Seraphim System has been a big part of Elektro Vox these last (almost) 5 years, I've covered his music probably more than any other artist on this site. The reason? I still stand by the fact that this man is an absolute musical genius. There are plenty of supremely skilled and talented individuals out there but add in how fast John Stancil is at creating whatever track he puts his mind to or is asked to, (Be it a challenge, or a remix another artist needs) and you have one of the most impressive beasts in all of alternative electronic/Industrial.
I hold Seraphim System as highly as I do in this musical regard as the other legends on the scene such as ESA and Teknovore.
Now he has released a remastered and updated version of his original album and the sound difference really does show in terms of technique and subtly altering the track's samples and loops etc to all fit with modern day tastes and expectations.
This is only going to be a short review but I felt it deserved an article of its own rather than in the recent release article I just put up.
Here's what John had to say about the new album on the 22nd of October:
Ten years ago today. Jesus. Ten years and 15 studio albums Ten years and 20 Singles + EPs Ten years and 40 remixes Ten years and 20 Compilations / VIPs / Covers
TEN YEARS OF EXCESSIVE BASS AND EXCESSIVE FORCE
Here is the original descrition for the first album ten years ago:
Seraphim System's debut powernoise / aggrotech / industrial album. 11 hellish apocalyptic tracks of monstrous and aggressive mayhem usher in portraits of a dark, sinister future. These mechanical constructs of noise and harmony evoke images of a dark gothic-punk dystopia. These factory-fueled drums of war echo through abandoned warehouses in slums most police forces won't venture and crescendo between decaying concrete monoliths. This generation that greed forgot turn to rioting and crime in light of corporate, political, and judicial corruption. Fear mongering men of cloth mention that we're damned. The politicians with their silver forked tongues have the hopeless believing their bullshit to make everything better. We will resist. We will continue our fight. We will use Excessive Force.
credits
released October 23, 2013 John S. - War Drums, Distortion, and Aggravated Assault
STOP A MOMENT!
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Review
When I was pretty damn new to all things industrial and could only list a handful of artists, it was Seraphim System that blew that need to discover more bands WIDE OPEN. Having been stunned by the great performance at Resistanz 2016, I made sure to go grab a couple of albums. The first few albums of Ser-Sys are still some of my favourite listens to this day, so how glorious it is that the one I listened to the least out of those first few releases is now resurrected to an immaculate polish and pristine quality.
Excessive Force had something very new to me back then, no lyrics.. Now yea, I think we can all shrug and say we know dozens of albums with no lyrics that are brilliant, but back then the only albums I had heard without lyrics were classical and trance; So to have these industrial pulses of aggressive sound thrown at my ears was quite an awakening as to a whole new world of music. (I suppose we can blame John for my continuing bias towards all things industrial rave/techno/powernoise or simply STOMP.)
Basically.. This Seraphim System album and those that came just after it, made this no dancing metalhead turn full industrial dance cybergoth.
(Maybe also Tank's fault when he did that dance on YouTube to Combichrist's 'Electrohead'.. yea.. we can probably blame him a fair bit too!)
This new and improved remastered version of the album hits all the sweet spots. It's got a little something for everyone, from slightly slower (only slightly) EBM feeling tracks like 'Our History of Violence' - To dance-move pounding killer track such as 'Don't Call It Techno', 'Fear as a weapon', 'Disposable', and 'AK47'. It also has some great media samples in tracks like 'Messiah Complex' and again 'Our History of Violence' that add gravitas and fuel for your own aggression to let the music and emotion flow through you like some sort of kick ass Sith.
With Ser-Sys's huge back catalogue of very different music from album to album, there's never been a better time to discover Seraphim System if you haven't already done so!
Tracklist
Civic Duty; Kill The Rich
Messiah Complex
Obsession & Motive
Our History of Violence
Don't Call It Techno
The Police State
Utterly Insane
Just Keep Your Fucking Mouth Shut
Fear as a Weapon
Disposable
AK4K
Thank you
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