by Ján Peter Háber | 23.02.2021
With the new year comes the Rebirth (REBIRTH) of EBM in full force. Musically, many people know Switzerland as the home country of The Young Gods or Yello. However, their scene offers much more. About three years ago, the duo Bruno Ruch (production) and Olivier Moser (vocals) released their debut album The Worst Dream. After twenty years of acquaintance decided to capitalize on their hobby in dark electronic music. And that it was not just a one-time thing, confirms their second album System: Error. The listener will find out very quickly where he is. The machines are ready to fight. Fight for bare existence. Raw EBM looks high standard at first glance. The electronic frying pan, on which it is stewed, is really spiced and seasoned with everything that fans like. High danceability at pleasant tempos, seductively throbbing bass lines and synthesizers enhancing the feeling of ruin. I would like to experience this band live once. Or at least at the party. I recommend it at the beginning of a year 2021 to listen to it in the car or during the travel. The movement clearly suits the REBIRTH. The songs have a nice structure and even though they will not surprise the fan more significantly in terms of genre, they will please him with a masterful mastery of all his expectations. Many of them will immediately put their heavy boots to the delight of their neighbors and start cheerfully dance around the room. From the floor and out loud. Intelligent texts with proven topics about the abuse of power, domination and struggle, often with oneself. Or from the perception of reality in which they are still forcing us to put on pink glasses. Be prepared, the false image of reality can break very quickly. The texts ask the listener unpleasant philosophical questions. It’s up to him or her to go unnoticed and just enjoy the fun. Or try to think about them and move they experience from the album one level up. The machines are uncompromising, as well as the band that won’t give up not even a millimeter. Oliver bass screams urgently to the tempo of the drums and the melody is taken care of by Bruno’s synthesizers. In the last quarter of the album, in some places the new REBIRTH resembles Combichrist in its best form, which we will probably not hear anymore. Never mind, the Swiss offers an adequate patch. Occasionally, the raw roar is replaced by a vocoder to exhale and then fought is on again. Overall I would include most of the album in the Harsh EBM genre, mainly because of the vocals. But you can also feel the delicate futurpop, electro and industrial elements. You can hear a healthy mix between the inspiration of bands that had their golden era at the turn of the 80’s and 90’s. The group does not try to act even violently retro, nor overly modern. They are simply going their own way. They are not afraid to be playful and full of ideas, but they always integrates their ideas into the unifying genre of a harder and more structured EBM. In the songs there are also fitting breaks that move the album forward. Along with hidden ideas album maintains the listener’s attention and curiosity. So an entire hour of uncovering system errors flows smoothly. As is often the case with many electronic bands, System: Error also includes a second bonus disc with remixes. Between bigger names like Rotersand, Covenant, Frozen Plasma, AD: keY there is also included Atropine, Oldschool Union, Struck9, Pyrroline, a representative of the scene from Slovakia KIFOTH, Deadly Injection and OneNine. The remix part starts with a calm and long intro. Unlike the original album, which begins in In media res, the listener has two minutes in the first remix to tune in and then starts the real deal. The remixes are revealing, diverse and they sound boldly. Although some songs are repeating, this is not noticeable. I was especially intrigued by the drums and rhythms in a remix by AD: keY and fans of domestic KIFOTH will enjoy waiting for the next album in addition to the feeling of legitimate pride. In some places, the listener knows the handwriting of the remixers, on other times their contribution will move the composition significantly different from the original. The old fighters squeezed the tracks to the last drop of motor oil. Younger bands counter them so that you do not hear any difference between their work. Increased dose of adrenaline and aggression will charge listeners with another hour of positive energy. For orthodox EBM fans, the second REBIRTH album is anyway a must. For others, it’s also a hit in the black. It will uncompromisingly stir everyone and improve their mood in these dark times. In the times when we live and feel System: Error on our own skin.