Review: Vessel Decimal- Conversion

Vessel Decimal is a band who right out of the gate calls their music a “program”, in the first track Orientation. It's almost as if we're joining a movement, or perhaps a cult as we start absorbing their music. 

They are an interesting project that definitely has industrial rock and metal overtones, and as their biography on their website states: “Today, the bulk of the work done for Vessel Decimal takes place in the main studio which is actually centered inside a junkyard purchased in 2001. The junkyard serves as a dependable revenue source to fund projects, and its a fairly healthy lifestyle maintaining the property and pulling parts off rusted old cars for enthusiasts and collectors that sometimes travel from three states over to find what they are looking for".

Their newest album, Conversion, also according to their site, is what is being planned as a “three stage” album done one album at time.

Glancing upon the lyrics provided with the album, this is the second album I've reviewed on this very site in a month that is a concept one, and much of it is similar to the themes of the prior one- modern day pop culture disposability, the dangers of social media and technology, etc. 

This time though, I was in for more of a whimsical and mercurial album of many moods and layers that really took you on a trip to the mind of the music's creators.

What we have in store is an electronic industrial influenced music concept album almost rock operaish of sorts at times.

The first song after Orientation has a multiple voiced, layered sound, that almost sounds like something that wouldn't sound out of place of a film like Repo the Genetic Opera, with a musical theater quality to it that makes the album conceptual in nature.

I like the approach to this song, because in between the multiple sounding voice, bleeps and guitars, is something that almost recalls a bit of Devin Townsend's wackiness and wit.

The post-apocalyptic, but whimsical and also, psychedelic, feel continues on as the songs progress, and makes the album a bit more progressive than similar projects of their ilk.

The second song In the Beginning brings on the guitars, along with more mechanized beats but less than previously. This song is more along the lines of more standardized Industrial Rock/Metal, but some of the clean vocals remind me of Peter Murphy of all people.

The way that different electronic parts weave in and out, and it's not just a standard, stock Mininstry derviced beat all the way through makes it's indication clear that this is no normal industrial metal.

"Idiot Anthem" is a bit more punky than the grungier "In The Beginning"

almost reminds me of Static X in it's wackiness. Accessible, but still no less eclectic or zany, this song definitely screams first single if this band/project were too ever pick one. 

Though of course, some of the curse words would have to be bleeped out for modern rock radio. Some of this approach almost reminds me if Rob Zombie actually were to do something like DMT and walk into a recording studio. 

Not bad, hut not as cool to me as the previous batch of songs. A cool piano solo during the song, definitely makes the song entertaining though, as well as lyrics like “you think I'm a retard but I can fucking party hard.”

Track 5 "Hypothetical Hard Work" is back to the industrial strains, almost being an alien sounding Einsturzende Neubauten in a way, featuring literal industrial sounding sounds and samples. A cool detour if there was one, I miss the days when Industrial actually sounded...Industrial!

"The Exotic" follows and this is a doomier song, with a slow churn that draws you in with some more low croony vocals along with some string sounds. A cool sound, I especially dug the drums on this. Sounding metallic but live at the same time, it then goes into an unexpected slightly discordant but catchy refrain.

"Get to the Climax" almost reminds me if Slipknot was produced by Devin Townsend, though that's not as much of a mismatch as it sounds. I'm not a big fan of nu metal, and these similarities are only slight that I'm describing, but the riff was done in such a cool way I enjoyed the song.

"The Light Web" features some spoken word piece about the environment and net neutrality, and consciousness shifts- this fits the conceptual arch of the album, it's hard to grasp without a lyric sheet, but it seems too fit. This song is more EDM with more samples. It's well done EDM though with some spooky sounds as well as more childlike chimes put in.

The next song "The Stupid Songs" features some awesome synth arpeggios, “Diva" like female vocals and it almost seems like a satire of a dance song but done in the weird way that the previous songs played out, even with a Gabber House sounding part thrown in. It even has some of the synth sounds that feature in a lot of club music, but of course it's definitely poking fun at such stuff in a very clever way. The song is too good to be a mere parody, as it's obviously superior to the genres it seems to make fun of.

The 10^th Song "The Grasp" reminds me of something that wouldn't sound out of place on Nine Inch Nails the Fragile album, it's almost dublike reverberation with electronic alien sounds and melodies phasing in and out.

"Storefronts" features an ultra sludgy riff that sounds like the scream of the monsters if there was a real life counterpart to the old video game Rampage

"Burst" follows with much of the same ultra heavy but clear guitar tone, and is cut from much of the same cloth but with some very analog synths to sweeten the mix.

Things Will Never Be The Same is a spacey, almost synthwave sounding track that cools down the album after the literal burst of energy (see what I did there).

Final song "The New Trial" is basically a cover (or homage?) to the second to final track off of Pink Floyd's the Wall. As Pink Floyd is one of my favorite bands of all time of any genre, it was cool to hear their twist on this song, though this time peppered with electronic twists and turns and revamped lyrics befitting to the concepts discussed on the album.

Overall, this band surprised me. At first I admit I didn't know what to think. I get a lot of bands to review, and a lot of times it's either hit or miss. I've always been a fan of Industrial Metal, Industrial, or Industrial rock going back to the days of Godflesh, Ministry, Skinny Puppy, and others. One of the complaints I've had with some of the bands who followed in their wake was the mediocre riffs, the misuse of electronics and the inability to do cool things with the sounds that they were inspired by. 

This was definitely NOT the case with Vessel Decimal, it has just the right balance of everything and not to mention was never boring. Though with this one I did have to really absorb in more than one sitting, and the multiple layers, melodies and parts really had to congeal. By the time the 2^nd and a half time I listened to it, it all became clear, and I can without hesitation recommend the band and album.

The vocal approaches were extremely varied, which also made it quite the experience, the production is clear and dynamic and it really sucks you into it's world as a whole.

 As strange as this confluence of references may sound, I would recommend this band to people who like everything from Nine Inch Nails, Strapping Young Lad or Rob Zombie, to Mr. Bungle and beyond, it really has that far reaching appeal and I look forward to hearing more in the future. 

Vessel Decimal take a somewhat overdone genre, and breathes new life and energy into it, so I expect them to really light things up in the future, having such an eclectic palette while also never losing focus is a rare quality in a band that can be achieved.  


You can find information about this awesome up and coming project at the following links (and make sure to check out my video review below as well):

https://www.facebook.com/vesseldecimal/
https://vesseldecimal.com/