Velvet Acid Christ
Maldire


4.0
excellent

Review

by Eclecticist USER (16 Reviews)
September 11th, 2012 | 25 replies


Release Date: 2012 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Velvet Acid Christ releases an album that is equal in quality to those which had built his career back in the late 90’s.

Well, after a couple of thorough listens to the album it really seems as though Hexfix93 has gone back to the style which brought him the most success. A rough thirteen years later he has found it within himself to release another sterling album. Maldire is more reminiscent of his music from Calling Ov The Dead and Fun With Knives than his attempted experimentations from The Art of Breaking Apart, or his other in-between releases. For what it was, The Art of Breaking Apart just couldn’t compete with his other works even though he attempted to add some new flavours to the music. He recorded a series of acoustic-centred tracks bundled with some other less-than-interesting songs and a remix of “Phucking Phreak[/i] (which was no-where near as good as the original). Luckily on Maldire he has returned to his peak signature style that brings me back as far into the past as his activity in 1998 and 1999.

The album features artwork that looks a lot like the ‘Dead Hand’ mini-boss from the Shadow Temple in The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time and comes with eleven brand new tracks. The music is Hexfix93’s unique form of dark-wave combined with EBM that retains its classic 90’s electronic music sound. It too features a myriad of sequenced voice-clips - even one from Mr. Nobody which appears on the track “Ominous Rattle” - that have been sampled to coincide with the dark atmosphere elicited from the synths and Hexfix93’s harsh vocals. While there doesn’t seem to be any underlying concept embedded in the overall music, the tone is as depressive as his past works and as the album’s appearance suggests, as it is equipped with ominous dance mixes and misanthropic lyricism.

The totality of Maldire was enjoyable from beginning to end, with the exception of the song “Inhale Blood” which, because of its repetition, seemed rather dull compared to the other tracks. Aside from that there was no part of any of the others which I found boring to the degree in which I would ever dissent from that statement. I can’t imagine Maldire ever becoming unenjoyable, unless of course one were to over-listen to it or divorce their interest from the genre. The album is likely to be one of those which can bridge listeners into becoming Velvet Acid Christ fans and re-enforce the long-standing interest of those who are already a fan. While it is not an essential of the genre, nor will it probably ever be an important part of it, Maldire is definitely one of the better dark electronic albums to have come out over the last few years and will represent an important part of Velvet Acid Christ’s growth for the future.



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user ratings (26)
3.7
great


Comments:Add a Comment 
Eclecticist
September 11th 2012


3863 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

The majority of the release dates for his album's on sputnikmusic are incorrect. I'll fix them soon.

breakingthefragile
September 11th 2012


3104 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

I was just listening to this. I never really saw VAC's 90's albums as any real special additions into

the Skinny Puppy-inspired industrial scene, so this is probably gonna end up as a 3 for me.

Eclecticist
September 11th 2012


3863 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Fair enough. I suppose if you compare VAC's contributions to those of SKinny Puppy back then they may seem miniscule but I regard Hexfix93's project as being an important part of that era.

breakingthefragile
September 11th 2012


3104 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

I'd compare Disease Factory's work to Front Line Assumbly's mid-career albums more than I would compare him to Skinny Puppy. I've just always seen a lot influence from Skinny Puppy in VAC albums, especially in the pro animal rights messages there sometimes are. I do agree though, I think those VAC albums played a big role in solidifying the popularity of that brand of electro-industrial, and I've always had a soft spot for industrial like this anyway.

Eclecticist
September 11th 2012


3863 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Word, I agree.

Captain666
September 11th 2012


652 Comments


sweet review bro,

feature this!


will have to check, im not an indus expert but ill take the rec hard

breakingthefragile
September 11th 2012


3104 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Yeah, btw, have a pos from me man. Well-written review.

Eclecticist
September 11th 2012


3863 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Thanks captain! It would be cool if the review got a feature, I would love to see this album get some additional publicity on the site.



Definitely check out this album as well as Fun With Knives and Calling Ov The Dead.

Eclecticist
September 11th 2012


3863 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Thank you as well Breakingthefragile!

Captain666
September 11th 2012


652 Comments


u should request it

i cant since i dont have forum priviledges right now

Eclecticist
September 11th 2012


3863 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I'll leave that up to the readers, it is not for me to decide whether this review deserves a feature.

Captain666
September 11th 2012


652 Comments


good way to handle, I'll prolly start doin the same too

lol I request. Feature like everytime I review something new. Gotta stop doing that

Eclecticist
September 11th 2012


3863 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

It's good to be passionate about your work but you may taint the results of it by allowing yourself to appraise the finished piece.

Captain666
September 11th 2012


652 Comments


spoken like an educated man ;]

TheCrocodile
September 12th 2012


2925 Comments


I hate this band like a lot. Never understood what was so special about them in the first place...

Eclecticist
September 12th 2012


3863 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Well, it is not my place to try and convince you to like Mr. Hexfix93's (largely solo) project. However it is clear that there are others (like myself) who speak of VAC with a little more than a moderate degree of enthusiasm. So if you ever feel like putting your hate aside and opening up - know that in doing so you may actually find the same reasons for enjoying his music as those found by us, as well as some reasons of your own.

Acanthus
September 12th 2012


9812 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Cool, have to give this a listen.

Eclecticist
September 12th 2012


3863 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Definitely!

Deviant.
Staff Reviewer
September 13th 2012


32288 Comments


Nice review but that summary is a train wreck

Eclecticist
September 13th 2012


3863 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Thanks! I guess it is pretty clear that I had trouble thinking of a clever summary but until I think of something better I'm going to sit on this one.



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