Testify: Crack The Mind Reviews
Testify emerges again, this time armed with 5 new tracks and 4 remixed by the
likes of Die Krupps, Die Warzau, and Plastic Noise Experience. Relentlessly
harsh and ever aggressive, the team of Myk Jung, Moses W. (both of The Fair
Sex), Mathias Black, and Ulf H. return to remind us that they are the reigning
masters of the dark, guitar-driven industrial niche. For those of you who
wish Ministry hadn't gone soft after Psalm 69, Testify will more than make up
for what you've been craving. From devastating guitar manipulation to
controlled insanity, Testify's "Crack The Mind" is an awesome addition to Van
Richter's catalogue. - Daryl Litts, In_Faction
The German band Testify uses chunky guitars, sharp vocals and well-placed samples to concoct a potent brand of aggro-metal in the vein of White Zombie and Ministry. Crack the Mind features remixes by Die Krupps, Die Warzau and Plastic Noise Experience. - Pulse Magazine
It's easy to completely dismiss an Industrial Metal band from Germany in
1998, but Testify from the industrial metropolis of Essen have been
making compelling music for quite awhile now. Their fourth and latest
album "Crack the Mind" (with mixes by Die Krupps, Die Warzau and Plastic
Noise Experience) is fucking heavy - technically and spiritually
evocative of Chemlab or early Ministry. The riffs, beats and samples are
hyperspeed, distorted, and in your face. Lead voice programmer Myk Jung
deserves serious props for his gnarly performances on "I am the gas to
burn" and "Under Queen Whore's Grim Protection". It is clear that with
these guys, what you see is what you get. If you're a fan of the
Industrial Metal genre, you're not gonna do any better than Testify.
- Steve Blush, Seconds Magazine
Testify is composed of four members, two guitars, and a lot of computer
programmed effects. Their sound is a mixture of industrial and metal, moreso of
the former, but they definitely have a heavy edge to them. They offer a lot to
the industrial category. For example, all of the songs are quite distinguishable, instead of just doing the same thing with each song. Another thing I liked, was the vocals, which are also programmed, which allows chopping effects at the
end of notes, as well as the ability of singing multiple octaves at the same
time, and is great for harmonizing. The drums are almost real sounding, and the
guitars add a heavy sound to the mix. Not a bad effort, industrial/computerized
fans should get a kick out of this! - Lady Enslain, Enslain Magazine
First, I've to admit, Testify and this kind of metal-industrial is really not my
thing. So, I have some difficulties to go trough this release. Testify plays pure metal with some samples and very few electronics. The Die Krupps Remix of
Dumb is pretty much more electronic than the others (along with the Plastic
Noise Experience's one) with a hip-hop/mid-trippy beat and some bagpipes
samples. The PNE's one, is the only one who really catch me, a good mix of
intelligent-body-music and crossover with few break-beats. Overall, I can't say
bad things about this release, this is just not my thing. But, the production is
excellent and some of the lyrics are quite interesting, fans of Ministry or
techno-metal (like White Zombie) should like this album. Testify are: Moses W.,
Myk Jung, Mathias Black, Ulf H. - Final Man, Electroage
Thanks in part to good old Uncle Al (Jourgensen), great guitar riffs are
now considered the norm in "industrial" music these days. If you don't
believe me, check out Crack the Mind, the fourth LP from the German band
Testify. This disc is chock full of cruchy guitars, creative samples
and superb electronics thrown in, which listeners may attach the
industrial "Aggro" label to their sound. Excellant disc. - MS, BAST
Music Magazine
Metal music with some industrial sensibility: Testify create a hybrid,
which takes metal guitars and compliments that sound with some electronic
tweaking. Don't get me wrong: They've got the metal riffs down pat, but
Testify adds that extra element that allows them to achieve greater
latitude than with just guitars and drums. Add effective use of samples
and snarling vocals, and Testify has a nice little package. In the latter
part of the CD, things start to get interesting with "Under Queen Whore's
Grim Protection" and "Quest of Nothing". Lots of synthesized beats drive
the CD's most inspired tracks. Testify's got something for the recovering
metal fiend and industrial enthusiast alike. - Caleb Scott, Eye Magazine
German industrial metal that kicks ass. And, Testify has no shortage of
Friends--you'll find mixes here by Die Krupps, Die Warzau, and Plastic
Noise Experience. This is the first release by Testify that has really
caught my ear--less metal and more electro and a better blend of both.
