Star Industry will finally play on Belgium soil on a open air festival with an international touch, the same festival as where they played ages ago when they started making their mark and worked on their own sound.
I remember in the beginning a lot of journalist called the clones of The Sisters of Mercy, well nowadays it would be a disgrace for Star Industry or the journalism who points that out is still stuck in the past!They took their time to produce 10 jewels and worked hard on finding a good balance and variation and they succeeded with brio! Tom Proost did the mixing (in Belgium known as the guy who does the live sets of Raymond van het Groenewoud, a famous singer in the Benelux).
They released in November 2014 a first EP Eyline, one I really loved and that one was already pointing out the variation and showing off the long road they took since their debut! Eyline is simply a catchy Gothic rocker with a funky synth. Fact is that it’s a very radio friendly track, but in their homeland no big radio station played it, something we can say about lots of Belgium bands who are forced to stay underground but play on a lot of big festivals all over the world and reach a lot of people. A nice thing in this one is the French voice (check out the remixes of this one too).
I hope a lot of underground DJ’s try this one out on the dance floor! Driven sounds like a Gothic drive over route 66 enriched with beautiful female backings. Driving through the gates of hell with Peter Beckers! It reminds me a bit of The Elusive (and that is a great thing). Selling Icons is really catchy with a piano that sticks and goes on like forever.
The more whispering sound of Peter Beckers gives it a mysterious and melancholic touch. It’s clearly a rebellion against our modern world and a great statement! I adore the lyrics! At some point the piano reminds me of the famous Halloween piano tune, giving it a spooky touch. It’s for sure one of the many highlights on this superb album! Revelation feels like a false Industrial/electro track with Nine Inch Nails influences.
The synths are leading the track into darkness, perfectly pointing out that this band has a wide range of musical possibilities. One could change this track slightly and it might become a perfect clubber (yeah: I’m just pointing out the rich possibilities)! Once again they produced a very catchy track, a perfect earworm! Dark Rain has overwhelming synths, with Peter’s typical voice and a great bass. It’s a track with a lot of potential and working on my imagination: hell yeah I can see a lot of people clapping their hands at some point and having lots of fun! Again something very catchy, but with dark lyrics!
The Renegade sounds like a Science Fiction minded track that screams for a kind of a Mad Max or something happening on Mars-minded video clip! The whispering part of the vocals remind me a bit of Peter Slabbynck (Red Zebra/ex-RZ). The female backings give it a bombastic touch, just as the synths/orgue. The guitars are also performing in great shape! New Religion goes back to the more The Elusive/Billy Idol kind of musical gang bang with a perfect melody and o so catchy!It sounds like a possible international hit! The total package is just perfectly mixed! Raise your arms; clap your hands and sing-a-long as if you are into a religious mantra!
Have you seen the light yet with Star Industry? Well, start with this one! I get a very positive feel from this one! More guitar minded and straight forward gothic rocker is Reign On Fire. Can’t wait to hear this one on stage and see how the audience is reacting to it! I’m starting to think that he lyrics are referring to The Game of Thrones, but I might be wrong. I love Peter’s vocals in this one, somehow they really sound like just perfect and on fire! For The Lost begins with a guitar that reminds me a bit of Red Zebra and bands like The Nightchild. The vocals sound differently on this one, but that is just showing off that Peter’s voice can sound differently. Once again I feel a clap your hands moment and lots of singing-a-long! It feels as if writing for festivals and clubs! I cherish the guitars in this one and the catchiness of the lyrics! It’s almost impossible to stand still during this one and that says enough, right? Shiver contains another switch on the vocals and starts as if a typical electro/dark wave track with a little bit of a techno touch. It’s a pretty amazing end for a pearl like this one!
The guys showed off and reached their goal: this album is simply finger licking good, rich in sound and variation! I must say that our friends keep on evolving in the most positive way! According to Darwin that means that they will survive at least a bit longer (in a world filled with clones and sharks)! Both thumbs up and see you on stage!
Don’t forget to check out the limited box!
TRACKLIST:
CD 1
1. Eilyne
2. Driven
3. Selling Icons
4. Revelation
5. Dark Rain
6. The Renegade
7. New Religion
8. Reign On Fire
9. For The Lost
10. Shiver
CD 2 bonus disc only available in the limited carton box edition
1. Kids (clubmix)
2. Shiver (speed of light remix)
3. Eilyne (Paris remix)
4. The Walk (clubmix)
5. Nineties (original demo)
6. Last Mystery Land (1996 unreleased demo)
7. Mary (1996 unreleased demo)
8. New Millennium
9. Kings And Queens
10. Kids (live – Mao club Beijing)
