“hellbent”
Hellbent
Helium
Reconstriction/Cargo
How does one begin to describe a piece of music that has no identifiable direction? This was my dilemma when listening to Hellbent’s newest release. Tracks one and two, entitled “3D” and “Sensual Eventual,” escape all attempts at direction and style while evoking a sense of confusion from the creative perspective. Waiting for the build up to each song seemed to be an endless task, since none of the songs go anywhere. I tried to imagine where and how these songs would fit into a musical society, but came up empty-handed. Each song was delivered in a “speech” of spoken phrase style without any actual “singing” at all. To make matters worse, the wimpy synthesizer sounds coupled with lame production equals a mass of negative feedback.
I could not find one melody or catchy verse among the 13 ear-numbing tracks. What I did find was the dire need to tell this band to call it quits, before any further ridicule comes their way. Other unimpressive tracks include “Blue Monochrome,” “Electro,” and “Overloaded”; a perfect example of a song begging to be paused. It amazes me how anything this unfocused, unimaginative, and lame can get signed and marketed. The only redeeming value for this disc seems to be a coffee mug coaster. Yep, another coaster for the collection!
Cargo Records, 4901-906 Morena Blvd., San Diego, CA 92117-3432
