Chemlab
Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar (Fifth Column)
by Paul Lee
Their music is caustic, throbbing, and has its own special warped melodies. A fusion of guitars, synths, electronic drums, bizarre sound effects and unsettling sound bytes. Not mere industrial in sound, more than that. Chemlab is future-kill music – a mutated cross-breed of subversive forms of music. Emanations from your stereo that would repel many so-called adults and lambs of the commercial slaughter.
You could dance to it, that is, if you want to whip yourself into some sort of tribal frenzy. Chemlab bridges the gap between the tech-dominated future and fuses with primitive sorts of rhythms and noises. If all is as it should be for a band like this, Chemlab will dominate the high-tech dark music of the present and future. They will have their say and wrench the attention of the fans of the so-called industrial movement with their second full-length release known as, Burn Out At The Hydrogen Bar. So too will Chemlab draw in fans who like all sorts of hard ‘n heavy music.
Jared and Dylan Thomas Moore are the evil geniuses lurking behind Chemlab. Like two crazed scientists, they’ve mixed volatile sonic potions well. With “Fly” slashing the guitar, Fiendish on drums, and Ned Wahl on the bass, the entity of Chemlab is complete.
Chemlab are angry and intensely energetic. Computerized order and rock chaos are the base of their potent concoction. What they call “sutures” fill in between some songs for an odd head trip. Their lyrics are sublime and unsettling. “Elephant Man,” “Suicide Jag,” and “Codeine, Glue and You” are a few examples of titles. No sweet love songs here, at least not pleasant ones. One listen to the over-the-phone intro to “Derailer” and it will never leave your memory cells, it’s effectively shocking.
If your musical quest is for less extreme fare, Chemlab probably won’t do. But if you enjoy that throbbing, teched-out and caustic side of the musical tracks, this is a good fit. Chemlab are craftsmen forging a harsh musical ware. Burn Out… is a great album. Chemlab prove that dark, high-tech rock has a solid future ahead of it and Chemlab will lead the enraged hordes!
