Mnemic Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
"Mainly Neurotic Energy Modifying Instant Creation" (the acronym for Mnemic) is a pummeling and punching quintet of five Danes who've been hanging out on the fringes of the scene since 1998. They've quietly and persuasively won an international audience for themselves based on their original demos and their two previous albums -- 2004's Audio Injected Soul was universally acclaimed for its blend of speed, texture, genre-bending styles and sheer aggression. Passenger goes a step further, but with a twist: the band's new vocalist is Guillaume Bideau (ex- Scarve). Recorded in L.A. with Fear Factory's Christian Olde Wolbers at the helm, Passenger is a study in human entropy: the lack of involvement in one's life leads to not only the wrong kind of pacifism, but to the decay of the senses, of logic, and of the ability to make sense of emotions, psychological states and spiritual impulses; one can site inspirational sources from Jean-Paul Sartre to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. There are many inspirations for the themes in these songs, but what matters is that they rock like an unholy prophet assembling the masses for deprogramming. Drummer Brian Rasmussen is among the finest practicing the fine art of metal attack: he's the Keith Moon of metal; simultaneously all over the kit, sending out volcanic slabs of blast tempered only by his uncanny sense of time. He never misses -- all one needs is a listen to the intro of "Pigfuck" for evidence. As for the rest of this insanely musical crew, they can quick-change like Meshuggah and tear down the walls between death metal, industrial, and thrash without even trying. And they can write actual hooks: the beautiful, seamless four-part harmonic vocal break in "In the Nothingness Black," with its slippery keyboard lines is simply ingenious. The twin guitar attack in "Meaningless" adds a new, elliptical chapter in the evolution of the new metal. The powerful riffing in "Psykorgasm" contains within it a gorgeous melodic guitar line that flows throughout the piece, changing shapes and time signatures effortlessly. While there is nothing remotely civilized about Mnemic's Passenger, it is nonetheless as sophisticated musically and intellectually as it is completely emotionally and musically unhinged from what's come before. Passenger is the album that should put them on the map for good. They've earned it, and this feels like just the beginning. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
'The Audio Injected Soul'
Release Date 1/1/2004
Tracks 11
Label Eastwest
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What The Critics Say
Fear Factory is inevitably the band that comes to mind about 30 seconds into Mnemic's second album, 2004's The Audio Injected Soul. Pummeling death metal riffs, start-stop arrangements, double kick-drums, and both hardcore barks and clean vocal harmonies are all spun together through a dizzying maelstrom of technology, and, really, all the listener can do is hang on for dear life. Of course, that's not to say their experiments are successful from the start. In fact, initial offerings like "Dreamstate Emergency," "Illuminate," and obviously forced first single "Door 2.12" (its infectiously melodic chorus tries a little too hard to please) are overwrought and overlong (curiously, a problem that afflicts Fear Factory, too), and one can't help but wish a minute or two had been lopped off for better results. Sure enough, The Audio Injected Soul hits its stride with a trio of more contained, outstanding tracks shortly thereafter: "Deathbox" wins the struggle between accessibility and inventiveness where "Door 2.12" had failed; the robotic narration and other assorted voices tormenting "Sane vs. Normal" make for a truly schizophrenic experience; and the opposing forces tearing at "Jack Vegas" (bruising guitar riffs here, deeply woven harmonies evocative of Rush there) make it one of the record's best, most cleverly realized compositions. Mixed results follow, with yet another undisputable highlight called "Overdose in the Hall of Fame" preceding a final shock remake of Duran Duran's "Wild Boys," which is, if nothing else, curiously entertaining. Overall, this is a very solid offering with definite flaws, yes, but also much promise for this risk-taking band's future. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
'Mechanical Spin Phenomena'
Release Date 9/23/2003
Tracks 10
Label Nuclear Blast
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