Search - Project Pitchfork :: Chakra Red

It could have been much better

D. M. MATALLIN | Valencia, Spain | 02/24/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album produces in me opposite reactions. Stmes I love it, stmes I hate it. A middle space would be better, I suppose. The album was released in 1997, and it meant a huge evolution from their previous albums: while Project Pitchfork's previous albums were characterised by a maybe purposeful raw electronics, Chakra red sounds richer in sounds. They introduce more guitars than ever, while at the same time they focus on the electronic sounds with more strength and variety than in the past. And then, why I don't consider this album the best PP? I'm not sure, maybe because I stmes feel as if they were trying to sound a bit like Front Line Assembly, losing at some times their distinctive sound achieved by albums like 'IO' and 'Alpha Omega'. However, it is the most varied album: some songs are quite guitaristic, others more ambient, etc. Let's see a song-per-song review:1. Human Crossing: the album begins with a strange piece: electronics that sound somewhat blurred, dirty guitars, heavily distorted voice: I usually hate this; now I think it's a good way to start the album: it somewhat reminds me of earlier sound while at the same time establishes the difference and the evolution. (8/10)2. 2096 AD: guitars breaks its way strongly. A heavy piece, unlike all Project Pitchfork made before; an attempt to emulate FLA maybe, it's a good song with raw vocals, and good drum'n bass chorus. (8.5/10)3. Malicious delight: the logical evolution to previous albums. It seems as if the voice makes a duet with himself, a graver almost diabolical voice vs a more human one. Good sound, good melody, good song, though less innovative. (9/10)4. Alien crossing: here the electronic beats are the masters; after some FLAish samples, the song breaks through quite danceable, quite accseeible, quite good. (8/10)5. Time: time for a breath. Instrumental piece, no guitars, quite mellow and changeable. (8.5/10)6. God wrote: obvious hit. Impressive chorus, good melody, some piano sound mixed up with the heavy electronic sounds. It reminds me of a more melodic FLA, but not a copy, not of course. (9/10)7. Rush: curious song. Some metal guitars lead us through the slow begining just to break through into an explosive chorus full of electronics and guitars. Chaos made melody. i like this, quite different to what Pitchfork has ever done. (9/10)8. December sadness: the most melancholy song: some children voices, tribal drums, good electronics, good grave voice, good chorus that transmits the december sadness perfectly. My favourite. (10/10)9. Temptation: again a quite original song: some guitar sounds together with a heavy beat which reminds me stmes of NIN's Closer, obssscene lyrics (I like that) (9/10)10. Tower of lust: maybe the weakes song. Not much interesting, it's just an everage song. Everything sounds soft on this one. (7.5/10)11. Celeste: strong song. very few times has electronic music sounded as heavy. Repetitive vocals makes its purpose. (9/10)12. Find a way home: a Vangelis cover. Quite average and out of place in this album. (7/10)Chakra red is ,in my opinion, not the best Project Pitchfork album. In fact, i think IO and EON EON are better, but Chakra Red is maybe the most innovative of all: the album in which this band, after 5 albums, sort of reinvented themselves without losing their distinctive sound. If you like Project Pitchfork, buy it. If you like FLA and thing project Pichfork are too mellow for you, buy this album. It will make u change your opinion."

Definately A Great Album

Donovan Smith | Denver, CO | 09/11/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is much different than previous Project Pitchfork albums for a good reason: the whole band worked on the songs, instead of just Peter Spilles, which hasn't happened since Dhyani. There is a wider variety of sound than in the previous album, Alpha Omega, and it is a bit more modern in sound. This album is faster paced overall than previous works, as well as having an overall brighter sound which is very welcomed. And each song is quite distinct from another, yet at the same time have a binding. Tracks like God Wrote (my favorite on the album) and Human Crossing show off the creativity of Project Pitchfork like never before, and maintains their identity as one of the most distinct EBM/industrial acts today. It should be noted that the track "En Garde!" is off an earlier EP release and was recorded much earlier than the rest of Chakra:Red, and was never intended by Project Pitchfork to be on the album. However, Metropolis included it on its release of the album. Although it is a good song, you can tell it doesn't really belong in this album because it sounds noticably different from anything else on Chakra:Red."

Easily Pitchfork's best

Melkor | 03/05/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Project Pitchfork CDs have a long tradition of being combinations of great and downright mediocre songs. Chakra Red! is no exception, but the good stuff outweighs the bad stuff massively here. Like all Project Pitchfork CDs, this one has its own distinctive sound, not comparable to their other work. The tone alternates between slow, dark, brooding melodies and loud, throbbing, aggressive tracks, sometimes within the same song. Tracks to skip are "2069 A.D." and "Alien Crossing", both of which exhaust themselves in an unmelodious, uninspired droning. Apart from those, all other tracks are rare gems, often merging into one another. From the opening "Human Crossing", which finds lead singer Spilles's voice distorted to such a degree as to create an almost underwater sound, over the powerful "Malicious Delight", to the somber and pensive "December Sadness" and the perky cover version of Vangelis's "I'll Find My Way Home", every song has its own distinct and unique feel. To add the final, perfecting touch, the CD booklet was designed by none other than the great comic book artist Dave McKean, who uses his well-known psychedelic collages to illustrate the lyrics. What more can you ask for?"