aaamusic | On 02, Aug 2010

Let’s face it. When someone mentions Finnish music, 90% of us will immediately think of either goths or overly theatrical metal. Another 9% will think of glam metal. That’s just what Finland does, given the long dark Arctic nights and all. But bucking the trend with violent force comes Huoratron, dragging along – kicking and screaming – an abrasive industrial dance sound that is nigh on impossible to dance to without suffering a nervous breakdown.

The opening track of the album ‘Prevenge’ is ‘Corporate Occult’, a violently glitchy revving of the synth muscles accompanied by a dizzying beat that slowly disappears beneath layer upon layer of distinctly uncomfortable electronic sound. Even the obligatory female groans featured in dance tracks have been distorted beyond easy recognition. Dragging out into a gruelling yet hypnotic seven minutes, this sets the tone for exactly what is occurring for the rest of the album.

‘Gbay’ heads off with a drum beat that is bordering on military in its insistent pounding before lurching into squalling heaps of punishing noise and a dark, grinding loop that has a nauseous sensuality to it, like an old glam metal track fed through a satanic wood-chipper. So far, so industrial. Although, this is perhaps Huoratron’s biggest strength: most modern industrial bands rely on visual and lyrical shock tactics to create an impact. Huoratron, despite the “controversial” name, has no such Alice Cooper-isms. Here is a thick slab of aural terror, delivered neat without verbal or visual aids. And this just gets even more demented in the album’s title track, which pulsates backwards in a manner that makes the listener feel not only dizzy, but like their ear canals are being scrubbed down with sandpaper. And to be honest, the kooky little rave section is much like seeing a puppy in hell. You may feel momentarily cheered by its presence, but there’s only so long such a feeling can last before you’re eaten up by unidentifiable terrors, here in the form of violent synth loops.

So perhaps the fact that the fourth track is a remix of the first comes as something of a relief: it has been, to an extent, reworked into something recognisable a structured dance track with a constant beat. Artistically, this choice in track order is perhaps dubious as it implies that the best material is already over, but to be honest, many listeners may find themselves a little too shellshocked to mind.

But just in case you thought things would get easier, think again. Remember the dial-up tone you used to get when you connected to the internet? Imagine that, as recreated by Skinny Puppy at their most experimental and vicious. Then add some 8-bit videogame sound effects lifted straight from the 1980s. That sums up ‘$$ Troopers’. By comparison, the static-coated grittiness and level-up bleeping of ‘Hoedown’ is a relief, backed up by possibly the most recognisable rhythms in the whole album. Although the breakdown (in quite possibly a literal sense for some) in the middle might just go against the statement.

As for the closer? Well, ‘The Troll’ starts out sounding like a laser battle set to a heavy beat, and just spirals out of control from there. Even the 8-bit “melodies” sound like battle music for some final boss as they march with grim intent. As for the synths, they sound about ready to kill a few dancers as they try to figure out exactly how to move to the erratic ascending-descending noises and keening screeches. To be nitpicky, this track does get repetitive in places, more so than some of the others, but the way it fades out brings to a feasible conclusion something that could have easily gone on forever.

Listening to ‘Prevenge’ in its entirety should come with a health warning. In fact, nearly every track feels like it could cause some damage to the faint of heart and narrow of mind. A crash course in dance or industrial may be necessary in order to fully grasp it, but to be honest Huoratron hasn’t created either so much as a unique artistic statement, with some fantastically arranged and orchestrated soundscapes, even if said soundscapes depict the terrifying boundaries of human creativity. And in the vein of many unique artistic statements, ‘Prevenge feels’ a little lacking in context. It’s not likely to be accepted by any arts council despite the ferocious innovation and craftsmanship, but it is hardly ready for casual consumption by the masses. I would tell people to listen to it as an exercise in broadening horizons, but how possible it is to become attached to such a cold, raging cut of noise is another question, but perhaps not one that Huoratron is particularly concerned with.

Author: Katie H-Halinski