Excellent production, inciting and intelligent lyrics, and musically
strong songs have marked them by other reviewers as the next Ministry. No
arguments here--especially after hearing the song "Violin" and "Dumb"
(Die Krupps remix). Check out our interview with them in this issue and
then crack your own mind at http://vr.dv8.net/. - Michael, Dark Velvet Magazine
Testify, formed in 1993 in Essen Germany, has been steadily working at
carving a niche for themselves in the U.S. metal/industrial scene.
Touring exclusively with Die Krupps and Armageddon Dildos, Testify has
supported every one of their releases from debut 01 to their fourth
effort "Crack the Mind". Testify is Myk Jung (voice, programming), Moses
W. (guitars and programming), Mathias Black (programming) and Ulf H.
(guitars).
The band embodies the new direction that the metal/industrial genre has
been entering in the past two years. Instead of staying withthe tried and
true, Testify has taken things a step forward by introducing new ideas
and techniques on "Crack the Mind" that further intensifies the band's
sound as well the metal/industrial genre. According to Moses W. "we
improved many of our techniques a lot. Especially the way how to trat the
guitars. We were very much inspiring one another". The band's signature
is their powerful lyrics combined with sharp, dynamic vocals, well placed
samples and chunky guitars. Testify describes "Crack the Mind" as
"aggression with songwriting ability", "adrenaline-shock", and "endless
power". - Miki Griesbauer, Ballbuster Magazine
Hard-core industrial metal at its best. Turn it up, its time for some serious head banging. Featuring five new tracks and four remixed tracks, this is intense at the least. - Impact Press
Starting like a bomb-burst blowing up straight into your face, this
brand new Testify CD represents a new step towards an extremely improved
killer sound production, a very powerful attitude and a more mature
approach to everything concerning these nine cool tracks, from the
treated vocals to the chunky guitars, from the well placed samples to
the closer and deeper relation with metallized industrial music instead
of industrialized metal music... As a matter of fact I immediately
noticed that their way of playing the guitars is actually enourmously
more powerful and now it also definately represents an unquestionable
improvement in their overall aggressive sound. Last but not least this
album also features for exclusive remix war titles from their previous
album "Mmmyaoooo" involving Die Krupps, Die Warzau and Plastic Noise
Experience. Undoubtedly their best record ever! - Marc Urselli-Scharer,
Chain D.L.K.
Testify is extremly hard german aggro industrial. It may not be for
everyone, but its definitely for those who want heavy guitar driven
industrial. If you like bands like Fear Factory & Rammstein, then you
should definetly check out Testify's latest release.
With mixes by Die Krupps, Die Warzau & Plastic Noise Experience, it's
music to listen to while you're angry and want to stomp around. There
are definetly some good songs on this album. I caught myself chanting
"Crack my mind" (the chorus of The War Of Minds) several times, after
listening to the album several times. - Squid, Tentacles E-Zine
Combining a hint of industrial with wicked metal guitars, Testify have
released a damn fine sarcastic album. Songs about obscene violins,
bleeding socks and morbid lords of humiliation dance around the KMFDM-like
beats. Testify ride the 'Is it industrial or metal' fence rather well.
