Album review: 'Church for the malfunctioned' by Massive Ego.
Church for the Malfunctioned is one of those albums that grabs a hold of you and throws your heart down a whole new path of Gothic sub genre music to fall in love with whilst also digging deep at that nostalgia factor from similar music. Half of the music in my upbringing was that of Human League, Eurythmics, and Kraftwerk which is where that nostalgia factor takes root when I listen to the wonderful synth sound of Massive Ego’s music. Not only that but it also has the edge of more traditional industrial bands such as VNV Nation, Blutengel, and Gary Numan’s more recent works. Hailing from the UK, Massive Ego are experienced performers who find a lot of love in Germany.
Marc Massive’s voice is wonderfully soothing to listen to in it’s ideal balance between depth and that of someone compassionate. He is therefore suited well to the slightly different style that flow in and out of one another with each song; from the very emotionally heavy and meaningful ‘The Wolf’ to the energetic power singing of ‘Malfunctioning Me.’
There is a lot of talent in this album and the talent of Oliver Frost and Scott Collins is just as evident throughout each song just as much as Marc’s vocals. It feels like this is Massive Ego’s true form and I hope this Is the album that makes them huge headway this year. This is a 2 CD album with the second CD being home to remixes by other industrial acts. Some are remixed by giants of the scene also on the same music label of ‘Out of line music' such as Solar Fake and Blutengel; Some are from closer to home and well loved bands such as DKAG who have turned the track ‘Digital Heroin’ in to one hell of a bass heavy track.
To simply call this album industrial pop would be wrong. It is both Gothic and full of synths, yet it is full of life and meaning too. If you have not heard of Massive Ego before or have not heard their works in a while, then I urge you to discover/re-discover them now in what is a testament to the two decades of music they have been around. It is a masterpiece of an album and one that I have not been able to stop listening too since it’s release. Their previous albums are also well worth a listen having many great tracks such as ‘Let go.’ So I think it up to the listener to decide which sub genre they would try to pigeon-hole it in to but to do so would be unjust with the amount of magic this band presents.
An in depth interview with all of Massive Ego about the album, who they are, and their past can be found here.
Top 5 tracks on Church for the Malfunctioned:
1. Malfunctioning me
This is an ideal dance tracks with a foot stomping beat that is also soothing on the soul to listen to as you dance; rising up with synths and guitar that stir a range of emotions throughout the track accompanied by a very catchy chorus to sing along to.
2. The Wolf
This is a track that hits very, very hard on the emotional level. You could interpret the lyrics to reference depression as the ‘the wolf,’ a controlling abuser, or something else, I suppose it would be very subjective to the listener’s life experiences. It is both incredibly harrowing in the sad piano and lyrical way and yet also uplifting with the sound of strings backing the track. A very powerful track that brought shivers to my spine.
3. Digital Heroin This was the first single release and video for the album and a good choice too. It is meaningful but also incredibly catchy and a great track to sing along to. It sums up the band quite well in their style approach throughout the album and also in regards to the bands aesthetic. I often find myself constantly signing the chorus quietly to myself at work!
4. My religion is dark This is possibly the most beat and dance heavy track on the album. It is a track that would do well in any alternative nightclub and I would absolutely love to blare this track out on a DJ set and see how people would dance along to it. Another meaningful song that has gravity in both lyrics and in it’s uplifting sounds.
5. Military fashion show
This cover of ‘And One’s’ classic track is a fitting tribute which is a bit more lively, a little faster, and a little bit more energetic. The love and respect Massive Ego have shown this song is apparent. If this wasn’t a cover, it would be my no.1 track on the album. A truly brilliant tribute and one I recommend you all listen to asap.
Overall this album is a testament to the incredible skill and showmanship this band are all about. They are a band full of meaning and magic and that shows in this album from start to finish. With 14 tracks on the first CD and 10 remixes on the second, I truly believe this is going to be one of the very best albums of 2019 and I can’t wait to see them play in the UK again soon because this band deserve so much more exposure in the UK than they currently have.
The band have just released a short documentary on the making of the album, found in the video below.
My thanks once again to the band for speaking to Elektro Vox previously which can be found here.
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