| ARTIST: False Icons ALBUM: God Complex LABEL: 13th Planet Records REVIEWER: Matthew J. DATE: 11-20-08 
False Icons is the new project from John Bechdel, best known for playing keyboards in such groups as Ministry, Fear Factory, Prong, and most recently Ascension of the Watchers with fellow Fear Factory alumnus Burton C. Bell. His own project fits a similar mold, combining the heaviness of his industrial metal work, the sharp programming of middle-period Ministry, and the emotive but gloomy atmosphere of Ascension of the Watchers, but it's not so much a distillation of influences as it is its own organic entity. In other words, it's not that Bechdel's own work sounds the way it does because of all the bands he's played for, but rather that he was such a good fit for all of those bands because he already had this music in him, just waiting for the right opportunity to get out. "Decay" and "Tranquilizer" start the album off on a strong note, the first impression being that of hard but catchy big beat electronics, and then the guitars kick in, heavy as lead but tight and energetic. "The Wheel" and "Transform" are funkier but nastier; the infectious bass grooves and club-ready electronic sequences bely Bechdel's coldwave-inspired vocals and dark-edged guitar overdrive. "Mystified" is the album's most atmospheric offering, with a sense of epic bleakness seeping over from Bechdel's work in Ascension of the Watchers. With noisy but relaxed guitars and dreamy, dreary vocal delivery, it's a bit reminiscent of the slower moments from such industrial rock crossover acts as Filter or even Machines of Loving Grace. Similarly atmospheric, though perhaps less emotionally intense, is the exotic-sounding "Recover," a melange of breakbeat grooves and sampled Middle Eastern horns, while "Deterioration" takes the opposite approach with an unapologetic industrial rock stomp in the vein of early Revolting Cocks and Die Warzau. An album with a little something for everyone, this release is modern enough to bring new fans into the industrial rock fold while drawing enough parallels to Bechdel's previous projects to keep the old-school crowd happy. After so many years playing keyboards for other projects, Bechdel has debuted his own songwriting with an album he should be very proud of. Visit Bechdel and friends at www.falseicons.com for more information. |
