Reviews Archive

Front 242 somewhere around "Tyranny for You". Or the Front Line Assembly that recorded "Tactical Neural Implant". If that is your cup of tea, then this is your type of record.

This, the debut of Swedish band Run Level Zero, is the best EBM around at the moment. No kidding. Twelve strong tracks, cool lyrics, nice samples and a beat that makes you tremble. All this make you wish you were 16 and the year was 1990 again. The only real drawback is that the combined shadows of Skinny Puppy, Front Line and Front falls heavy over the record. After the tenth consecutive listening you get a gnawing urge to listen to the originals instead.
But as long as the originals doesn't release new records of this dignity, the choice stands between the Run Level Zero of 2001 and the Front Line Assembly of 1992. And I tell you - that choice isn't always clear.

Watch out for this duo. With both feet firmly planted in the past, they have the future before them.

This is the debut of the band Run Level Zero from Stockholm / Sweden. They have participated on some compilations - Cybonetix amongst them for example - and did some remixes (Moulin Noir) and build up some reputation in the underground and now they are touring with VNV Nation as a replacement for Flesh Field. I guess this will give their career a real boost, because their straight and powerful EBM-sound will be accepted by the audience. The music of Run Level Zero can be compared to acts like Decoded Feedback or God Module. On the press-info names like Front 242 and Frontline Assembly appear but I think the first two acts I mentioned describe the sound of this band better: melodic, powerful and dark EBM.

Tracks like "Black Limbs" or "My Tormentor" are excellent electro-hymns. With vibrating basses, hammering drums and rough, distorted vocals the two guys from Sweden teach us how hard guys reflect the world. The tracks are both danceable and you shoul dplay them loud because the good production allows it to enjoy all the details and specials of the compositions. In my opinion the best track is called "No Relief". Featuring a compulsory speech-sample (one we know already...), a good refrain and the typical heavy sound of the bandmake it a track that can be played in the clubs for sure. A special one is "Fever Shriek". It is not so straight features some almost psychedelic passages and shows that the band is not limited to "butcher-EBM" only.

To sum it up: "Symbols of Submission" is a solid EBM-album and lines up with all those brilliant releases in this genre of the last time. Between all the noise and ambient stuff that is released this almost classic EBM-piece stands out a little bit. Try to listen to it and I am ure if you like this genre of sound, you will buy this CD. Maybe you catch them live on stage.

Run Level Zero, who were voted "best newcomer 2001" at the annual SAMA festival in Sweden are back with, not a follow up to the debut album "Symbol of Submission" but more of a complement to it. "In Between" consists of two new tracks and seven remixes done by Sanctum, Pouppée Fabrikk, Dupont, Psyche, Project-X, E-Craft and C.A.P. For once, a remix album where the participating acts are contributing with different songs, not just seven remixes of one or two.

Let's start with the new tracks. The first one is "For Real", which sounds like Run Level Zero usually does; EBM in the vein of FLA and Front 242. I like this song a lot actually; it has great melody and beats and you can listen to it over and over without getting sick of it, and I guess that's what one is looking for in a song. Unfortunately this is not the case with "Storm". It's in no way as good as the first. It just sounds completely wrong to me. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but for one thing the music and the vocals don't match. Maybe they should have made it an instrumental piece instead.

What about the remixes, then? Well, the Sanctum mix of "Fever Shriek" doesn't make me jumping up and down of excitement. It has some pretty cool noisy parts but that's it; it doesn't stick out at all I think. One that does stick out though is Pouppée Fabrikk's mix of "Feedback Birds". It has one of the weirdest synth leads I've heard. It sounds all wrong at first, like if someone has let their five year old son play with the keyboard or something. But after a while I find it really cool. I guess I should put it like this; it's not really good, but really cool.

One of my favourites on this album is "Black Limbs". I mean for one thing, if you sample the phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" from the movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still", it's well worth my respect. Dupont has mixed this one and they have made a good work with it. As for the rest of the mixes nothing strikes me as excellent. Project-X has made almost a techno sounding version of "Eating the Misery" that is pretty decent. More than I would expect from that band. One act that you should look out for is C.A.P. They have gone to work on "Take Charge", and it's really well crafted. If I'm not misinformed they will soon release their debut album. Keep your eyes open. As for "In Between", it's well worth your money but don't expect any masterpieces. I'm still eagerly waiting for the next album though.