Their songs are easily filled with kick-ass guitars that are perfect for
mosh pit fun, while at the same time aggressive electronica emerges at
important moments to ensure it isn't stale. Crack The Mind isn't for the
head banging, two finger devil sign throwing sect, since it contains
industrial elements that give it a much dancier vibe. Don't crack your
mind trying to figure out if Testify is more Ministry than Sabbath. -
Matt Mernagh, Exclaim! magazine
Here is the brand new opus of Testify, the now quite famous German band
whose main influence is no doubt Ministry. This new release consists of
new compositions and remixes of tracks that were featued on the 97'
album "Mmmyaoooo". As far as the remixes are concerned notice the
presence of the following artists : Die Krupps, Die Warzau, and Plastic
Noise Experience. Crack the Mind is an excellent release that will
please all Testify fans as the band remains faithful to its sound while
further exploring the world of metal industrial rock. Tracks such as
"Violin", "Guevara" or "The War of Winds" sound like terrorist bombs and
mind - blowing "I am the Gas to Burn" is a typical Testify tune...All
the fans know what I mean!!! The remix tracks are a good complement to
the new stuff so that "Crack the Mind" as a whole sounds quite
homogeneous. So all in all a really good CD and I guess all Testify
followers welcome it with as much pleasure as I did. - DS, Sideline Magazine
While this German hardcore band have been variously compared to other
industrial masters like Ministry, their sound is much more than that simple
label might have it. Sure, there are similarities in sound & even a couple
of tracks here that might be mistaken for Ministry. The band however, like
Ministry, avoid stamping their music on each song with the same sounds.
An interestingly titled song called "Under Queen Whore's Grim Protection"
starts off with a very unusual eastern style sample before the wailing wall
of guitar kicks in with a great percussion section happening. Most 'in your
face tracks' include opener "Violin", "I Am The Gas To Burn" & "Head Of
Compassion".
The band successfully slow down their sounds at times with moments like the
opening psychedelic experience of "The War Of Minds", while epic closing
number remains one of the highlights here, "Quest Of Nothing". The band
have been around since 1993 & already have 3 prior releases, this one
containing 5 new songs & some remixes. It'd be an interesting look back at
the progression from their first album to this one.
For more information, contact the band's label, Van Richter Records, 100
South Sunrise Way, Suite 219, Palm Springs, CA 92262, USA or
vrichter@netcom.com - Terry Allen, hEARd Magazine
Testify's fourth album "Crack the Mind" contains five new tracks and four
remixes by Die Krupps, Die Warzau, and Plastic Noise Experience. Often
described as "industrial metal", this can be misleading since Testify's latest
release is really aggro-metal at its finest with a few samples thrown in at
strategic points. The sixth track, "Dumb" (a remix by Die Krupps), and "Head of Compassion" are about the only electronic pieces on the album and feature dancefloor-type beats.
"The War of Minds" is an excellent example of this band.s guitar-driven energy
and catchy lyrics. For the most part the album is fast and hard, with intense
vocals, slowing down only during the final "Quest of Nothing". It will appeal
to fans of aggro-metal music most, and is a fine example of the genre because of the complexity of arrangements. - Heide Castaneda, Black Arts Magazine (Germany)
The first thing that strikes you about
this band is that they have some good friends. This CD contains
mixes by Die Krupps, Die Warzau and labelmates Plastic Noise Experience and
they have previously worked with Ministry crew Keith "Fluffy" Auerbach
and Howie Beno, as well as Skrew. This contains 5 new
tracks and 4 remixe and is, in no way, an easy listening
album. The purpose of this CD seems to be to destroy all
resistance and then bludgeon the listener senseless with
their industrialised metallic onslaught. For once, though, this is a collection
where the roaring grindcore style vocals are worked well
into the music. All too often with these kind of extreme
vocals are stuck on top of an intricate and subtle
electro-indus mix, where the contrast is just too ugly. In
contrast, there's nothing intricate or subtle about
Testify. The industrial elements simply tighten and concentrate
the music's raw brutality and make it more forceful.
It's reminiscent of the increase in power of the Fear
Factory remix albums as compared to their regular releases.
