Testify: Triviality Beyond Acceptance Reviews

When I push play, Testify delivers a savage assault upon my willing sense with their fifth release, Triviality Beyond Acceptance. Hailing from Essen, Germany, Myk Jung's ruthless vocals, executed in English, rather than in his native German tongue, remind me of experiences with Rammstein's English version of "Du Hast"; and in general the aggressive guitar-driven thrash of bands such as Ministry. Once I regain footing, and the programming and vocal samples kick in, "Triviality Beyond Acceptance" establishes itself as a new cornerstone in the niche of my aggro-industrial collection. "Bear Witness Give Evidence Testify", because when Triviality Beyond Acceptance hits the clubs and airwaves, most any industrial-metal music-junkie will want to own this cd. - 4 Stars Sonya Brown, Gothic Beauty Magazine


Another great band to add to my aggravation of the "first listen" as they have 4 other releases prior..grrrrr! Real beefy Industrial/Metal stuff from Germany in the realms of Rammstein, Pitchshifter,NIN,Ministry and Skrew and ironically enough, a few I mentioned have had appearances on Testify's other releases and also KMFDM (I think this band just reversed their letters for a new name if I remember correctly). Besides extensive touring, Testify has been given a reasonable amount of airplay on MTV (that's a shock actually since I hardly see videos on there anymore). 11 tracks and mainly on the basis of the bizarre, abstract and unorthodox vocal/narration fixtures as well as the samples and loops used....phenomenal ideas to keep them very identifiable. It's very early in the New Year but hands down on this one so far for my best Industrial pick for the month of March. - Wayne Klinger, Ballbuster Magazine
The Testify put forward a rotten and noisy industrial metal, which can be, at the same time, pimp and involving. It is all based on hammering and obsessive rhythms, which are accompanied by very hard and very "metal" guitars, which make it possible for them to be different from all the others industrial metal or industrial rock bands. The always keep control on the samples, just to create a homogeneous sound mixture organised on the dynamic changes between dynamic changes, more aggressive moments or paranoid tasting passages. Some of the choices about the production are very appreciable: I'm thinking about the Lo-fi of "Invisible Hell" which creates a nice contrast with the nearly thrash opening of "Abuser's Gabble", which is, together with "Fragile Puppet" (the child performing in German is a pearl!) , my favourite one. Essen's band is very experienced and capable: these musicians don't want to create a simple and commercial refrain, but they still are very accessible for the genre they play. We could say that "White Skinned Heroine" and "The Entanglement Of Sexus", with their robotic singing, are possible hits for the hard dancing, but we would not give a true idea about the album without talking about the pure aggression of "The Seed Of Wrath" and the hypnotic ceremony of "Under A Cold Moon". It can sound a bit weird to combine the word "fun" with such an album, but that's just what it is: it is fun. I don't know if it is a bad or a good result, you should decide it following your own expectations. I have enjoyed it. - Sauron, Babylon Magazine
Skinny Puppy-style vocals and Ministry-esque guitar riffs are two of the finest features of this release. Industrial traditionalists brought up on said bands and others like them may want to make space for this in their music collection (in fact, you can tuck it in neatly next to the latter band's Psalm 69). The similarities are uncanny, at times, but this German version of an American industrial-metal act seems to relish that fact. On this fifth full-length release, Testify aren't necessarily doing anything innovative, but what the hell. Industrial is a genre that is far from being derivation free, and is not flattery the most sincerest of compliments? They could've gotten a tad more creative in the programming department, and things start to wear thin by the 11th song, but the production is of a decent quality and there are at least a couple good dance tracks. - Coreen Wolanski, Exclaim Magazine
