly tedious moment, there are two or three awe-inspiring ones. Who the hell will even go to their shows once they tour is up for speculation, but on the basis of ‘2 Unlimited’ alone, they should be in for something special.

Reviewed by Merlin Alderslade