Monster Voodoo Machine

Suffersystem (D-Trive/RCA/BMG)
by Chaz Thorndike

When Monster Voodoo Machine‘s full length CD, Suffersystem (D-Tribe/RCA/BMG), first came out, I hated it. I liked State Voodoo/State Control (D-Tribe) even though it only had five songs, and three remixes. It was a true underground stew of industrial metal with a flavor I hadn’t yet tasted. It wasn’t like NIN or any of Al Jourgensen’s bands. It was unique. It was also produced by Paul Raven (formerly of Killing Joke, now in Prong), but I didn’t realize that ’til later. Most of all, they’re from Canada and they don’t sound like Rush or Brian Adams and they don’t look like Michael J. Fox. What more could you ask for?

Along comes Suffersystem and yeah, it rocks fucking hard. It has twelve songs of grinding samples, massive, chugging guitars tuned low and mean, and distorted roars (kinda Drown-ish, come to think of it) with which, if I could tell what the hell he’s yelling, I’d be tempted to yell, too.

O.k., so its not that I hate Suffersystem, its that I resent it. Monster Voodoo Machine now has a full-length CD that’s probably climbing up the charts, and now I’ve got to share them with the come-lately crowd. I liked the “Monster-who?” question asked every time I mentioned this rock-hard band I liked. Oh well…I had to fight off other reviewers to get this CD, so I guess I’d better say something about it. It rocks. It’s heavy as shit and incorporates noise and mutated sample to create a huge wave of aggression that smacks you in the face like a fist. The lyrics aren’t stupid. Anyone into hip-hop/industrial/metal stuff will like them. I do. I guess we’ll have to share. I think I’ve come to terms with that now. Thanks for listening.