Drôle de mixture que ce disque des bavarois de Testify. On se doute que le métal industriel de ces étranges teutons a du quelque peu déconcerter les maisons de disques de leur pays et cela explique peutêtre leur présence sur le petit label américain Van Richter. Cet album est d'ailleurs le premier á arriver entre mes mains et j'avoue ne jamais avoir entendu parler de ce groupe auparavant. Des rares renseignements que j'ai pu trouver, il semblerait que l'on veule faire de Testify le nouveau Ministry. C'est un peu vrai en écoutant des titre comme "fragile puppet" ou "abuser's gabble" qui font penser á l'époque "psalm 69". Ils ont également en commun avec leur compères américains une certaine froideur clinique dans l'exécution des morceaux, la répétition systématique des riffs, les samples redondants et la saturation dans les vocaux. De leurs origines allemandes, on retrouve également un peu de rigueur dans les riffs, assénés sans retenue dans le style de Rammstein. Même si l'ensemble est loin d'être original, Testify se sont efforcés de demeurer accessible dans un style indus-métal qui se contente souvent de noyer dans le bruit ses lacunes de composition. La production n'est pas mauvaise mais semble souffrir quelque peu d'un manque de clarté sur certains passages intenses. On peut donc conseiller ce disque á tous les déçus de la nouvelle orientation de Ministry et qui préfère la simplicité á l'originalité - Loufi, Violent Solutions Webzine
Il nuovo lavoro di questi alfieri dell'industrial più chitarroso ci pone di fronte al solito annoso problema. La questione di quanto sia importante l'originalità di una band. I Testify con tutto il loro impegno e le loro qualità (suoni puliti e precisi) non sono originali e probabilmente non lo saranno mai. "Triviality Beyond Acceptance" è il classico album di genere che prende a piene mani dal bagaglio creato negli anni da chi questo sound lo ha inventato (in particolare Ministry e tutto il frangente espressivo legato alla commistione tra sound industrial e riff metal ultra pesanti) e lo fa suo senza cercare di realizzarne una propria versione. Le critiche più grosse vanno proprio verso questo punto: ogni canzone ripete cliché già sentiti, certo, quasi sempre ben suonati, a volte anche con un discreto coinvolgimento, ma che sotto sotto mancano di contenuto. Sia le songs più rallentate ("Under The Cold Moon") sia quelle più dure (dalla quasi death "The Seed Of Wrath" alla più industriale "Fragile Puppet") lasciano sempre la sensazione di un compitino svolto con dovizia ma senza una vera anima. L'album in se è discreto ma a tenerci compagnia oltre ai Testify ci sarà anche un certo senso di dejà vu. Riservato agli appassionati. - Federico Tozzi, Suburbia Magazine
I can't believe I haven't paid closer attention to Testify before. They sound quite good actually, though not innovative. We are talking about German industrial metal. Imagine Ministry/Rammstein guitars, coupled with Skinny Puppy-esque vocals in English and sparse, but well found, samples. "Triviality Beyond Acceptance" is rather monotone, though, therefore the grade is not higher. But songs like "Invisible Hell" break the monotony, and thus keeping Testify on the right side of the scale. If you want to give "Psalm 69" a well earned break, you should try "Triviality Beyond Acceptance" out. - Kalle Malmstedt, Release Magazine
Germany's Testify deliver an incredulous ambush of aggro-industrial-metal that will surely delight fans into these genres. I have never understood why a band so great as Testify remains virtually unknown in America. If you like bands like VNV Nation, Rammstein, Fear Factory, etc... you will surely embrace Testify. Hopefully with the release of this album and support from the media to help increase sales, Testify will become a better known band. The album tracks combine elements of aggression, melodrama and metallic overtones. Yes, you can dance to this record and clubs like the Batcave in NYC should be spinning it. I urge you to give this album a listen and help spread the word on Testify. - Sophie Fry, Delirium Magazine
Now this is a solid industrial metal album right along the lines of Ministry meets KMFDM. It's not ground breaking but it delivers what it promises. This three piece German band is on the small California label, Van Richter (www.vanrichter.net), so they'll never probably reach the level of popularity of Ministry, which is a shame because this album is just as good as Psalm 69. For those of you who are into this type of stuff make sure to pick up a copy, you won't be disappointed. - Brent Fox, Throat Culture Magazine
