Album Review: MATT HART - BELOW THE TERRA PT.1
We return to the universe of Outlaws desperately surviving against machine overlords in an a total war for Mankind's survival which has always been MATT HART's concept but never more so than with his last album TERRA 3808. In this recent release we find the Outlaws in an ever more perilous endeavour. The music itself has evolved in multiple ways bringing rich variation to his sonic arsenal. Anyone played Frostpunk? Think that set in the Terminator world and instead of Steampunk, it's cyberpunk warfare.
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MATT HART - UK industrialist, dark alternative, electronic artist–sophomore album, BELOW THE TERRA PT.1(15/03/2022). Following
on from the success of the first single TO THE CORE(15/11/2021–reached #1on the Twitch 2021 chart countdown via the premiere
dark DJ channel InsertScaryNameHere) and most recent single DECIMATE(17/01/2022), this album will undoubtedly build anticipation
for what else is to come!
15/03/2022–MATT HART–BELOW THE TERRA PT.1
Welcome back to 3808. The icy wastelands: the year that defies time.... a frozen overworld, barren and owned by the machines. Below
the surface, barely surviving are the outlaws. The last of humanity, persevering and worked hard, mining as deep as possible. Their
journey to reach the FIRE WELL, the lone source of heat and energy, has begun. Join them and feel akin in their struggles as the
soundscape of this album delivers dark electro through industrial and industrial bass to create club anthems and dystopian in-your-face grit. Moving forward from the guitar driven TERRA 3808(02/11/2019), this more electronic direction delivers intensity and destructive beats, while having catchy melody. On these 9 tracks, conjure up some hope–while realising the reality of the challenges which lie ahead for the outlaws.
For fans of: ESA, 3TEETH, Hocico etc.
MATT HART’s signature sound of industrial electronic metal forged with driving beats makes this album, pounding and relentless in
energy, but also takes on layers of complex instrumentation–which will have you excited to get on a dance floor and then to hear more
from this artist. Written and produced by MATT HART. Mixed by Adi Calef of DNA Studios. Mastered by Krischan Wesenberg of Rotersand.
Artwork by Vlad McNealy of Kallisti design.
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Catch MATT HART performing live at Elektro Vox Music Festival (EVM Fest), the Pre-Slimelight concert on the 9th of April. He's also playing Karkasarus and Elektro Vox present iVardensphere in Camden June 1st!
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Review
Opening with a more chilled and melodious style of industrial than we are used to with MATT HART helps to set the concept setting. The heavy guitars on this album certainly haven't gone but blend much better in to the over all sounds and allow for more of the electronics to take centre stage.
Check out the music video for 'Decimate' below.
'To The Core' flows smoothly between verse and chorus with an almost chilled out 3TEETH style of sound. It captures essences of cyber, industrial, and EBM and swirls out a dancefloor track we are not used to hearing from MATT. It's a fantastic electronic foot stomper.
'To The Core' video:
'I Am Overlord' kicks in with the more old school EBM spiced with dashes of aggrotech and really strengthens the album's narrative in such a stylish way that only EBM can achieve.
'Terrorfying v.2' is a great remix that really hammers home the fear, hopelessness and frustration not just for the outlaws but for our own world as a whole. The choice of electronics as music samples is unique.. I love that this is so industrial it sounds like someone is being eaten by a rogue printer!
'Walk In Shadows' has a wonderful Kraftwerk-esque electronic voice and slow steady stomp progression that really flares a smile on to your face. It's like the ultimate anthem for technophiles or theme tune for the Adeptus Mechanicum of the Warhammer Universe.
Following a similar style to the previous two tracks, 'Cathartic' sounds like MATT would only have buzz saws and chainsaws on stage in place of guitars when played live! It breaks down a little in to a more recognisable industrial groove making for a really interesting track over all.
My favourite track on this album is by far the aptly named 'Last Rave' which kicks up the tempo of electronic dance. With a powerful narrative and catchy loops, it's a great outro in expectation of Part 2.
Tracklist
Conclusion
A well rounded and intriguing album that showcases some of the most conceptual features of story telling that suits industrial so well. Each track is well placed, thought out, and follows a different avenue of musical exploration within the synthetic 'machine'.
A Powerful addition to MATT HART's catalogue of brutality and the clash of musical brawling of metal on metal.
Scores
Technicality: 7/10
Soul factor: 6/10
Energy: 7/10
Vocals/Samples: 6/10
Re-play value: 8/10
Overall score: 7 / 10
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