On the Third album from Run Level Zero, Hans Åkerman who nowadays is the only member invites us to walk the psychopath, and that is something I gladly do. Because the dark and heavy EBM with heavy drumbeats and electrobeats sharp as nails that will be played during this walk is very beautiful.

Besides the music there is also a feeling of insanity over the 12 tracks here, which contributes to the pleasure of listening to it. Although every track is great there are two that stands out above the rest and that is "Headless" and "K.A.D.O.". Both has a danceable tune in them and they will most likely be played in many clubs for months to come.

This album clearly shows that Run Level Zero alongside Project-X is the best we have in Sweden today when it comes to EBM. I can strongly recommend everyone that likes his or her music hard and dark to go out and buy the album!

OK. I admit it. This, second, album from Swedish EBM/Industrial hope Run Level Zero - now only consisting of Hans Åkerman - really causes me trouble. Not only is it better than it's predecessor - not a problem in itself - but at the same time it doesn't deserve a higher grade than a seven - the same grade I gave the debut.
How can I possibly begin to explain this to you?
Well, these are the facts: "Symbol of Submission", the debut by Run Level Zero, doesn't sound as good in my ears as it did three years ago. I may have graded it too high back then.
My mistake.
But: "Walk the Psycho(path)" - actually produced by Kristian Pettersson (known for producing bands like Cat Rapes Dog, Elegant Machinery and S.P.O.C.K) isn't the kick ass industrial EBM record Mr Åkerman probably hoped he had made, either. Admitted, it has it's share of fine moments. The majestic FLA-echoing "Human Equation" is one and the almost breathtaking, beat-laden "Headless" is another - but overall, it lacks a certain something. It's definitely calmer than its predecessor and - as I said - better in a more mature way. Åkerman has really put a lot of time into creating nice electronic soundscapes, with a couple of cool samples and a lot of beats. But more often than not, "Walk..." becomes, well, a tad bit boring. The ideas aren't all new - we have heard Front Line Assembly and Skinny Puppy before - and where a debut is a nice place to show where one has one's references, the follow-up should be more about finding one's own path. And although Åkerman has created an album that is well worth to listen to, with a bunch of good songs and a couple of real knock outs, one does feel that he has more to give than this. When he finds his own way, we can expect great things.

Run Level Zero is now the solo electro-industrial music project of Hans Åkerman. Fredrik Solenberg has left the band. But Hans gets along just fine by himself on this Walk The Psycho[path] CD.

As soon as I heard the first track "CNN of Worms" I could tell instantly that Hans had improved as both a musician and singer. There's more maturity to this album in the music development, vocal stylings and lyrics.

This is still traditional RLZ material with energetic layered electronic programming, hard and heavy bass beats, dark melodies and Hans' deep angry vocals. But everything has more of a polish to it with greater sound texturing, more variety in the effects used, and less treated vocals that actually sing.

There's a slightly less dark side to the sound now offering more modern sci-fi electronics and lighter melodies. But this music is still hard, heavy and aggressive. There's a good mix of energetic songs as well as more mid-tempo moods. The album does a good job of delivering a varied collection of electro-industrial songs.

Every song on this album is good. Some stand out more than others, but nothing is bad or out of place. There's not really anything new or different to be heard here, but it's all well done and solid.

It took nearly 3 years to Hans Akerman (who remain the single member on board) aka RLZ to strike back. The body-guitar debut entitled "Symbol of Submission" didn't impress me that much but got a serious recognition in their homeland, Sweden. The new album remains faithful to the EBM style, but it's definitely more like 'pure' electronics and strongly influenced by FLA and In Strict Confidence (that maybe explains why Minuswelt, label of ISC, has a license for the German European countries).

This is 100% dark electronic music that moves from the classical EBM fields to the border of industrial, reminding this way to Skinny Puppy. Tracks like "Headless" and "Human equation" are perfectly illustrating these comparisons. That brings us to the 5th piece entitled "Under the gun", which is a dark, terrific outburst. The heavy rhythm and the icy elaborated lead are like reassembling the perfect ingredients for an explosive dancefloor killer. The 2nd part of the album is nothing else than pure enjoyment, now and than reinforced by real guitar play and/or guitar samplings. It all sounds like a furious locomotive without brakes. The annihilating power of "Red moon" sounds like pushing the composer to explore the most aggressive sides of his mind. I personally prefer the more into ISC-like "Flesh mirror" and the cool "K.A.D.O.". This last song also illustrates the outstanding production process of this opus, which it has to be said has been done in collaboration with Kristian Pettersson, who already collaborated with some famous Swedish bands like Spock and Cat Rapes Dog. A last attention grabber is "Somnium ex Machina", like already evoking the spirit of Skinny Puppy. The originality is less present, but the quality of the writing and production is simply worthy of examination!

RLZ realized a devastating comeback, which will undoubtedly makes its way in dark electro-land! The latest album of ISC and this 2nd full length of RLZ are both recommended and obliged stuff for the lovers of the style!

This remix EP by Swedes Run Level Zero contains hard danceable EBM, and I've heard the style before. But "And Thus We Walked" still manages to keep my interest. The ingredients are some new tracks and some remixes by amongst others Interlace and Rotersand, and it all tastes pretty good.

The mixes are varied, and it seems like some time has actually been spent doing them. My favourite is the X-Fusion mix of "Under the Gun" with its piston beat, precise bass and Leaether Strippy chorus. Should be a big hit! The Interlace mix of "CNN of Worms" is heavy as can be, and features a nifty cut-up vocal treatment.

The new songs are also worth the price of admission, and "Generic Warmth" could be a floor filler in its own right.

"And thus we walked..." is a MCD that starts with the track "Short Cuts" in a club mix, which has a rhythm that reminds me of tracks of Fixmer / McCarthy's last year's cd. Furthermore it is a fast paced track that borders dark electro.

This MCD counts three more new songs "Tell Tale Art", "Short Cuts" and "Generic Warmth" and remixes of a.o. X-Fusion, Rotersand, Interlace and F.Solenberg of tracks from their latest album "Walk the Psycho(path)". "Short Cuts" is meant for the clubs. The nice track "Under The Gun" of the cd "Walk the Pyscho(path)" is present here in a fast paced dark electro version by X-Fusion. Rotersand takes the industrial road this time with the remix of "Headless". This has turned out to be a nice rhythmical industrial-techno track, but with the spherical parts of Run Level Zero left intact.

"CNN of Worms" is remixed by Interlace. Just like Run Level Zero a band that operates as a heir to the Skinny Puppy and Front Line Assembly sound. 'Flesh Reflections is spherical with the Spanish guitar'. This remix cd is a nice addition to the partly succesful second Run Level Zero album, Nothing more and nothing less.

After a very brilliant album, Sweden's rising dark elektro act RUN LEVEL ZERO strikes back with a new 8-track EP already featuring a bunch of strong remixes and new tracks. On the remix front we find a smashing manipulation of "Under The Gun" by X-FUSION, a surprisingly noisy and distorted rework by ROTERSAND or yet a possessed reinterpretation of "CNN Of Worms" by label-mates INTERLACE.

Amongst the new tracks I will especially mention "Tell Tale Art" and its intricate electronic arrangements and impressive and intriguing lyrics. RUN LEVEL ZERO once again remind us that today they have much more to offer than what the old masters (Front Line Assembly, Skinny Puppy, etc.) so often fail to deliver... Splendid power!

After their latest synths storm "Walk The Psycho[path]" Sweden's Run Level Zero serve some new ear food...
Meanwhile being the solo project of vocalist and mastermind Hans Åkerman, the new EP features three new songs as well as remixes from "Walk The Psycho[path]".

"Short Cuts" is a modern piece of electro, reminding a bit of Front Line Assembly and includig both danceable beats and calm breaks with a remarkable keyboard performance. The background of the song is painted with a complex colour, spherical layers are melted together with playfully bubbling sounds. The club mix of that song meanwhile has a more crashing feel to offer, as expected the beats hit a li'l harder, the pepper dose is higher. Another tasty cookie for the dancefloors is the "Under The Gun" remix by X-Fusion. Galloping beats, suitable distorted vocs, noteable keyboard spots and melody lines. Everybody into a mixture of newer FLA, Funker Vogt and In Strict Confidence should love this one. "Headless" isn't less energetic, Rotersand transformed the song into a pumping techno-industrial drink, a bit in the vein of Synapscape, Imminent Starvation, Monolith. New track "Tell-tale Art" presents a smart interaction between a slower vers and a vibrant but melodic chorus whereas the piece altogether is a tad more reduced regarding the tempo. A fine creation with a FLA/Skinny Puppy flair.

Another new work is the pulsating "Generic Warmth", which is a solid but not really overwhelming trip as it's a bit too monotonous and without a special attribute. Interlace's mix of "CNN Of Worms" is a slow pace cocktail beckoning in Skinny Puppy's direction whilst former Run Level Zero member and co-founder Fredrik Solenberg exposes a trippy ballad with acoustic guitars.
This EP is a laudable appetizer on the next album.

Straight ahead danceable EBM goodness. From start to end this cd is full of dancefloor hits. Great percussions, basslines and vocals flood this release. The influence from Frontline Assembly remains quite recognisable, but more than becoming clones, Run Level Zero slowly gained their own musical identity.

It all seems to build up to the ninth track then drops to let you calm back down. All these things lead this cd to have a great flow all in all. Still creating solid hard hitting music this album continues the Run Level Zero-sound and is no let down in any way.
"Arctic Noise" is an album full of diversity although the main characteristic remains the high energy of the songs.

Run Level Zero makes the kind of music in which often we hear distorted vocals, but these three guys from Sweden make clear you can do a lot more with voice and sounds and that makes them different than many other electro acts through the years, right from the moment the band was formed in 1999 and debuted two years later with the album Symbol of Submission.

They also prove experiments with all kind of influences won't have to get in the way of a familiar sound, which can be heard on Arctic Noise again. With the twelve tracks there's never a dull moment, thanks to all the variety and for example the addition of some guitars on a few tracks from which 'With One Voice' and 'Lies Told' are the best. Never a weak moment too, which also concerns the lyrics.

In this case the good material is recorded in an inventive way, which is the reason why Run Level Zero has often been asked to deliver remixes to other artists over the years and succeeded to consolidate the success which already started with their debut seven years ago, as they went touring as support for VNV Nation.

"All kraft framat" can be read in the booklet and it's a pretty good description of Arctic Noise; powerful, strong beats, and catchy melodies. The best songs are 'Deny Me', 'With One Voice', 'Shine', 'Lies Told', and 'Hey Mister'. Not only does Run Level Zero have something to say; but also the way they do, sounding like this, is a great way of showing it. Certainly one of the best Run Level Zero releases so far.

If you are looking for sweeping atmospheric pieces with intricate musical structures, then do not listen to "Arctic Noise" by Run Level Zero. However, if you want stripped down, good minimalist industrial music, look no further.

Arctic Noise starts with "Black Cinder", a fast paced song with the signature RLZ sound, which sets the tone for the rest of the disc. This is followed by "Deny Me", where things are slowed down a bit and then sped up with "Hitting Ground". "Stroke" is next and is the closest track to a ballad. This is a very good song and you wish they would have slowed it down completely. Quite a few stand out tracks follow: "With One Voice", "Shine", "Hey Mister", and "Lies Told".

This album is by far the most consistent of the RLZ releases. Almost every track is solid. They slow it down effectively in "Stroke" and speed it up very well in "Hey Mister". They use their minimalist technique quite skillfully. Run Level Zero has not done anything new here, but with Arctic Noise, they have really come into their own. By listening to all of their releases in succession, you can hear how far they have come.

Like a time capsule stuffed with the best vintage nodes of '90s-era EBM, Run Level Zero pay perfect homage here to that electro era.
It's as if Artoffact Records cracked the seal on some cryogenic chamber in a lost Swedish bunker when they discovered their newest import, Run Level Zero. Produced by fellow retro wunderkind Oscar Holter (of the band Necro Facility), Arctic Noise proves that somehow, Scandinavia has in its blood the ability to churn out wonderful vintage EBM. While Holter's band is like the bastard child of Skinny Puppy, Run Level Zero holds a similar red-headed status to another legendary act: Front Line Assembly. Vocally, Hans Åkerman's stoic, vocoded presence is incredibly reminiscent of that of Bill Leeb, and Zero's penchant for sci-fi textures and meaty synth bass lines only cements this comparison to a secret lineage.

From the moment it deploys its bubbling bass line and militant snare, "Hand to Mouth" may just give an FLA enthusiast flashback-induced goose bumps. It's shockingly akin to Leeb's Caustic Grip-era work, and with Åkerman's staccato dystopian snarls and utterly anthemic chorus, a novice would probably never notice the difference. Still, thanks to Holter, the production is noticeably crisp and modern, lending its tectonic rhythm line a crisp edge while its twinkling synths sparkle enough to remind one it's 2008. Flawlessly tight, "Hitting Ground" proves a perfect title once one gets slammed by its merry military stomp. Even if digital, its snares have muscle, providing the fuel for aluminum arpeggios and whistling synths that together act in perfect syncopation with Åkerman's guttural, staccato snarls. Though its breathy vocal fog and sing-a-long twists remain patently Front Line, "Black Cinder" is still a gripping opener. Bounding in with a martial Nitzer Ebb-inspired bass line and beat, its fluttering synths and mechanical clicks vie for one's attention, though it's hard to compete with its catchy percussion and Åkerman's gravelly-to-soaring hooks.

Though one could lambaste this trio for being a hair's breadth away from being compared to an FLA tribute band, Arctic Noise thankfully provides enough moments that render this metaphor partially null. Compared to most of its siblings, "Incision" is a slick, next-gen machine; thumping trance bass propels it through a field of synthetic orchestral textures, past the whir and click of alien electronics, while Åkerman's vocals either glide through serene and futuristic or break down into intriguing pixelated tangles. With "Lies Told," Run Level Zero proves themselves adaptable enough to house guitars as well, even ones without distortion box accouterments. Here, the six-stringer jangles acoustic at its entry, its gentle timber echoed by a chorus of violin-like sighs. Though their punchy drums eventually return at a staggered pace, Åkerman himself proves adaptable, exhaling a croon that glances at a synthpop melody without getting utterly sidetracked by pop melancholy.

If you remember a time when Cleopatra Records and Zoth Ommog ruled the industrial genre with an iron fist with fondness, Arctic Noise pays perfect homage to that sound. Certainly, some will eye them with disdain for sounding so close to vintage FLA, but this punchy disc will be a taste of pure fun for any true retro-EBM enthusiast.

Run Level Zero hit the music scene running back in 2001 with their debut album, Symbol of Submission. By 2002, the band had been heralded as 'Best Newcomer of the Year' at the Scandinavian Alternative Music Awards. Four years after their last album, 2004's Walk The Psycho[Path], RLZ is back to give us Arctic Noise.

Those nostalgic for industrial music's heyday are going to love Arctic Noise. This album could have stood shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Tactical Neural Implant and Front By Front. But those days are behind us, and Run Level Zero has created a new standard. Arctic Noise has set itself up to be the yardstick that all industrial/EBM to follow will have to measure itself against.

This is a tighter and more focused album than earlier efforts. Where RLZ may have once stood on uncertain ground, they now stand confidently. The opening track, "Black Cinder" takes a hold of you and gives you a good shake. By the third track "Hitting Ground", it becomes apparent that the music isn't going to loosen it's grip on you anytime soon. It's hard to sit still during this album. The energy seeps into you and seems to take control of your body, compelling you to move with the insistent beats. Contrasting that is "Lies Told", which is slower than the previous tracks, but somehow more powerful because of it.

Too often it happens that the music is sacrificed to emphasize the lyrics, or the other way around. Neither is compromised here. And the expert use of samples highlight the album in just the right spots. Run Level Zero has hit the nail squarely on the head.

Beginning to end, Arctic Noise might be the industrial masterpiece of the year.