You have to admire this band's sense of humour. The lyrics to the track Karl Found Out: The Definition read, in part, "Testify. 3 - European project. A poor mimicry of Ministry. Extremely non-innovative, cheap and trivial beyond acceptance..." That this is read out by the God-like Karl Bartos makes a Kraftwerk-obsessive like myself warm to the band immediately. And since they called the album Triviality Beyond Acceptance, it's clear that they're not a set of po-faced one-foot-on-the-monitor metal merchants. The thing is, they do sound a lot like a Psalm 69-era Ministry. Only with a great deal more of those monster guitar riffs that I previously thought only Rammstein could do well. I now firmly believe that there's a factory near Dusseldorf that produces machines that are nothing less than splendidly efficient guitar-lathes. You feed in the billet alloy of your choice and within minutes it produces a series of laser-cut and diamond-polished riffs that are moved to the studio on a low-loader before being slid into the back of the mixing-desk in the correct order. Rammstein obviously had the first one - you can tell because the polishing's a bit suss sometimes and the riffs come out sounding a bit dirtier than the specification calls for. Testify followed the maxim 'never buy version one of anything' and so got the one with all the bugs ironed out. It produces great mirror-finish slabs of guitar noise with edges sharp enough to cut you up badly if you're careless with them. It almost goes without saying that the typically English lack of investment in manufacturing infrastructure means that local guitar-riff production is largely carried out as an ad-hoc cottage industry, and while they have a certain ramshackle charm they can't compete on the international stage. The Americans, meanwhile, are still using hugely inefficient pre-war processes that call for vast manpower, waste huge amounts of energy and only really sell to a domestic market that is distrustful of superior European products and protected by punitive import tariffs. I should, in the interests of road-safety, point out that it is probably rather dangerous to operate a motor-vehicle while listening to this recording. It is entirely likely that you'll find yourself traveling in excess of many locally posted speed limits within a very few minutes. Anyway. Buy this. It's damn fine. - J. 'Hirez' H-R, Legends Magazine
"The German band Testify has been around since 1992 or 1993 and they have already produced five full-length albums, including this one. If heavy guitar-driven industrial metal is your thing you will certainly like what these guys have to offer. When listening to their music you can't help to think: Ministry, Rammstein, Laibach, White Zombie, NIN. This album is full of aggressive industrial music with elements from all the bands mentioned at the end of the last sentence but the band that has had the biggest influence on Testify is probably (early) Ministry. The addition of some nice samples also help to create a certain atmosphere that I think an industrial release should have if it's to be any good. The new album from Testify is definitely good but it tends to be a little monotonous and bleak in the mid-section. These songs could be seen as a resting period because the first and last thirds of the album are no doubt good enough to make up for this. What makes this band stand out even more from the competition is their vocalist who makes a very powerful appearance on these eleven songs with his rough vocals. If you like aggressive industrial music you can not possibly go wrong with Testify. Stand-out tracks: "Grinning Sun", "Braindead Friction", "Dumb / Numb / Gund"." (8/10) - Vincent Eldefors, Tartarean Desire
Germany's aggro metal band Testify hit hard with their latest release. With their combination of industrial and dark rock anthemic choruses and catchy beats this group off our aims to knock every preconceived notion of either industrial or metal out of your mind. Heavy guitars and an even heavier vocal on the song 'Fragile Puppet' sets the band's fierce anti-establishment stance in motion. This track also provides a respite with a child's voice coming in with some German lines and a semi-comical ghostly 'oooh' to remind us about the vitality of youth. Similar in certain respects to their peers such as Die Krupps and Ministry Testify bring out their thrashing guitars with a vengeance of ten combining them with some interesting samples (as on 'Invisible Hell') for an added bit of eerie apocalyptica. Often heavily-altered vocals give many songs yet another dimension a futuristic bent so appreciated by those into hard industrial. 'The Entanglement of Sexus' is perhaps the most 'radio friendly' song' with a cool pulsating groove and and interesting point of view on the topic of love.Though this is music best appreciated on a hot and heavy dance floor it's also a great disc to put on if you have some angry energy to work off. Just be sure to clear away some stomping ground. - Celine, The Sentimentalist
