5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fantastic piece of industrial grittyness, 11 April 2003
This review is from: Desensitized (Audio CD)
At the time of writing this review, Pitchshifter are no more. I felt i needed to review this album from the point of view of a current fan who also loves the earlier stuff. When compared to the new offerings, this album is ridiculously heavy. You may not even recognise it as the same band as PSI has reinvented itself so many times. From the opening speech on Lesson 1 to the pumping percussion of the track Diable, you know this album will not disappoint. Highlights have to include the thumping Triad with one of the most catchy riffs on the album and the funky bass on To Die Is Gain. This album though is utterly terrifying in places especially in N.C.M where J.A Carter, a very gifted programmer has used some very bizarre samples. As for the vocals, this is the most radical change from the current PSI material as J.S Claydon seems to lanch an assult every time a word leaves his mouth. There is a great deal of rage in this album so check it out if you want to catch Pitchshifter at thier most intense. A classic album that failed to get the band the recognition they deserved.
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Industrial At It's Ugly Best, 4 Nov 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Desensitized (Audio CD)
I bought this album a few months ago and hated it. Seemed like all the death-metal we've every had. Then I listened to Ministry, then went back to this.
It has barely left my CD player since. The beats are so rough and hypnotic, the vocals so abrasive, the guitars so crunching, the bass so cold and intense.
Diable kicks it off in superb fashion, the percussion taking centre stage, as with Ephemorel. You will bow to PSI's magnificence. Then it gets better.
Triad contains such a great guitar loop and passionate vocals, making it possibly one of the most arresting tracks on the album. Then is the killer bass and the dancefloor-beat of To Die Is To Gain, a sample voice repeating the title, with JS Clayden (the vocalist) sneaking up at you at the right second. These prepare you for (a higher form of) Killing, in my opinion PSI's greatest track, the pounding percussion and grating guitar\bass providing the meanest backdrop to Clayden's vicious mantra. If u liked Ministry's Burning Inside, you will love this.
Still with Pitchsifter was Jon Carter, possibly one of the most gifted and inspired programmers of the 1990s. His odd collection of samples terrify you on G.O.D and NCM. And don't let the length fool you, a whole 30 mins of blank space after Routine, there is Landfill, one of PSI's earlier, and most compelling tracks.
Now listen to me: 1)Buy This Album 2)Listen To This Album 3)Press Play Again 4)Repeat steps 1-3 until your cynicism and rebelliousness is cranked up to the full 5) Buy all of PSI's other albums
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4.0 out of 5 stars
very noisy, 1 Feb 2008
This review is from: Desensitized (Audio CD)
this album is so far removed from the pitchshifter of today that its hard to believe that they are the same band.
this is a much more metal sounding version of the thumping industrial that they create with a sound more akin to latter day killing joke.
depending on if you like killing joke could influence whether or not you will like this album.
personally i think its a great part of the bands history to see where they had been and it starts to hint at where they are planning on going.
the songs are big and ugly and alot heavier that the rest of their output.
the political influence is creeping into alot of the lyrics and the electronica is also creeping in but the backbone of most of the songs is the huge sloppy downtuned bass guitar of mark clayden and the big beefy riffs that also dominate the proceedings.
if you ar a fan of the recent work and want to delve into the back catologue i would suggest starting with "infotainment" over this one as it is a slightly easier to digest version of the monster that came before it.
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