Tension Control – Industrielle Revolution (Album – Tension Control)
Genre/Influences: EBM.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Michael Schrader strikes back with the fourth album of his sonic alter-ego Tension Control. The album features thirteen new songs.
Content: If you’re familiar with this German project you’re expecting new ‘old-school’ EBM. And that’s precisely what “Industrielle Revolution” stands for; good-old EBM reminding the energy and power of bands like DAF, AD:Key and co. The work is carried by solid bass lines and danceable kicks. The lyrics are switching from English to German and vice versa.
+ + + : Tension Control sounds as an ode to good-old EBM; a ‘pure’ EBM format which is however more and more accomplished. Tension Control is evolving throughout the years while remaining faithful to its initial approach. The album brings a succession of danceable, hitting, cuts. It’s not easy to give you favorites but I particularly like “Your Voice”, “50 Hertz”, “Feel The Rhythm” and “Survivor”. A last and essential point is the artwork of the album which is in the continuation of previous albums. I like this standardized and recognizable approach.
– – – : I think that if the album would have been recorded with better equipment and/or in a better studio it would reach an extra -and higher, level.
Conclusion: Tension Control remains a solid ambassador of the contemporary ‘old-school’-EBM.
Best songs: “Your Voice”, “50 Hertz”, “Feel The Rhythm”, “Survivor”, “Form Folgt Funktion”, “Und Keiner Geht Hin”.
Rate: 8.
Artist: www.tensioncontrol.de / www.facebook.com/tension.control.ebm
About Tension Control
Tension Control is the solo project of German musician Michael Schrader. “Industrielle Revolution” is the project’s fourth album, thirteen songs of old-school EBM sung in English and German. Side-Line interviewed Schrader in 2020, in a Click Interview titled ‘My Intention Is To Keep The Old-School EBM Alive’.
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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.