Es gibt noch immer Songs, die mich einfach umhauen. "Under the cold moon" heißt der jüngste Stolperstein in meiner Plattensammlung und ist von Testify. Enthalten ist er auf dem neuesten Album "Triviality Beyond Acceptance" der Essener Industrial-Metal Band. Und mit einem Wort läßt sich diese Platte beschreiben: genial. Hier wird die düstere Seite dieses Genres aufgeschlagen. Treibende Gitarrenwellen, die etwas an die guten alten Fields of Nephilim erinnern. Daneben eine Stimme, die einem eiskalt den Rücken rauf und runter läuft. Testify haben mit dieser Scheibe für meine Gehörgänge eine klangliche Hörreise durch das Malocherzentrum Ruhrgebiet geschaffen. Man muß den Verstärker aufdrehen, sich die Bilder von verlassenen Zechen und Stahlwerken, Frittenbuden und Trinkhallen vorstellen. Das alles in Zeitlupe und dazu "Under the cold moon" durch die Irrungen des Hirns jagen. Interessanterweise sind Testify auf dem amerikanischen Label "Van Richter Records" veröffentlicht, was seh! 10 Punkte - Arndt Peltner, Rock City News
Dem Industrial Metal verfallenes Volk aufgehorcht: Testify sind wieder da, und zwar härter denn je. Typisch amerikanisch und musikalisch nachbarschaftlich verbunden mit Ministry, ohne sich Klonvorwürfen oder Diebstahls-Anschuldigungen auszusetzen zu müssen, gehen die Deutschen hart und brutal ihren Weg nach vorne und zeigen mit den elf auf Triviality Beyond Acceptance enthaltenen Stücken, dass man nicht Marilyn Mansons schwachen Weiterentwicklungsbemühungen nacheifern muss, um gute, nachhaltig beeindruckende und haftenbleibende Musik zu machen, und dass man schon gar nicht versuchen soll, an Trent Reznors Thron zu rütteln. Wer sich also mal wieder ehrliche, trockene Industrial Metal-Mucke gönnen will und auf die tausendfach gehörten Ministry-Klassiker gerade keine Lust hat, sollte Testify einlegen ? sogar etwas Flugschädel-Haftes findet sich ("Wir schmeißen die Tomaten in den Augen und in den Ohren"). Näheres zur Band unter www.vanrichter.net. (8) - Thomas Sonder, Orkus Magazine
Good old fashioned aggro metal in the trash vein as usual here, kind of along the lines of Ministry, but not as heavy. They could have stepped up the electronics a bit, but the mix between the electronics and the guitars is purposely the scope of miniamlism, so it works out fine. For those more into the pure electronic sound go for The Fair Sex,their side project. My favorite track on this one is "White Skinned Heroin" the opening track to the CD. Good CD for those longing for the days of old school aggro-industrial before the onslaught of NIN clones took over the scene. Rating: 8 - Shaun Hamilton, Chain D.L.K. Magazine
There is no doubt that Testify is one of the few real bands playing a kind of Industrial Metal that sees in Ministry its best representative. But Testify have a great quality: everything they touch becomes hard and intense as no one can do. The music of this album, confirms them as the leader of a scene that I love and that has been my sound track for many years during my musical growth. More atmospheric moments don't miss but the whole album is manipulated to generate in you mental alterations. I like their way. Vote 90/100 Francesco Palumbo, Vampiria Magazine
Testify's Triviality Beyond Acceptance - the band's fifth release, is a low-center-of-gravity stalking over and through electric, barbed-wire fences and laser beam minefields. Brawny, hulking guitars punctuate the digitized-delivery of lead singer Myk Jung, who weaves his broken-English banter over a taut mesh-net of industrial samples and smart programming. Clandestine and stealthy, TBA is the aggro fan's best friend in the post-hardcore, "hipper-than-thou" era we're living in. - Matt Peterson, Mic Stand Magazine
