Zeromancer – Orchestra Of Knives (Album – Trisol)
Genre/Influences: Pop-Rock, Indie-Rock.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: “Bye-Bye Borderline” released in 2013 saw Norwegian band, Zeromancer at its best. Eight years have passed to unleash a new studio album and here comes “Orchestra Of Knives”, the band’s seventh full length, which has been introduced as different from previous works.
Content: Some songs might sound different, but globally speaking the fans will easily recognize the main ingredients of the band. Powerful guitar riffs –sometimes on the edge of Metal, have been meticulously merged together with melodic Electro, which is mainly emerging at the choruses. Zeromancer is a band I don’t want to compare, but I’m sure “Orchestra Of Knives” will appeal to lovers of IAMX.
+ + + : Zeromancer strikes back with a bang! The band hasn’t lost its initial magic and natural talent to compose powerful Electro-Rock music. It has a strong Indie connotation, but also a rough and naughty sound –especially when empowered by heavier guitar playing. The songs are driven by impressive choruses, which at several songs really have an elevating effect. “Testimonial” is a brilliant song to take off, directly getting the listener into the sound universe of this opus. I also have to mention “Birthday”, which is another cool exposure of power and melody. Same for the already familiar single “Terminal Love” while I also enjoyed the last track “San Zero”, this is a pure apotheosis to a stunning comeback! Last, but not least, a great band also needs a great singer, Alex Møklebust confirming his charisma.
– – – : A few singles have been already released, which aren’t my favorite songs. It also says something about the potential of this work.
Conclusion: Zeromancer is back and the world gonna know it!
Best songs: “Testimonial”, “Birthday”, “Terminal Love”, “San Zero”, “Transparency”.
Rate: 8.
Artist: www.zeromancer.com / www.facebook.com/zeromancerzentral
Label: www.trisol.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Trisol-Music-Group/104166526285471 Read the news on ‘Orchestra Of Knives’.
The album’s third single “Terminal Love” was released with a video ahead of the album.
About Zeromancer
Zeromancer is a Norwegian industrial rock band formed in 1999 by members of Seigmen. The line-up around “Orchestra Of Knives” was Alex Møklebust on vocals, Kim Ljung on bass and backing vocals, Noralf Ronthi on drums, Lorry Kristiansen on programming and Per-Olav Wiik on lead guitar.
The band’s sixth album “Bye-Bye Borderline” was released on January 25, 2013, followed by the single “Underground” and the best-of set “Something For The Pain” on November 1, 2013. A remix for L’Âme Immortelle appeared in early 2018 and the single “Damned Le Monde” closed that year.
“Orchestra Of Knives” was released on September 24, 2021 through Trisol Music Group, eight years after the previous studio album. The ten-track running order is “Testimonial”, “Damned Le Monde”, “Transparency”, “Mourners”, “Birthday”, “Terminal Love”, “Worth Less Than Deutsche Marks To Me”, “Orchestra Of Knives”, “Stand On Ceremony” and “San Zero”. The singles “Damned Le Monde”, “Mourners” and “Terminal Love” preceded it. Keyboardist Lorry Kristiansen and guitarist Per-Olav Wiik discussed the record in the Zeromancer interview: ‘It has been a long time. And that’s also one of the reasons the album differs from previous albums’.
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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.
