Not My God – Simulacra (Album – Metropolis Records)
Genre/Influences: Industrial, Electro, Cinematographic.
Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.
Background/Info: “Simulacra” is the second album by the American duo Tim Skold (Marilyn Manson, KMFDM, Motionless In White) and Nero Bellum (Psyclon Nine). They last year released their self-titled debut-album on Cleopatra and now joined hands together with Metropolis to unleash ten new songs.
Content: It’s not an easy thing defining the sound of this formation. It has less in common with the sound of the protagonists’ respective projects. The tracks are however driven by Industrial sound treatments, the tracks remaining driven by slow tempo. The impact of the overwhelming atmospheres is definitely more important than the power of the production. We’re entering an icy universe, which sounds as a darker and icier version of Haujobb. The charismatic vocal parts are sometimes reminding me of David Bowie.
+ + + : It’s fascinating to see how both artists revealed a hidden side of their sonic brain. “Simulacra” is a great piece of music, which is characterized by overwhelming, icy atmospheres. It has something ghost-like and tormented while there’s a lot of emotion emerging from the vocals. Moving in between spooky- and enraged passages, the vocals have a prominent place in this production. Most of the songs have something Cinematographic, but there are a few exceptions. I especially recommend listening to “21 Grams”, which is the hardest piece of the album, but still a true masterpiece.
– – – : The Cinematographic approach of the work makes it maybe a bit less accessible to a wider audience.
Conclusion: Not My god took me by surprise, releasing a real masterpiece. This project has something different in its global approach revealing it’s still possible to compose original music.
Best songs: “21 Grams”, “Mirage Mirage”, “The Underneath”, “Ashes”, “Crisis”.
Rate: 9.
Artist: www.facebook.com/notmygodofficial
Label: www.metropolis-records.com / www.facebook.com/MetropolisRecords Read the news on ‘Simulacra’.
About Not My God
Not My God is an American industrial duo formed by Swedish musician Tim Skold and Nero Bellum of Psyclon Nine. Skold had earlier worked with Shotgun Messiah, KMFDM, Marilyn Manson and Motionless In White; Bellum founded Psyclon Nine in 2003.
The duo issued the self-titled album “Not My God” in 2020 through Cleopatra Records. “Simulacra”, the second album, followed in 2021 on Metropolis Records and was preceded by the single “Ashes”. Side-Line published a ‘Click Interview’ with Not My God in November 2021.
A third album, “Obverses”, was announced for 12 May 2023 in a collaboration between Tim Skold and Nero Bellum. In July 2023 Not My God announced a farewell tour.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
