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Band: The Devil & The Universe
Album title: What Time Is Love? [EP]
Release date: 28 June 2014
Label: [aufnahme + wiedergabe]
Tracklist:
A1. What Time Is Love? (KLF cover)
A2. Nod (Black Egg Remix)
B1. Womb Of The Night
B2. Elisa Fields
There's an Austrian pair of visionaries which is bringing with it some valuable sonic experimentation to the the dark music realm, though it's at just two years old a relative new project. David Pfister (Neigungsgruppe, Sex, Gewalt Und Gute Laune) and Ashley Dayour (Whispers In The Shadow, Coma Divine) have been involved in this adventure like interdependent parts of a unique creative mind, what further enriches their creations. They have quickly gained a solid reputation as The Devil & The Universe with just only an EP (Evoking Eternity) and a full-length album (Imprint Daath) released to their credit. The secret lies in their ability to combine dark ambient, soundtrackish and ethnic sounds with electronic and even sometimes industrial grooves.
Perhaps you have recently been an eye witness of their recent live rituals over Europe. They can be easily recognized on stage: dressed entirely in black and wearing goat masks (possibly it's just satanic sense of humour although I like to regard them as symbols of musical anti-establishment protest too - similar to those adopted by Anonymous - but maybe it's both of these together), while making the most of their devilish machinery and, thereby, alterating the audience's perception of the surrounding environment. That's precisely what awaits you within their brand new 12" single, entitled What Time Is Love?, in which the goats stay true to their score style but focussing on an infectious electronic driving. In that regard, how cool is that cover of KLF - 90's UK dance-hit machine gun - which opens and gives this vinyl its title?. Apart from the sampled crowd noise and, obviously, both the addictive refrain and the base tune, this version has nothing to do with the original. Acid has been transformed in sinister house on the basis of Ministry-like churning riffs and processed bass hammering, aided by pounding spinal drum beats. Just imagine what The Devil & The Universe could create from those other chart-topping tracks lurking in the back of your mind right now. Closing the A-side is the "Black Egg Remix" of "Nod", which was previously featured in Imprint Daath as an instrumental song. Some soft male vocals, albeit strangely trance-like and darkened, give this rework an enjoyable twist of icy wave. Furthermore the lush, tribal lines forming the core of the album version have been distorted here in a threatening way what, together with the dissonant harmonies and hypnotic rhythms, virtually provides a more suitable gateway to the Cain's exile land.
"Womb of the Night" explosively opens the B-side with a late 80's industrial sheen on its central beat. The electronic post-punk bass throbs are high in the mix, whereas some minimal synths spread their ominous load over the structure. It's perfect track for the devil worshippers to dance. With "Elisa Fields" the single comes to its foreboding end, through which a lesson on how to evoke strong cinematic tension is given. Watery rhythms, noisy infiltrations, slowly modulating synth drones and those deliberately spooky keyboard patterns over the end, make this song swirls in and out like fog in a horror movie. So, given the aforementioned facts, What Time Is Love? is another brilliant output from a band that is able to freeze hell and burn the dancefloors simultanously through music.
Review written by: Billyphobia
Rating: 9/10
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