In Strict Confidence

This latest release from the Metropolis roster finds a healthy platter of standard industrial/EBM tunes from German trio ISC. They start things off with "Send a Sign," a down-tempo piece so darkly composed and laden with vocal samples that "Worlock"-era Skinny Puppy comes to mind. Shortly thereafter the pace picks up to the typical 125 bpm and the dance floor hit parade begins with "Herzattacke." Thankfully, just when it seems as if this is going to be 12 songs that could easily meld into one, they bring in female vocalist Nadine Stelzer on the slower "Au Miliue Des Anges" to add a bit of diversity - even the lyrics that are primarily in Deutsch are en Francaise here. All the elements of a solid EBM/industrial record are present - it is danceable, the programming is well done, the vocals aren't lost amidst a wash of noise - but your record collection won't shrivel up and die if you don't pick this one up. The most memorable cuts are the ones that focus on (in their words) "audio sculptures." It is apparent that there is some unique talent in their programming department and it is showcased perfectly in the more measured numbers, such as "Schlecht Getraumt." They should leave the typical faster paced stompiness to their leagues of label-mates and produce more of what stands out on Mistrust the most.