Genre/Influences: Industrial,

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Modal Citizan is an American formation claiming to be inspired by some 90s music. They previously released several digital singles and last year unleashed this debut album featuring nineteen songs.

Content: The 90s influences directly remind me of bands like Ministry, Skinny Puppy, NIN and co. It’s a rather ‘classic’ American Industrial sound driven by furious guitar play. There’s often a progression and alternation between slower- and faster passages, but the choruses are often exploding. Some songs remain driven by a pretty slow cadence. The vocals are passionate and totally matching with the sound.

+ + + : This is an interesting debut. Modal Citizan might be inspired by some 90s famous bands, but they still have something very personal. I especially refer to a song entitled “The Descent”, which is rather slow while carried by a deep, vibrating bass line creating a ‘sexy’ Industrial sound. In a more traditional style, “Objects (Narcissist)” and “Citizan Kane” are worth listening to. “Resentor (Evil Surprise)” is another more personal cut because of the somewhat Spanish sounding guitar mixed with some Electronic sequences.

– – – : Nineteen songs is quite a lot, but that’s not really a point; some songs are a bit too extended injecting a little bit of monotony after a while.

Conclusion: Modal Citizan doesn’t reinvent anything, but this band clearly has a potential.

Best songs: “The Descent”, “Citizan Kane”, “Resentor (Evil Surprise)”, “Objects (Narcissist)”, “The Diamong (If)”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.modalcitizan.com / www.facebook.com/mcitizan

About Modal Citizan

Modal Citizan is an American industrial rock band from Virginia Beach, Virginia, led by Ryan Kali Jones (composer, vocals, synths) alongside Adam Fueston and David Fueston (guitars and drums), Shaun Waff (bass) and Kristina Holland (backup vocals). Discogs lists no consolidated release history for the band beyond a 2021 remix contribution to Null404’s “null404remixed”. “Control Alter Deplete”, the band’s nineteen-track debut album, was mixed and mastered by Sean Beavan, Amir Derakh, Jamie King and Mike Marsh alongside Jones, and was released in November 2020.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

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