Stand out tracks are the ultra-violent opener 'Violin',
which takes no prisoners with its full-on noise onslaught,
'The War of Minds', which alternates between intensity and
a lighter sound, which breaks the flow nicely, preventing
things getting too monotonous, and the
machine-gun beat of'Wreck Me'. At first, it would seem
that much of the diversity is due more to the remixes,
but in fact, the more interesting stuff is their own new
material, while the mixes are less complex and
interesting. At the same time, Testify would be well advised to
vary their sound a bit more for a wider appeal. However,
while it may not be to everyone's tastes, this is one of
the better examples of extreme industrial and Testify are
worthy successors to their predecessors like Godflesh, Die
Krupps and Front Line Assembly. - Donnacha DeLong, Sorted Magazine
Once again the hard edged German industrial duo release what is this now,
their fourth release Largely known in the industrial world, their thrashy
metal core meets industrial will probably appeal to those who like Ministry,
but their harder numbers are stronger than those Ministry can compose.
Testify is able to fully capitalize on their explosive power, though they can
write heavy, catchy and aggressive material.
After six years the band has now come into their own and though Aggro in
sound they dohave quite a few club worthy pieces in 'Violin' and 'The
War Of Minds.'
The remixes are very well done too, especially Die Krupps' reworking of 'Dumb,'
a song that is quite kick ass in it's own right! Those of you who are true
"rivet heads" will want to pick up this record ASAP, even if you believe guitars have no place in industrial music, because they compose their music for the guitar first and foremost (see our interview in this issue ). Quite a hard hitting piece, and they're still around, which is good, though I eagerly await their next full length. - Steven Cannon, Vibrations of Doom Magazine
With "Crack the Mind" Testify end all Ministry comparisons with an album
that blows all new Ministry material out of the water! Beginning with
"Violin" this album never relents and the only time it will be found in
the "Easy-Listening" category is on April Fools Day! Well constructed and
produced metal with electro/industrial leanings is Testify's trademark.
Well used (but not over-used) sampling adds to the albums intelligence factor.
However, if you are still in any doubt over whether to buy "Crack the Mind"
exclusive remixes by Die Krupps, Die Warzau and Plastic Noise Experience
should be enough to send you rushing to a mail order catalogue. Luckily,
they have secured Australian distribution with Gucci so you will soon be
able to buy it from your local record shop. The Plastic Noise remix of "Head
of Compression" is my favorite track with the breakbeats complimenting
Testify's vocals. So, for those of you who love your metal with a tinge
of elektro-industrial this CD will be a mainstay in your CD player.
- Terry (DJ Beekayz), Flesh & Wire Magazine
Just think of all the incredible music Germany has given the world over the years:
Wagner, Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Faust, Can, Heino, and of course relatively recent
bands like Einstnrzend Neubauten, Rammstein and KMFDM. Take a moment to just to
marvel at this rich musical legacy. Testify, a newcomer to the scene, is ready to prove
that Germany makes more than just great beer and cars - they also make great music.
Testify is a metal band, the same way Ministry and Rammstien are metal bands.
Overwhelming thrash guitars, brutal percussion and guttural vocals adds up to metal, regardless of the fact that it is "programmed" and "sampled," orchestrated by
sequencers or cut, pasted and Acid Looped. Testify should be marketed to the metal
scene despite the fact that their roots are firmly planted in electro-pop. If metal fans
are willing to accept "rap-metal"* they should be willing to forgive the drum machines,
keyboard effects and Wizard of OZ Munchkin samples. "Crack the Mind" is a remix album, featuring remixes by fellow "drum machine metal"
dudes Die Krupps and Die Warsaw - a couple of nice guys that have been around forever,
but never quite made it big. One of my favorite concerts ever was a Die Warsaw gig, but I doubt you care, so I'll spare the details...
Testify's strong points... This is some of the best studio produced metal
you're likely to hear. They take full advantage of the full audio
spectrum from the programmed cymbals and growled vocals to floor shaking
bass and thrash guitar. The true test of a recording is whether it sounds
great through a good stereo system. Testify passes the test.
