In a lineup full of young, fresh faces in the industrial scene, Toronto's Digital Poodle crashed Terminus Fest with an unexpected reunion after lying dormant since 1995. Veterans of the early Canadian industrial scene, Digital Poodle stand amongst the likes of Skinny Puppy and Front Line Assembly. Their brutal brand of industrial and EBM was a stand-out amongst the younger acts at Terminus.
Digital Poodle had to win an uphill battle, most of the crowd unaware of their music and probably waiting for other, trendier acts. But that battle was quickly won as soon as they rolled two large oil drums onto the stage alongside a small collection of acoustic drums. The hoard of scene kids and cyber goths quickly shifted from skeptical to entranced.
Amongst a lineup seemingly allergic to anything but a computer and a keyboard, Digital Poodle's approach felt radical. Perhaps just as radical was their imagery and lyrical themes; Cold War propaganda flashed across the screens as frontman Mouth 392 chanted blurred incantations about Baltic independence struggles. Their invocation of communist imagery would feel like a kitsch and garish knock-off were they not veterans, but Digital Poodle embodied the aesthetic and sound of the early electro-industrial scene. Many of the bands at Terminus fest called back to the music of the '80s, but Digital Poodle is the music of the '80s.
From the very get-go, Digital Poodle was heavy, abrasive and raw, with a dizzying blend of acoustic drums and thumping EBM beats. Drum sticks thwacked relentlessly against the oil drums like gunshots in an empty warehouse while Mouth 392 shouted blown-out, angry vocals. "Division" was a notable highlight, a particularly energetic and rousing track amongst a throbbing set. It felt like a true dance music set, thumping from start to finish, Digital Poodle managing to suck the audience into the physicality of their music throughout the whole show.
While the frontman was able to maintain his angsty look and demeanour, the rest of the band couldn't help but show their age. Players moved across the stage between instruments carefully, tip-toeing over cables, delicately adjusting their glasses before tinkering on their keyboards. Digital Poodle put an endearing face on an otherwise brutal sound. Just as endearing was their humble commitment to their music — Little-to-no fanfare was made of the significance of their reunion. Instead, Digital Poodle humbly let their music speak for itself, and speak it did.