Marking the fifth release from Testify, the brilliantly titled Triviality Beyond Acceptance has arrived to these American shores! For those who like bands such as Ministry and KMFDM, Triviality? is a chilling, aggressive work of industrial art that should have you rejoicing. There is a foreboding darkness permeating throughout the heavy beats, blaring guitars and growled vocals which launch an all-out assault on the senses. Infecting the world with their driving compositions since 1993, it?s only a matter of time before Testify from Germany find acceptance beyond this modern world. Songs like White Skinned Heroine, Fragile Puppet, Grinning Sun, and Under A Full Moon are highlights that should be played in clubs all over the world if there was any justice at all. We know they don?t play stuff like this on the radio. By the way, be sure to listen to Karl Found Out: The Definition for a bit of sampled chatter by Karl Bartos from the legendary Kraftwerk, showing that even industrial types know about irony and humor. Released here in the States by Van Richter Records! - Kenneth Morton, Highwire Daze
Triviality Beyond Acceptance Testify's latest is a guitar and drum heavy assault.March 12, 2003 - Testify is the industrial-metal alter ego to German EBM band The Fair Sex. Their most recent release, Triviality Beyond Acceptance, is a guitar and drum heavy assault that should leave any Biohazard, Fear Factory, ChemLab, NIN or Ministry fan grinning incessantly from eardrum splitting joy. If you've never encountered Testify before, about the only way that I can describe them is if Martin Atkins, Trent Reznor and Al Jourgenson got together and spawned a new band. True, Testify definitely has a distinct sound, but there is no denying the influence that the aforementioned fellows have had on the act. Yet despite their American influences, Testify's German heritage is evident throughout their work as Rammstein like vocals meld with very aggressive beats that are rather reminiscent of Die Krupps.Triviality Beyond Acceptance isn't as strong as one of the band's earlier works, Mmmmyaoooo, but it is still a rock solid industrial-metal album. The album is defined by grinding guitars, pounding drums, gravelly vocals and judiciously located samples. Tracks like "White Skinned Heroine", "Fragile Puppet", "The Entanglement of Sexus" and "Braindead Fiction" are pounding, catchy, well constructed tunes that get your blood moving. Out of this batch "Fragile Puppet" has earned a permanent place on my iPod. One great thing about Testify is that they have a sense of humor about their music. Case in point, the 7th track on the album, "The Definition", literally made me laugh out loud. It starts out with some dictionary definitions of the word "testify", and finishes off with a quote from someone who didn't appreciate their efforts... "Testify. 3 - European project. A poor mimicry of Ministry. Extremely non-innovative, cheap and trivial beyond acceptance..." While the Industrial-Metal genre hasn't seen too many strong acts or albums since the dawn of the new century it is a least great to hear a new release from an act like Testify. Anyone who fondly remembers the first that time they listened to Ministry's Psalm 69 is definitely going to be instantly enamored with Triviality Beyond Acceptance. Overall Score 8.0 - Rick Sanchez, Ign.com
Testify's newest release TRIVIALITY BEYOND ACCEPTANCE is they're 5th album to date on Palm Springs, California's Van Richter Records. Although this album was set for release in the states for 2000 do to complications it was not able to be released until this year. TRIVIALITY BEYOND ACCEPTANCE is a piece of art. This being the fifth installment of Tetify's portfolio it is only more proof that they a progressing with the times and changing for the better of the growth of they're music and fan base. Short of to many sound samples in some areas this is indeed a must have. - Vagabond Magazine
If you read the interview in January, you can't help remember these guys are HUGE Ministry fans. (Yeah, we know you study and study and study until you memorize our every word...) But! What you didn't know is that they like little girls too! Yep... Ministry and little girls. And that's what's on this album. Now, don't get me wrong. Don't go getting perverted notions... all prematurely and shit. Everyone likes little girls. I mean,they're very nice. They dance about and make googly eyes and do that ttle sing-song nonsense and play with little dolls and such. Wot's wrong with that, eh? I only say Testify likes little girls because there seems to be one yammering on in cutesy German on most every track..., mixed in with pounding industrial music of course, but definitely more often than could be considered accidental. Yes, so they like little girls and that's nice. It's the Ministry that you've got to watch out for. Obviously, folks who like Ministry must be freaks. So, to recap: Little girls are nice, and Ministry is freaky... so uh... we'll call it a draw. Nice and freaky. - Warren Davis, Chain-Whipped Magazine
