Essence of Mind - Watch Out [EP]

Alfa-Matrix

Alfa Matrix, a record label from Belgium had been in existence since 2001. Their goal is to become “a trademark for innovative electronic music, open to various styles including power EBM, dark electro, intelligent industrial, synth pop, electronica, trip hop, drum n’ bass….”

Belgium has always been a hive of innovation and intelligence within the electronic world, disregarding the countries reputation for being a bit flat, a bit boring and a bit reserved.

Essence of Mind are a Norwegian electronic band that have released one album previously “Insurrection” and have followed that up, by relesing the Watch Out EP.
Alfa Matrix tag this band as an electro/techno body music band, but from listening i see them more as a electronic punk/rock band.

The title track “Watch Out” contains a heavily distorted lead guitar coupled with a straight 4/4 electronic beat and the song has more than a hint of Linkin Park, perhaps a bit more drug infused, and a bit heavier. Essence of Mind’s absorption of all things electronic is most notable at about 2 minutes into the track when we hear a synth arpeggiation that continues through to a trance like break down. Don’t be fooled into thinking that this studio programming will hide that the fact that the vocals are pretty weak.

Track Two “Nightmare” continues down the same fare except replacing the electronic 4/4 beat with one much more akin to a standard rock band. Married to this is a heavily overdriven and distorted voice and an acid inspired bass line.
Track Three “Wicked Smile” takes Essence of Mind deeper into Dance territory with a trance lead synth line. The vocals on this track are set deeper in the mix, although I feel that the presence of so much synthesized noise means that the vocals just have nowhere else to go.

Tracks Four and Five are much the same as the previous three. If you are into this sound then you will like this band, if you are not, then you wont. It must be said that all the songs on Watch Out are full of emotion and certainly have a distinct character. They just lack that something special. The coupling of rock guitar, vocals, big acid-synth bass lines and epic trance arpeggiations could be heaven to some, but for most it will be pretty tiring, even after just five tracks.

There are seven remixes on the Watch Out EP, that take the bands ideas deeper into Dance territory. They are a bit cleaner and perhaps a little better structured. Alas, for Dance music that comes from Belgium, they are certainly nowhere near some of the immense quality that comes from that part of the world. The Watch Out EP will be bought by fans of the band, not fans of Dance music, that for one, is a sure bet.