Luxt

There is one thing that sets LUXT apart from the packs of bands beating down doors to release their industrial-flavoured, aggressive rock records. That one thing is dread head vocalist Anna Christine. Truly, the guitars are average at best with their repetitive insipid cries. The samples are palatable and personable but not overly groundbreaking. Screamer and growler Erie Loch hits his mark on the odd track but in the end is nothing to write to the folks about. Also to his detriment, his keyboard work borders on 1980s new wave cheese. But Anna Christine single-handedly salvages the integrity of American Beast with her versatile instrument. Her attitude rich voice and pretty musical demeanour reaches out to grab a saviour to prevent from going under. You can almost envision an innocent, dimple rich face behind the confused yet angry vocals. She almost doesn’t fit the environment her band has provided but adapts. "Life is Pain” is one of the stronger songs, blueprinted to have each bleak element climaxing at that exact moment. The ending buzz, "man in the machine” quality is a nice capper to the track. Alas, as skilled as Anna Christine is, she can not carry the weight of American Beast on her own.