APOLLYON SUN — Sub (review)

Album · 2000 · Industrial Metal

4/5 · 2010-03-26
Windhawk

Switzerland is known for it's clocks, banks and chocolate. It is also the home country of Thomas Fischer, mastermind behind highly influential groups Hellhammer and Celtic Frost. Apollyon Sun is the group he put together a few years after Celtic Frost disbanded in the early 90's; where Fischer explored music much different to what was issued under the Celtic Frost moniker.

Musically it is relatively easy to put the Industrial Metal stamp on this release. Which is correct, the overall sound certainly fits that tag. But as always with Fischer, there are subtle details that makes this one rather different from others. Musical inspirations are probably many, but Prodigy and Gary Numan seems to be safe bets for artists that influenced the overall sound here. As well as Fischer's old band Celtic Frost, of course.

The structure of the tracks here are mostly something like this: Electronic sounds start song; then there is some sort of verse and chorus set-up where the track moves from extremely heavy phases to slightly calmer phases and back again; somewhere in the middle of the track there's usually a calm, ambient sounding section before the song returns to the earlier more brutal sounding phases.

There's lots of electronic sounds in the music. Samples and loops all over the place, electronically enhanced noises and some melodic synth sounds to enhance the soundscape as well. Very much like Prodigy actually; but more sinister and eerie sounding. The bass guitar is often the dominant instrument; rumbling like a brutal distorted earthquake underneath all other noises in the soundscape. The guitar is used to deliver slow, heavy riffs or drawn out chords - kind of a doom metal sound but heavier and more brutal. In some songs the guitar sound is more slick and less distorted though, delivering more melodic aspects to the song as well. Adding stability to it all are drums, played solidly and at times creatively.

Tom Fischer's vocals adds atmosphere to it all. His mixture of singing and talking, and the general world-weary feel of his voice, creates a distinct mood to this music. Although brutal and heavy the music doesn't come across as aggressive. This isn't music by angry men that want to change the world or complain of their destinies. Rather, it's more like the music of lost souls; music from the deepest pits of oblivion made by souls living there and accepting their fate.

In other words; this is not happy music.

The songs here are rather good as well. The moods and atmospheres are unique in their totality; and I wouldn't recommend anyone getting this release before having listened to a track or two to see if this is likeable. As for the ones that should consider checking this out: People into Prodigy and Gary Numan that also like heavy metal should be an audience with a good chance of enjoying this release. And fans of industrial metal should perhaps consider checking this out as well.