Skin Area - Journal Noir/Lithium Path (2 Disc)

Now this is an interesting 2 disc release.  Comprised of members Martin Bladh (IRM) and Magnus Lindh, this "years in the making release" is full of industrial and dark ambient material that is all over the map.  Disc one treat you to tons of distortion, feedback, crashing metal sounds, droning noises, dance beats, piano, footsteps, spoken vocals, screaming, and all kinds of other weird, quirky sounds.  This disc is downright annoying at times with it's piercing noises.  I had to turn down the sound numerous times to avoid killing my eardrums.  Reminded me of the ringing in my ears after listening to certain black metal bands.  Not a bad disc, I just didn't care for everything the experimented with here. 

Disc 2, if you will, is more of the dark ambient of the two CD's.  Even though I love industrial, this disc is the more enjoyable in my opinion.  The music is calmer and very hypnotizing ala Raison d'être at times with dark ambient mixed with hollow/echoing clanging noises.  The background/sampled vocals in the track "Elvira" remind me of Bocksholm a little bit except that these are not as distorted.  In the third track they utilize some female spoken vocals as well.  There are more of those male spoken vocals that we heard on disc one, and we also hear some use of guitars of this disc as well.

Seeing as how I only have promo copies of the CD's I can't really comment on packaging.  The lyrics are pretty strange for the most part with a few sexual references at times.  For those who like a good variety of music within these two genres, you're bound to find some stuff you like here.  CMI is only making 1000 copies of this release so you better act fast if you want a copy.

Rating: 79/100

Review By: Matt Morrow

Label: Cold Meat Industry

Total Songs: Disc One - 9.  Disc Two - 8.

Total Time: Disc One - 59:03.  Disc Two - 46:05

Tracklisting: Disc One - 1. Posthumous, 2. Silverhall, 3. Borderline, 4. A Childish Confession, 5. Blut und Weintrauben, 6. Journal: Noir, 7. Doll at Play, 8. Spiral Nerve, 9. Choose Art not Life.  Disc Two - 1. Into Bliss, 2. Elvira, 3. The Vivian Girls, 4. Nostalgia, 5. The Room, 6. Lithium Path, Part I, 7. Down the Third Conjunction, 8. Lithium Path, Part II.

Best Songs:  Disc One - Tracks 2, 4, & 6.  Disc Two - Tracks 1, 4, 6, & 8.

Band Lineup: Martin Bladh & Magnus Lindh.

Band Website: ?