Es gibt Musik, mit der sollte man dem sch?nen Geschlecht meistens besser nicht kommen - auch wenn sie von Mitgliedern einer Band kommt, die ebendieses im Namen tr?gt. Seit zehn Jahren produziert Testify, das hartwurstige Projekt der The Fair Sex-Mitglieder, jetzt schon robusten Industrial-Metal und steht dabei in den USA tendenziell h?her im Kurs als hierzulande. Warum eigentlich? Die Mischung aus rhythmischem Kn?lz-Stakkato, brutalen Gitarrenriffs aus der Fettbratk?che und elektronischen Subversionen kommt auch auf "Triviality Beyond Acceptance" noch so gut zusammen, dass man keineswegs nur auf den internationalen Markt schielen muss, wenn's um dickes Gemoshe mit technischer Pr?zision geht. Liebevolle Gurgelw?rgstimme, z?hnefletschende Gitarrenheizung, gepaart mit ziemlich schiefliegendem Humor und D?sternis im Kriechstrombereich - auch 2003 verschaffen sich Testify krachend Geh?r im elektrometallischen Wunderland und sind auch noch durchgeknallt genug, ein St?ck "The Plumpsack" zu nennen. Mit "The Entanglement Of Sexus" ist gar der kompositorisch bisher beste Song der Bandgeschichte mit von der Partie. Leider stehen zuweilen die (programmierten) Drums zu sehr in der Waschk?che und die Gitarren zu nahe am Ascheimer, so dass diesen Monat aktuelle Mitbewerber wie Static-X noch in einer anderen Liga spielen. Dennoch: Entgegen dem Titel sehr wohl akzeptabel. - Thomas Pilgrim, Sonic Seducer Magazine
Remember coldwave? That genre that prayed at the altar of blazing guitars? Well it's back. Testify's "Triviality Beyond Acceptance" is their first release since coldwave's heyday, and they haven't lost an ounce of that metal - industrial sound of 1996. The nostalalgic will find pleasure in bone crushing traks like "Abuser's Gabble" and "Braindead Friction". But others might find the fact that Testify still have not updated their production values since the mid 90's frustrating. Or, for that matter, gotten over their hero worship of Ministry. "Fragile Puppet", for example borrows so heavily from "N.W.O." that it sounds like a Psalm 69 outtake. While they possess the right raw ingredients = churning beats, pissed off vocals, guitar riffs that could split kindling - the soul is missing. When Al Jourgensen sings he sounds like a guy you would not want to meet in a dark alley. When Testify's Myk Jung sings, he sounds like he's trying very hard to be the kind of guy you would not want to mmet in a dark alley. It is that subtle distinction - he's trying too hard - that limits Testify. At least they have a sense of humor about it. On "Karl Found Out: The Definition" they sample Kraftwerk legend Karl Bartos complaining that Testify is, "Extremely non - innovative, cheap, and trivial beyond acceptance". (Hence the record name) Kudos to Testify for being good sports. I guess that means Karl doesn't have to worry about the dark alley. - Veejay, Industrial Nation Magazine
The latest Testify release Triviality Beyond Acceptance through Van Richter Records is aggro-industrial music at it's finest. Triviality Beyond Acceptance further reminds us that the Europeans are still very much the forerunners of the genre. However change may be on the horizon. Testify has also been gaining exposure through videos, MTV and the guidance of Paul Abramson. TBA is a classic angst-ridden drum and guitar assault straight from heaven. A must have for any industrial music library. - TF, Nadamucho Webzine
iThe last Testify album (released when the band was still active yet) fortunately contains the same guitar driven industrial metal tunes which brought this American-German band worldwide recognition and respect. At the same time, Triviality Beyond Acceptance holds the heaviest music in all of the bands discography because the guitars were tuned somewhat lower and the electronics were subdued.
"White Skinned Heroine" begins the album with a bit too many repetitive rhythms and looks like the content of this album may be less experimental than any previous Testify release, however, this song isn't the best choice for an intro to me.
