CoC : Binding - Relict : Review

Binding - _Relict_
by: Adrian Bromley (3 out of 5)

Sounding like a weak cross between Nine Inch Nails and mid-era Pitchshifter comes the duo of Binding. Their music -- an abrasive (yet varied) onslaught of industrial rhythms and distorted vocals -- sounds good, but there seems to be something missing here. The production is adequate at best, and that leaves me to believe that maybe with a bit better production then the band's ideas would be more enhanced and direct. This style needs a good production to allow the music to pummel us as the material unfolds. I also think the duo of Dan Hinds and Nels Bruckner are trying too hard (at certain points on the album) to bring multiple styles of sounds into the music. Certain songs sound too weighed down with ideas (i.e. "Bitter Spirit") and that causes the material to suffer. Also, the vocals need to be worked on, as the heavy drive of the music seems to be mismatched with the slow, out of sync vocals. _Relict_ is a good demo; it just needs a little bit of a touch-up. Note: cover of Devo classic "Girl U Want" is pretty good.

Contact: Binding Station, P.O. Box 5965, Bellevue, WA 98006, USA

(article published 14/1/2002)