Tag Archives: review

Outburn (1999)

eview Source: OUTBURN Magazine #11 (PG.)76
Artist: things outside the skin
Release: God in a Box
Label: Facility Records

:DARK AND AGGRESSIVE ELECTRO:
The dark humor and tongue in cheek attitude on God in a Box makes this experimental and noisy industrial group more  entertaining than the average cyberpunk band. With an eclectic variety of male vocals, a wide use of diverse sounds within the CD, and even some softer atmospheric elements, God in a Box by Things Outside the Skin may just be what you need.

-Octavia

Noize (2006)

Review Source: Noize
Artist: THINGS OUTSIDE THE SKIN
Release: You Knew It All Along
Label: Facility Records

Translation: (Courtesy of Emma Olson and Marjorie Wood)

THINGS OUTSIDE THE SKIN seem to be a legitimate extension of industrial icons ala’ Skinny Puppy or Ministry. “You Knew it All Along” is a disturbing and offensive piece of work. Seventy minutes in length, the music ranges in the style of Dead Kennedys’ Metro-Punk and electronic Avantgarde with a solid industrial stamp and is similar to the disturbing works of Nine Inch Nails. Very excentric in the Electronic Scene.

-review by Frank Ilschner


Original German text:

Things Outside The Skin erscheint als eine legitime Weiterentwicklung von Industrial-Ikonen à la Skinny Puppy oder Ministry. „You Knew It All Along” ist ein anstößiges und anstoßendes Werk, das in über siebzig Minuten den musikalischen Raum zwischen Dead Kennedys’ Metro-Punk und elektronischer Avantgarde in einen soliden Industrial einstampft und dabei eine ähnlich verstörende Wirkung erzeugt wie seinerzeit Nine Inch Nails’ brachiale Exzentrik in der Elektroszene.

-review by Frank Ilschner

Musick Forum (2005)

Review Source: Musick Forum
Artist: THINGS OUTSIDE THE SKIN
Release: You Knew It All Along
Label: Facility Records

We knew it all along. How could we ignore it? But what is exactly… that thing? That thing looks like something outside the usual MTV muzak we’ve fed on the last few years. That thing sounds like a denounciation. That thing acts like a mean machine. That thing, after much consideration… is THINGS OUTSIDE THE SKIN!

What is THINGS OUTSIDE THE SKIN? An Aggro-Tech (“Industrial” / “Coldwave” for the rest of us) trio from Brooklyn, NY, USA (whose talent makes you wonder why in Hell they aren’t signed yet. I guess that asking the question is answering it!) and “You Knew It All Along” is their latest effort. The third one in fact. Still self-produced mind you and what an effort it is! If you didn’t know all along that it would surpassed the already hard kicking “God In A Box” (Facility Records, 1999), then you’ve got a lot of catching up to do.

The album opens up with the virulent “American Way”. You knew it all along, it’s an anti-Bush song. Just imagine Kevorkian Death Cycle with attitude and you should get the idea. The hip-hop inspired vocal technique of Chvad SB is very effective on that song and bites you on the ass with a vengeance. The song has all the potential of becoming a club hit. Now wake up America to the sweet THINGS OUTSIDE THE SKIN sound.

But the vitriol bottle has just been opened up. “American Way” is just one bomb thrown at the american society. “Mettle IV: Programmed Apathy”, “Horror Culture III: The Victim”, “Cancer Song”, “Cow Tippin'” (with its pro-PETA message) are more bullets loaded in the gun. You knew it all along… the styles do differ on each song and I appreciated that. THINGS OUTSIDE THE SKIN (or just T.O.T.S. for short) shows diversity in their approach and display musicianship. At times, T.O.T.S. might sound like Skinny Puppy, sometimes like Velvet Acid Christ and from time to time like Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) with a social and political conscience. Or maybe it’s like The Residents on a killing spree. Or is it a bit like a pissed off Al Jourgensen (Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Pailhead, etc) too… but always original. T.O.T.S. has a sound of its own. A sound not easily pigeonholed. Hats off to that.

The fun doesn’t stop there. The gun is still smoking with 2 raw covers. One in-your-face from DEVO (“Going Under”) and an eerie one from… The Spice Girls (“Spice Up Your Life”)!!! Both are excellent by the way. Wait, there’s more: 8 kick-ass remixes from more underground bands (from “You Knew It All Along” and “God In The Box”) + 3 radio edits (“American Way”, “Another Dead Comedian” and “Cow Tippin'”). That’s quite a ride for the money. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s a link to a secret page on the bands website. There you get more remixes and some other goodies.

Personally, it’s my year’s personal favourite from an independant band. The band is tight and the production is nifty. Warning: You might need a few spins before really enjoying the T.O.T.S. wicked sonic mixture. But when you step into Chvad SB’s universe, you get yourself addicted. Well, that’s my case. I knew that all along. “You Knew It All Along” is objectively a great album. I strongly recommend it.

What? Still not convinced? Log on to:
www.outside-the-skin.com

– review by Alien

Music Monitor (1994)

Review Source: Music Monitor, February 1994
Artist: Recherche’: (pre-t.o.t.s.)
Release: Thoughts from a raped soul…
Label: Facility Records

There is a change in the typical Norfolk post-grunge, post-classic rock scene with the industrial creation Recherche’. The 6-track EP, titled Thoughs from a raped soul…, encompasses a variety of musical tastes and influences from early Ministry to modern New Age. Thoughts . . . begins with “Insensate,” a gothic-toned, drumming chant of begging questions. What follows is a more upbeat and danceable “Subdued,” with driving, angry lyrics. “Liar” brings a triple voice overlay of hate backed by a driving, fierce beat. Thoughts . . . then moves away from its fierce discomfort to the almost playful “One Fly Song.” The techno beat, mixed with exploding sound effects, draw you into the pop sound of “Fetus 1.” “The Wait” closes the EP with powerful hypnotic water sounds and dark electronic poetry. A wide variety of influences and experimentation allows Recherche’ to create moods, not just change them.

— David S. Hewett