Aesthetic Perfection - Into The Black (self-released)

English:CD-review
  Van Muylem    5 maart 2019

Into the Black is the fifth studio album from Industrial Pop pioneers Aesthetic Perfection. Featured on Into The Black are Richard Z. Kruspe (Rammstein), Jinxx Ferguson (Black Veil Brides) & Krischan Wesenberg (Rotersand).


Aesthetic Perfection is the solo project of Los Angeles-based producer Daniel Graves. Over a career spanning 15 years, five full-length albums, and numerous singles and music videos, Graves has reinvented what it means to be a dark electro artist, combining industrial, pop, goth, and everything in between. Aesthetic Perfection defies definitions in a world that demands them.

I have seen Daniel for the first time on stage during the Vampire Live fest and since then I follow him from a distance. It seems that he’s always looking to shock people and walks on the edges. When I read the promo talk for this one I noticed he mentioned Lady Gaga fans as possible target. Well, you can laugh, but he means it!

First track is Gods & Gold and has some raps coming from Richard Z. Kruspe (Rammstein) whilst Daniel gives his typical vocals in it. It’s a strange match, but it is indeed a match and sounds pretty cool. The heavy guitars are fingerlicking good, just as the beats and the industrial minded touch. It has something catchy and melancholic, just the way I love it! Wickedness has an electro/industrial feel with a screaming Daniel and some interesting bits and bleeps. It feels like written for artists like Lady Gaga, for sure if you look a bit further then the dark touch. No Boys Allowed is a nice title, but the track feels like it could have been a bit stronger, with a higher tempo or harder beats as you clearly hear it has more then enough potential. Supernatural sounds like the softer side of Nine Inch Nails, genre Closer but without the sensual part. The chorus has a catchy part. I miss some sexual tension in this track as I think it would be appropriate here. Echoes is a soft but catchy as hell track, it reminds me a bit of a commercial hit from 50 Cent with Ayo Technology (for sure the Chorus and if you take the Milow version you’ll be struck). We Wake Up has a more commercial sound, just listen to the backings and the electronics. It’s soft and can easily be played on the radio. If I Die mixes guitars with electro and hip-hop. There is off course some darkness, but it’s mainly something poppy and catchy as hell. The second voice here does a good thing, but also makes it more commercial. Saint Peter is a happy and poppy electro track, you almost forget to listen to the lyrics. YOLO sounds as positive as the title, with a slice of techno and some computerized vocals. It’s a foot stumping mid-tempo song and heading for self-destruction. Last one is Mourning Doves and sounds almost like a sweet lullaby. It’s a bit strange not to go out with a big bang, but that’s just how it goes.

It’s a bit strange to hear the more commercial approach, but I've heard more then enough good things in here and I’m pretty confident that the fans will love it.