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Combichrist - One Fire | Review

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Akill

Combichrist - One Fire

Out Of Line

June 2019

The time has come for the "One Fire" of Combichrist.

Since Andy LaPlegua and his band, Combichrist, announced the release of their new full length album, "One Fire", many hearts had started beaten faster, and, I believe, everyone who is in the dark industrial music scene was really expecting to listen to this new work. I was, definitely, one of them. Being a fan of Andy's music, since the early years of Icon of Coil, a new album from him and Combichrist is always highly anticipated.

I've been listening to the "One Fire" for some time now, and it really gave me different feelings in several points throughout the album. Before going into more details, I want to tell you that Combichrist's "One Fire" is their 9th full length album and it is officially released on Friday, June 7th from Out Of Line Music.

"One Fire" is, as the press release states, "an album that shows a band, that‘s march of triumph made the whole world looking – and that‘s hunger for more makes it even more dangerous". Whether someone like it or not, Combichrist has already a 15 year history in industrial scene and "One Fire" shows exactly this. It could be an overview of the Combichrist's music phases and influences, taken out from each one of their previous releases, or even other side-projects of the mastermind of the band, Andy LaPlegua.

"Cold industrial and heavy riffs seal a sinister alliance, driven by pounding rhythms... Because „One Fire“ is retrospect and forecast in one, traditional, but not looking back. Formed of aggressive music and unchained live shows around the full globe, Combichrist return to their roots and celebrate the sound that made them great." - And yes, this is what "One Fire" is about. Combichrist are taking a look back to their early, pure industrial, releases, but then again, they are clearly expressing their latest, industrial metal and hardcore, influences, that appeared mainly in their last releases and since they are based in US.

We had already listened to the two singles that were released prior to "One Fire", the "Hate Like Me" and the "Understand". Both of these songs had shown that Combichrist would definitely use some of the elements that made them great and famous in the industrial scene. Including all these things from the first releases of the band, and furthermore, it seems that Andy, have never leave back the "Panzer AG" way of expressing his music. "Hate Like Me" has the aggression in the voice, the synths and the drums, that the band introduced to us in "Today We are All Demons" album, while "Understand" could be the new single of the Panzer AG. It seems that it could be tha track that never made it into "This Is My Battlefield" album.

To satisfy the dark electro industrial lovers, Combichrist created "Lobotomy" and "Last Days Under The Sun". These are the two songs (apart from the two singles, released earlier) that will definitely be in many dj playlist and will be club hits. "Last Days Under The Sun" is the dark electro song that everyone needs to hear from Combichrist. Slowing entering into the hard electro beat, combined with a quite aggressive vocal-line from Andy, a powerful electro, catchy rhythm is filling the atmosphere. With the necessary, downtempo part in the middle of the song, explosion follows and makes the tension bigger. Dance, dance, dance. "Lobotomy" is moving in lower tempoo than the "Last Days Under The Sun" but, in my opinion, is still another one, possible, club hit. With a beat and rhythm that is influenced from some old school industrial, EBM sounds and bands, will definitely make it to the dancefloors. This one is again one of the songs that brings memories of Combichrist's early years.

It is known that Combichrist's sound have been affected from the industrial metal core bands from US and they have adopted all these in their music, mostly in their latest releases. Therefore, it is obvious that these elements would be present in "One Fire" as well. Main examples, are "Broken United" and "Guns At Last Dawn". Both are the strongest hardcore industrial metal moments of the album. In "Broken United" there are some heavy guitars and drums with filthy riffs and a catchy refrain with enough of the aggression in Andy's vocals. In there you will find a moment of Icon of Coil in the voice of Andy. All the anger has left, for seconds, and the lead voice of Icon Of Coil is coming on the surface. In "Guns At Last Dawn" the aggressiveness is even higher with some really hardcore drum-lines heavy, metallic guitar riffs and, in vocals, Andy is supported by Burton C. Bell (Fear Factory) who purifies this song with his vocals.

Same titled "One Fire" song and "2045" are two songs that combines all the previous characteristics but in a very lowest tempo and rhythm. "Bottle of Pain" and "The Other" give a different side of Andy LaPlegua and Combichrist. The first is close to a marching ballad with an appropriate melody, clean guitars while Andy is talking about a war scenery. "The Other" is the closing track, and I could say it was a bit of surprise to me. Dark ambience in a low tempo, deep voice from Andy, some electronic modulator's elements and an emotional, sad melody in a chorus. Every time I hear it I like it most.

Rest of the tracks are the "Intro", an entrance to the "One Fire", "Interlude", a small intro to "Understand" and a cover of one of the songs that marke the history of punk-rock, Dead Kennedy's "California Uber Alles".

Combichrist's "One Fire" can satisfy the fans of each period and phase of the band. From those, who are fans of the pure dark electro, industrial sound of the early years, to the industrial metal core fans of the present. "One Fire" is a collection of the different faces and sounds of Combichrist.

"One Fire" will come out in different version, including a bonus CD with the "Hellblade OST", known to the gamers, a hand-numbered limited edition box of 1000 units, including Keyholder, Hipsterbag and Certificate of Authenticity the additional Bonus Remix CD „Mixfire“ and a limited Double Vinyl we be released in orange and pink.

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"„Hellblade“ - a classic. Gamer from all over the world loved this game and played it with dangerously high addiction rate over and over again. One of the reasons for that is the gloomy, intense soundtrack, written by Andy LaPlegua and David Garcia. Now Andy has compiled “Selected Work from Hellblade by Andy LaPlegua” exclusively as Bonus CD for the 2-CD-Digipak of „One Fire“. A Must-have for soundtrack fans and „Hellblade“ gamers!

And the box limited on 1000 units and handnumbered, includes additionally to the Digipak, Keyholder, Hipsterbag and Certificate of Authenticity the additional Bonus Remix CD „Mixfire“ - a firework of bands beeing inspired by the songs of „One Fire“. Stilistically without frontiers the range goes from Industrail over Metal to HipHop, artists and bands such as Burton C. Bell or Solar Fake put their very own stamp on the songs.

We have something special for vinyl fans: The limited Double Vinyl we be released in orange and pink, not only with different vinyl colors but also with colorwise fitting covers, and additionally one records is a picture vinyl with two different motives."

CD
1. Intro
2. Hate Like Me
3. Broken United
4. Guns At Last Dawn
5. Lobotomy
6. One Fire
7. Bottle Of Pain
8. 2045
9. Interlude
10. Understand
11. California Uber Alles
12. Last Days Under The Sun
13. The Other

Bonus CD

1. Hellblade OST Helheim
2. Hellblade OST Surt
3. Hellblade OST The Northmen
4. Hellblade OST River Of Knives
5. Hellblade OST Ray Of Hope
6. Hellblade OST Dillion
7. Hellblade OST Trials Of Odin
8. Hellblade OST Sea Of Corpses

Remix CD

1. Last Days Under The Sun (Fear Of Domination Remix)
2. One Fire (Rave The Reqviem Remix)
3. Guns At Last Dawn (Judgement Is Freedom Remix by Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory)
4. Last days Under The Sun (Gigantor Remix)
5. Understand (Solar Fake Remix)
6. Hate Like Me (GrooVenom Remix)
7. One Fire (Flynt Flossy Remix)
8. Last Days Under The Sun (Gigantor Dub Remix)