Deathsquad - "Centipede Strapon Masquerade"
(Stray Dog Promotions 2001, skit77)
Deathsquad - "Centipede Strapon Masquerade"
(Stray Dog Promotions 2001, skit77)
From Aural Innovations #21 (October 2002)
Underground band Deathsquad from England have been active under many different aliases since the mid-90's with their lo-fi mix of EBM, punk, indie noise terror, psychedelia and other ingredients of an experimental nature. The band on this release consists of Thug D on vocals, programming and keyboards, Blade on vocals, keyboard and guitar, Kyriscum on guitar, keyboards and bass, and Dookie on guest vocals.
"Centipede Strapon Masquerade" is a 9 track CDR release which opens with "Error 404", a piece of catchy and danceable EBM with great synth and guitar lines and some nicely stylized sampling throughout. "Play My Game" almost sounds like Pink Floyd ca. "A Saucerful of Secrets" with vocals through a megaphone and a sort of new wave attitude. "Doris Karlof" is more dissonant pop. "Slaystation" is like a disease ridden slice of grunge-like lo-fi punk, "606" is more reminiscent of early Psychic TV with spooky and ritual dramatics, while "Days Of Rage" is more lo-fi EBM noise with frantic guitar noodling. The closing "The Music That We Make" is like a slow droning 13th Floor Elevators pastiche with raga like guitars in the background. Deathsquad demonstrate an attitude we would like to see and hear more of in the wake of the glory days of Inner City Unit in the 80's combined with the dissonant pop sensibilities of Wire.
Go forth to http://www.deathsquad.org for more on this rather
celebrated modern UK underground act.
Contact via snail mail c/o Nick Bainbridge/Stray Dog Promotions; Flat 2; 12 Hanson Street; W1W 6UA; London, England.
Reviewed by Christian Mumford