Raunchy

Velvet Noise (Century Media)
by Martin Popoff

With a terror ethic that reaches back to Killing Joke, Ministry, and Godflesh, Raunchy bridge the old school of industrial with the new, most notably that of Fear Factory and Strapping Young Lad. Saddled with an unfortunate name that comes from the band being Danish and not exactly up on connotations, Raunchy is anything but, going for more of a smoothed out, tricked out, layered, and floaty smear of power like Devin, but with an alt.rock sense of song.

As well, choruses are sturdy, memorable, almost Amorphis-like at times, these being recurring respites as the album slashes and crashes on. Add to that real drums, a sense of Swedish death, horrifically large guitar tones, and very real, distinct variations between songs, and Raunchy becomes more than a worthy newcomer to the loud machine rock scene.
(2323 W. El Segundo Blvd. Hawthorne, CA 90250)