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Album Review: FIX8:SED8 - Octagram


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FÏX8:SËD8 present an intriguing concept album full of samples of last words from those about to be executed by the criminal justice system. It is a dark, sometimes haunting, and educational dive into the inhumanity of man.


Behold the "Octagram"!


For FÏX8:SËD8 the number 8 is more than just another digit. When the 8 just turns by a little in the context of the German electro industrial project's sixth album, it becomes the symbol for infinity.

The number 8 is also reflected in the structure of the album, which consists of 8 songs with a playing-time of 8 minutes.

The new songs break out from the classic verse and chorus formula. Freshly introduced odd time signatures and polyrhythmic experiments add to the overall progressive feel this creates.


"Octagram" features all the signature elements and sounds that define FÏX8:SËD8: The album is as playful, complex, and melodic as its predecessors. The drums push even a bit harder than before, while the vocals are even more diverse on "Octagram".

Vocal samples consist mainly of recitations quoting the last words of persons that were about to receive the death sentence.

With "Octagram", electro industrial shooting stars FÏX8:SËD8 once again push the extent of their own musical dimensions as well as the limits of the whole scene.


"Octagram" is truly a groundbreaking milestone in the evolution of Martin Sane's electronic industrial darkness!

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Review


It's quite a skill to pull off what feels like a chillout track, whilst playing sampled last words of those about to be executed. If that isn't one of most interesting and heavy concepts for an album then.. What is?! 'The Unborn' presents us with that deep, engrossing, and fascinating concept from the start; The whole time feeling like it should be something relaxing to vibe to, and so weirdly - it is. The track takes a retro 80's route for a while before the lyrics enter. Tension creeps in a builds up in the drums and synth throughout. The final haunting and poignant sample finishes off an earlier statement with "You call this justice?" and it hits deep and hard.

'New Eden' takes it's time teasing the suspense and bringing an eerie sense of schizophrenia with the first sample, the second sample, deeper and masculine is complimented by old school sci-fi industrial sounds. The main lyrics growl away robotically before going back to the sample. The mash up is satisfying - full bodied, and really does take you on a journey of the mind.


There's a lot of desperation in the opening sample of 'Blisters' that strikes a harsh cord. This track is full of the metallic clang of industrial, the tempo remains slow, steady, and then throws in a damn sick synth beat at around 3:20. As the lyrics come back in, I'm reminded of the first couple of 3TEETH albums all of a sudden. An interesting EBM track all round. Another 'chillout' and low tempo track with 'Lesson In Humility' with an edited cut of a quote half way through that sets the tone of not only the song but a lot of the album itself..

Tonight we tell the world that there are no second chances.. Tonight we tell our children, that in some instances, some cases.. killing is right No one wins tonight, there is no closure.. No one walks away victorious

- Napoleon Beazley Convicted for carjacking and murdering a 63-year-old man.


A bit more stomp, a bit more drums, a bit more aggrotech with 'Tyrants'. There is plenty of tempo here for an arm throwing dance as it feels darker, more urgent and powerful with its drums and synths.


The last three songs all kick up the tempo a notch, especially in 'An Unquiet Mind' which does bring a sense of 'one for the dance floor' to the mix. Each of the tracks hold their own weight and wrap up the album concept cleanly, leaving you sat there in a mind museum of criminal history. The album closes out with a sense of a headphone audio tour; leaving you in the silence to contemplate the horrors of man, the justice, the injustice, and the inability to ever TRULY know everything that people have done in their lives.

By the way! They do have a deluxe edition on Bandcamp with 4 extra songs!


Conclusion


Industrial albums often explore the listener or the artist's mind, the concept of Octagram by FÏX8:SËD8 explores some of the darkness criminal minds before their end, in a truly artistic and intellectual presentation - whether their guilt was certain, or uncertain. Like the 8 pointed star of Chaos, Octagram takes us through the emotional warp space of human emotion and behaviours. Horrors, moments of clarity, and that the law often seems that there is (to borrow another Warhammer 40k reference) "No such thing as innocence, only varying degrees of guilt."


A truly fascinating concept and one clearly of great importance to a band where 8 is the magic number for FÏX8:SËD8. For a band that likes it's shock value both in song and in live performance, this album feels like a museum installation, or a criminal documentary in a brand new format.

Thank you!


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