"Fragile Puppet" suddenly jumps in on the tracklist with guitar riffs reminiscent of Skrew (it is not far from comparison because one of Testify albums "Mmmyaoooo" was produced by Adam Grossman, a guitar player and leader of Skrew), but the song lacks that typical Skrew power. Other than that, a psychotic moaning boy and his German monologues draw the listeners attention. "Grinning Sun" comes up with a metal-industrial-gothic vibe and I found the song quickly boring.
Finally, Testify proved why they have earned the listeners' respect with the next few songs. There are three songs on this album that I do recommend you remember, so listen carefully - "Invisible Hell (The Plumsack)", outstanding "Abuser's Gabble" and masterpiece "The Seed Of Wrath". They are all truly amazing tracks thanks to perfect arrangements and somewhat demonic moods coming from distinctive guitar riffs, vocals, drums and bass lines mixed together. "Abuser's Gabble" and "The Seed Of Wrath" are also the examples of perfect industrial metal compositions with powerful drum and bass lines, easily drifting guitar riffs (becoming wayward in a few spots!) and of course repetitive choruses, yelled or at least grunted out with the memorable voice of Myk Jung, the charismatic lead singer of Testify. I think the three songs above are the best ones the band has ever written. Expect your head banging to the rhythms of guitar and drum fusion, then feel free to have a natural need to replay to the songs right after they are finished. Moreover, the apocalyptic song "The Seed Of Wrath" should have gotten a meaningful award for awesome writing and performance ensemble.
If you listen carefully to the spoken words in "Karl Found Out: The Definition": "Testify: Third. Testify - European project, a poor mimicry of Ministry, extremely non-innovative, cheap and trivial beyond acceptance", then it seems the band probably ironically paraphrased one of the reviews which may have been addressed to Testify's music. I have no doubts Ministry was some sort of example and influence for the band on how to make solid industrial metal songs, Skrew alike, but it doesn't make sense to speak about ripping those bands off and especially about "non-innovative, cheap" content (read above about "The Seed Of Wrath" and "Abuser's Gabble").
"The Entaglement Of Sexus" brings a lighter rock sound with heavily sampled backgrounds, but sincerely the monotone beat becomes boring almost immediately.
"Braindead Friction" sounds more rock, Ministry-style ;) but "Dumb/Numb/Gun" presents a little bit of a blackmetal mood mostly thanks to the vocals, however, it still keeps its main industrial metal vibe. I liked the kind of 'glassy' samples used in the background, maybe not matching the song that much but intriguing enough by contrast. This track also brings some Skrew sounding music echoes like in "Fragile Puppet" as I described above.
The last composition on the album is called "Under The Cold Moon" characterized by less edgy guitar riffs, slower tempo, and more fun with the use of electronics. It's undoubtedly a very trance induced sound, but also the weakest song on the album, moreover it lasts... over 10 minutes. I wish "The Seed of Wrath" was extended for that long!
The songs released on Triviality Beyond Acceptance sound full, the writing was also deeply thought out and it's clear to me that Testify has utilized their experience.
The has band worked out their sound over the course of almost ten years; ever since their first EP (Testify '01 was released in 1993) and it is very disappointing that they quit right after putting out such a memorable album. However, I am getting a satisfactory feeling that the musicians put 100% of themselves into their involvement, so Testify didn't end up releasing a bunch of good-bye remixes. I'm not sure if the band was getting along well or being responsive to their fan suggestions in terms of the new album to be, but it feels like Triviality Beyond Acceptance was based on an individual initiative.
Myk Jung joined the band Schuldt (German Tim Schuldt's project) to record an album entitled First Error Code. Then he kept releasing solo albums under his own name, but they don't bring the Testify sound back. Rascal Nikov has been continuing his electronic passions as a member of well known German future-pop band called Rotersand since 2002. Triviality Beyond Acceptance along with Mmmyaoooo are two obligatory albums to listen to, both proving the real power of the music of Testify - Nina, Fabryka Industrial Rock Magazine

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