Psalms of Extinction

Five albums and gazillions of singles into 's existence, it's still difficult to accept the fact that this music project is actually helmed by extreme producer extraordinaire , but (that fifth album) adds another few layers of belief -- even if it gets off to an inconspicuous start. With little more than a jagged metallic riff to counter its robotic dullness, first track pretty much falls flat on its polished chrome face, but next cut turns the ship around with a more danceable beat, groovy riff, and a surprisingly catchy singalong chorus. Somewhat surprisingly, it's this particularly accessible formula that usually produces the album's best moments when repeated for ensuing tracks like and But shifts gears constantly to keep any glimmer of boredom at bay: whether he's pounding along like a jackhammer with (which introduces baritone vocals for a hopped-up sound); scaling things back down a notch and adding symphonic textures to the title track and a cover of 's or sneaking a hardly industrialized ballad like into the mix. All in all, this clearly makes for a varied set, showcasing 's versatile talents for manipulating sounds. But while it may intrigue his -focused following as a nice stylistic departure, is unlikely to wow serious music freaks as anything remotely groundbreaking. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia