Harm's Way

This album is like a fresh take on everything I loved about Skinny Puppy in the late 80s and early 90s. It is brilliantly executed, the rhythms are varied, the melodies haunting and beautiful. It seems DWIFH took all kinds of disjointed sources and wove an intricate tapestry of sound, driving from one end of the album to the other, then back again. "The Proof", "Lost House" and "Fixer Fixed" are standouts here, but make no mistake. This album is low on filler.

If you're like me, and I know I am, you've noticed a big hole in the electro-industrial scene in recent years. Its either (broadly speaking) "dark" synth pop Depeche Mode dance floor stuff or crunchy Terror Noise that lacks any real subtlety (which doesn't seem to be the point, i realize). To each their own of course, but I've missed that thick, driving sound of the late 80s/mid 90s. Dead When I Found Her's debut release "Harm's Way" fills that sound that seems to be lacking while giving us something more than simply a nostalgia trip. Clocking in at over an hour, these 12 songs make up a very dense and layered release with subtle touches in the mix heard only after many listens. The occasional guitars are more "Process" style SP than Ministry and the tone remains dark without being cheesy. As a fan of Kalte Farben, Individual Totem and of course, Skinny Puppy, "Harm's Way" is a breath of fresh air. Great artwork too! Recommended tracks: Painkiller Suite, Fixer Fixed, Subject Reject