If you threw 3TEETH, Ministry, Skinny Puppy, SYD.31, and a few punk bands alongside a heavy dose of 'new and unique individuality' sauce in to a blender, you end up with Moaan Exis by the time the noise and blades come to a halt.
Failing that imagine a modern remake of The Crow. A Moaan Exis track would make a perfect replacement to My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult's 'After the flesh' track during the nightclub massacre..
On the 15th of November the French power duo released this, their third album, NECESSARY VIOLENCES with 8 tracks of stunning brutality.
In their own words:
Duo Vox/machines + drum oriented industrial, techno, hardcore, cinematic atmosphere, tribal or experimental sounds. Since its beginnings, Moaan Exis explores genres, integrates them, in fact
something that someone can not define so easily.
A sound object burning melancholy with the violence of a catastrophe. There is little respite, yet so much urgency. This is manifested by a powerful beat, confusing rhythms, strange sounds, a brutal distortion or not soothing soundscapes; Because the motor is emotion. Ultimately, Moaan Exis desires to sublimate sound into fury, rage and sweat.
Moaan Exis is:
Mathieu: Programming, synth, percussions.
Xavier: Drum.
Review:
At the 3:39 mark, even on low volume 'Everyday is a simulation' did something no song has ever done, it caused my heavy mahogany desk to vibrate and shake beneath me with is descending bass frequency.
It is precisely THIS kind of sound that we go to clubs for, to feel that deep penetrating bass resonate within us and massage that deep rooted need for aural satisfaction; That first sip of a beer, the first mouthful of a good meal to a starving man, and with this.. The tension release of the first felt vibrations on a dance floor to the heavier dark synths our souls long for.
'Alone Together' brings the dark synth and heavy drum fuel to the fire in a steady and impressive dark dance offering of modern technological tribal spirit. 'Divine Automation' is a modern punk vocalisation of pure chaos. The vocals, drums, and samples are thrown around like a mosh pit. There is a delicate order that only just keeps the track together long enough to end and it is a very, very impressive balance.
Divine Automation music video:
'Blind' and 'Necessary Violence' slow the pace down to an ominous, overbearing anticipation of danger only to have 'Coercion' speed the tempo back up in to that very '2020' sound of industrial with the high level synths and almost happy hardcore style drumming, all glued together with a little dub-step; and its thoroughly enjoyable. 'Love Witches' does much the same but with added old school EBM feel and a distorted Choir thrown in.
Finally the album wraps up with Electronic Substance Abuse's remix of 'Divine Automation' which sounds more like a mash up, or live battle between the two bands. I feel sorry for my speakers now...
"I would say the remix I'm most proud of to date is this little angry snapper." - Jamie of ESA.
Tracklist
Conclusion
Moaan Exis are a very professional band who have brought forth an album that may not be to everyone's taste and liking but for those of us who appreciate the nuances and beauty within the maelstrom of the chaos, it is a fine addition that stands out in an already flooded market. With NECESSARY VIOLENCES, they have proven themselves to be effective predators in our concrete music jungle.
Scores
Technicality: 7.5/10
Dance factor: 8/10
Energy: 8/10
Vocals: 7/10
Re-playability: 8/10
Overall score: 7.7 / 10
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