All the thrash metal cliches you're likely to crave are here: hooks,
riffs, power chords, over-the-top drums, dirty beast man vocals. New
Jersey will love this album.
The language barrier: Testify's singer, as far as I noticed, vocalizes
99.9% in English, despite the fact that he's German. Rammstein sings in
German and they sound awesome. How about it Testify? Sometimes it's best if you can't understand what the singer is saying.
My advice: if you love brutal, aggressive "Industrial-metal" in the vein
of Rammstein, Die Krupps and Psalm 69 era Ministry, you'll probably enjoy
Testify. Their web
site has the whole album on-line so decide for yourself. If you're a fan
of bands like NIN and KMFDM that are more electronics than metal, you
might think twice before checking out this disk. Go to the Van Richter web site and check it out: http://vr.dv8.net/. - Dan Century, Legends Magazine
For once, an industrial band create a collection where roaring grindcore
style vocals are worked well into the music. The electronic elements
simply tighten and concentrate the music's raw brutality and make it
more forceful. One of the premiere examples of extreme industrial,
Testify are worthy successars to predecessors like Ministry, Godflesh,
Die Krupps and Front Line Assembly. Contact: 100 South Sunrise Way,
Suite 219, Palm Springs, CA 92262 or vrichter@netcom.com or http://vr.dv8.net - Martin Popoff, Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles
A band not yet well known in Scandinavia, Testify have released their
third third full length CD , Crack the Mind. Combining Ministry-like
rhythms with an even heavier arsenal of guitars and even more tortured
and heart-ripping vocals, Testify comes at the listener like a
steamroller. Crack the Mind features five brand new tracks from the
band itself, the rest is made up of remixes from their classic aggro
"Mmmyaoooo" album produced by Adam Grossman of Skrew' by bands like Die
Krupps, Die Warzau and Plastic Noise Experience. I did find Testify's
own sound to be quite heavy and innovative. "Guevara" being the
standout track . The remixes on their own merit were excellent, Die
Krupps really hit home with "Dumb" as well as Die Warzau with "Quest of
Nothing". The more electronic and laid back sound of these is excellant,
especially "Quest of Nothing". - Niklas Nylund, Prospective Music Magazine
The brightest embodiment of the potential of guitar driven industrial
which I have listened recently. Having unitied the sounding of the
groups which became the most famous on this field, such as Ministry,
KMFDM, Die Krupps, Psychopomps(their early albums like "Pro-Death
Ravers" or "Assassins DK United"),etc., Testify have created an
explosive mix of rock'n roll with drum machine and industrial's
electronics. "Crack the Mind" sound as a begining of the new era in
metal industrial music. Tracks for this album were mixed by Die Krupps,
Die Warzau, and Plastic Noise Experience. Don't miss it, fans!! - V.Edgar, Gaze Into A Gloom Magazine
This grim German trio sit at the junction of Metal Street and Industrial
Avenue, where chugging riffage tangles fenders with sample - delica.
Given the genre's general clumsiness, I'd like to know how tunefulness
and even sly, sarcastic humour managed to sneak in with the relentless
batcave crunch and sprawling rants (church, state, big biz, all -around
malaise). I'll take this over Ministry anyday! 9/10 - Rupert Bottenberg, The Mirror
Jar ar ingen fan av remixar. Som varst ar det nar topplistelatar mixas om
till annu fanigare sommardiscovarianter. Sadant sysslar forstas inte
Testify med. men de flesta remixar ar antingen onodiga, trakiga eller ett
satt att tvinga fans att kopa fler plattor. Har samsas fem nya spar med
fyra latar fran forra arets album "Mmmyaoooo" som pulats med av Die
Krupps, Die Warzau, och Plastic Noise Experience.
Tysk industrimetal later pa ett sarskilt vis. Essen-kvartetten passar in i
mallen. Spannande ibland, men for tunt ljud och menlosa ideer. Och det som
inte ar tillrackligt bra fran borjan blnagon annan lagger sig i. Det ar som med kockaama och soppan. - Bella Stenberg, Close-Up Magazine (Sweden)
From Essen Germany, Testify's fourth album Crack the Mind is a remix
feast tinkered with by Die Krupps, Die Warzau and Plastic Noise
Experience. A highly producec aggro metal sound borrowing heavier
elements from White Zombie and Rammstein that rightly melds the absolute
precision of programming with the force of raw human emotion. Thrash
guitar riffs, metal hooks, throat bending vocal pops, keyed FX, power
chords and churning drum loops bring violent soundscape to five new and
four mixed tracks. I Am The Gas to Burn and The War of Minds might be
the best dark industrial to come along since Ministry's Psalm 69.
Perhaps the only miscue here is the inclusion of a lyric sheet. From
Quest For Nothing: "Have a laugh have a smoke try a jest choke/jest
giggling laughter/my tasty earwax drops into your mouth for years
uncounted." But I guess it's not always about what you sing, but how you
sing it, and Testify do it with their guts hanging out their nuts. Be
afraid. 4 1/2 skulls - TD, Rue Morgue Magazine
Sollte as noch Leute geben, die Ministry nachtrauern so kann ihnen
geholfen werden . Die vier Deutschen von TESTIFY legen mit "Crack The
Mind" schon ihr viertes album vor. Ist der Auftakt mit 'Violin' noch zum
Schiefsen, so hat das Lachen mit den folgenden 'I Am The Gas To Burn'
ein Ende. Da wird fett geschrieen und gerockt, Geht ein bifschen in
Richtung 'Just one fix' also die schnellere und aggressivere Seite von
Ministry. Mit 'Guevara', War of Minds' und 'Wreck Me' befinden sich noch
drei weitere neue Stucke auf "Crack The Mind". Die restlichen vier
Tracks sind Remixe, unter anderem von den Krupps und Plastic Noise
Experience. Positiv: Das elektronische Wesen des Druncomputers fallt
nicht weiter auf. Wer auf kraftigen Industrial Rock steht wird hier gut
bedient. - Punkte, Legacy Magazine
The Testify release Crack The Mind through Van Richter Records gets
right to the core of industrial music. Dark and hard in the brutally
aggressive sense of the word. Crack The Mind also includes astounding
remixes in collaboration with Die Krupps, Die Warzau and Pastic Noise
Experience. The bands attitude only succeeds to further enhances the
five previously unreleased tracks and embellish the rest. - TF, Nadamucho Webzine
Ahhh now this is more like it! Girls under Glass was good, but this is definitely more my style. The Ministry worship is a bit too blatantly obvious, but good ol' thrashy industrial rock is what I was more or less raised on. Unfortunately, it was with this album that I realized that most of the album artwork coming out of Van Richter is rather unprofessional looking. I did rather enjoy the artwork for Ballroomkiller / The Blitzkrieg Mixes though, but that will be covered in a later review...
I have to admit that hearing this shortly after pulling Girls Under Glass out of my CD player nearly knocked me on my ass. It's not like it was a bomb that blew off in your face or anything, but the sheer harshness of the voice in the opening track was enough to push me back a few steps. I was incredibly excited at the prospects heard in the thrashier track I am the Gas to Burn as well, and the rest of the album certainly didn't disappoint.
The only problem really is that the music ends up sounding thin at times. The bass doesn't really come through to give the music that oomph it needs, but this way the music does end up sounding more mechanical and cutting which I guess is the whole point. There's also some great electronic melody
moments under overly distorted guitars, such as the middle of Wreck me. The Remixes were the low point of the album for me, they lost the brutality found prior. However, the best song on the album is also found within the remixes: Under Queen Whore's Grim Protection. Fucking incredible track with all the harsh tones one could wish for.
