It took more than 2 years until THEE MALDOROR KOLLECTIVE decided to step out of the shadows again. But I think the long wait has paid off!
On their fourth full-length A Clockwork Highway the maniacs (basically Kundahli - vox, groove; Evangheliya - synth, programming, Sitar, vox; Drakon-rhythms, groove, percussions; plus the new one: H:Kashcej - git, noises and Bad Sector - the sound system) not only just continued with what they have started 10 years ago. This time they have sophisticated and polished their sound and reached a new level of dark and oppressive industrial sounds.
Randomly selected sound experiments on the predecessor New Viral Order (2002) are left behind while now focusing on metal-edged pure and bleak industrial sounds. I’d like to describe the sound as a blend of very old Neurosis, late Ulver and Aborym and of course relating to some old school industrial merchants such as old Skinny Puppy and Front Line Assembly. The sound is now more minimalist and more monotone, but in no way one-dimensional. That’s the sound creating such a depressing and frightening end time mood. Cold sound collages build up on the fight machines versus low-tuned guitars and tribalistic drumming, while the distant screaming is put more into the background, added with loads of spoken samples, maybe taken from films. In general the music is perfectly fitting to visually displayed horror scenarios put into a possible future where machines play a role. No matter if an already existing movie cross your mind, if David Lynch makes a new one or if you try to set Enki Bilal’s Nikopol trilogy and Druuna to music. A Clockwork Highway would definitely suit well the atmosphere and is the architect of your own twisted visions.
All songs offer an equal level of quality making it hard to pint out a few. Just the last one Babilonia Cafe’ breaks out from the cold machinery and surprises with oriental Sitar tunes and live touch but not leaving enough time to get used to it until a heavy industrial storm takes over the sounds again.
THEE MALDOROR KOLLECTIVE have released an impressing album that can be taken as new basis for something new, refreshing and innovative in the scene where metal and industrial gets combined. Well-done!