Crack the Mind is one of the better industrial rock albums I have heard in the past decade or so. Of course it doesn't top the genius of Raymond Watts, but no one really does in my opinion. This is definitely one for your collection if you got into the industrial rock scene. - Sage, Heathen Harvest
Testify was an American-German band featuring musicians like Rascal Nikov,
Myk Jung, Moses W., Eddie Logan, George McKinley and Mathias Black. Rascal
and Myk had known each other before they formed Testify since both played
in an EBM band called The Fair Sex in the 80's.
The song "Violin" opens up the Crack The Mind album dynamically with
repetitive guitar riffs and the rough voice of Myk Jung. This is the exact
sound of Testify which will be present on Crack The Mind and every other
album in the bands discography.
The next song on the tracklist is called "I Am The Gas To Burn" and
reminds me of an atmosphere similar to Motorhead songs with such typical
twisted guitar riffs and a fusion of guitars, drums and bass getting very
dense by the end of the track. Other than that "Guevara" has an
industrial-metal drive with edgy guitar riffs involved, perfect for
headbanging, an sounds kind of cool. It lasted exactly as long as the
previous track (4 min. 58 sec.)
The music of Testify is full of pure aggression, expressed with simple,
heavy and brutal arrangements filled with anger, that is very much
illustrated in a song called "The War of Minds", which additionally brings
up the album name of "Crack The Mind" in the lyrics.
I like "Wreck Me" the best of all the songs on the tracklist. It is
represented by genius guitar solos and smart mood manipulation through
interesting arrangements and sampling, which begin around the time of 1
min. 52 sec. "Wreck Me" may be considered to be a template of what an
industrial metal song should sound like (but not rip off!), coming up with
absolutely everything that a perfect track of that genre should have.
Because this album consists of five brand new songs and four remixes of a
few original tracks released on the Mmmyaoooo album, this is the point
where I get to address the remixes.
The first of them, "Dumb" was rearranged by Die Krupps and doesn't sound
as stunning as many of the songs by the band. Whatever they make, it seems
to become limited, with repetitive arrangements and unsatisfying rhythms.
Crack The Mind was released in 1999, so two years after Die Krupps had
recorded their best album ever entitled Paradise Now and the DK split
afterwards (they reunited in 2005), I assume that Jurgen Engler wasn't
quite sure of what style of music he wanted to create next, finding his
way into a new electronic-dancey side-project DKay.com finally, giving me
the idea of how hastily the remix was made for Testify in regards to the
situation as well.
The second remix was made by Testify. The leitmotiv of "Under Queen
Whore's Grim Protection (She Is Me)" keeps the original guitar riff of
course, but there are new and clearly drawn beats tin the arrangement too,
borrowed from drum'nr'bass and techno styles, comparable to music by Acumen
Nation.
"Head Of Compassion (Plastic Attack Mix)" was remixed by Plastic Noise
Experience and wasn't very interesting to me. I've never been a fan of
remixes, however I must admit sometimes they happen to re-do the original
tracks in cool ways after all. That didn't happen in this case; dumb,
'gummy' beats had a fatal impact on this remix. It sounds like if somebody
was hitting a huge tightly pumped tire with a crowbar. Besides the empty
beat, the remix may be appreciated by fans of Frontline Assembly thanks to
similarities in the electronics and guitar riffs used like on their
Millennium album.
The last remix "Quest Of Nothing (Warzone Pharmaceuticals Mix)" was made
by Die Warzau, but it doesn't sound like anything the duo has been better
known for previously. It was rather aggressively arranged, however you
will hear a violin as well as an entire spectrum of ambient electronica.
The guitar riffs were kept though, resulting in a dark and heavy approach,
common to music by Decree or Unit:187.
It's been eleven years since Testify recorded this album, and it still
proves they were the best European industrial metal band of the 90's.
Testify's music is a saving grace of sorts, offering a counterbalance to a
bunch of pseudo industrial metal clones in the style of Rammstein with
their predictable flat marching music that has been burgeoning in Germany
for the last few years. - Nina - Fabryka Industrial Rock Magazine
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