9voltRevolt

Gravity (Independent/VDOU)
9voltRevolt
By David Lilly

Never mind Architects of Fear, Atomic, Crown of Thorns or Froot Bat. Here's 9voltRevolt and they kick ass. While very little techno and/or industrial has reached my ears and been considered good company, Gravity is.

This CD immediately connected with me when the army-tank size bumble bee hovered in my speakers at the beginning of the first song, "Disconnected." Then some punk started rhythmically slamming an electronic trashcan lid against some sonically-receptive sheet metal, making huge clashing noises that echoed for who knows how far...joined by the sound of a spaceship's piercing whine as it lifted off and headed for some nocturnal plane. And then everything came crashing down in what sounded like the rebirth of punk and heavy metal twins. And there you have the first 18 seconds of Gravity, the new 9volRevolt album. Though not really a fan of the techno-industrial genre, I was excited to delve further into the world of Gravity.

With Keith Bohne on lead ax, Joey Arena on keys, Scott Stewart handling percussion and Brian Cain holding it all down, Stephen Beasey's vocals are professionally seasoned and ideal for this Louisville band's music. Not to stretch comparisons too far, but at times, Beasey's vocals bear a resemblance to David Gilmour's (of Pink Floyd fame) more boisterous moments. Dark and provocative lyrics abound on this album, such as, "Seeing is deceiving/Feeling is believing/A heart full of hurt/And a hand full of pills..." from "Something Into Nothing." I managed to be thoroughly entertained by this stuff before checking into the lyrics, but they're worth listening to.

Any naysayer could slip into comfort mode and dismiss this music as all sounding the same. However, it could well be a gateway to the genre for outsiders or a great addition for techno-industrial fans. For the former, it's certainly worth the time and patience to listen to Gravity in its entirety at least twice, on different days or perhaps in different frames of mind, enough to let each song reveal its own personality, because this album is definitely not eleven versions of the same thing.

If the techno-industrial music world electrifies you, do yourself a favor and plug into this band at www.9vR.net
- Louisville Music News

9voltRevolt – Gravity

This Louisville, Kentucky band play industrial music tailored for the layman.

The eleven songs on this disc are mostly about the fallout from a failed romantic relationship. Although the lyrics are simplistic, they effectively vent sorrow. The music itself lands with impacting force. Yet it will be more likely to bring forth actual dancing instead of moshing. Songs that most stand out, as well as produce a lot of angst, include “Disconnected,” “The Way I Feel,” “Shame,” “Darkest Side,” and “What Do You Want From Me.” Like all exceptional albums do, this one leaves the listener desiring more of the same. Be sure to check out the official band website at www.9vr.net.

--Mike Shoemaker
- News 4U

Artist: 9VoltRevolt
CD Title: Gravity
Label: Self Produced
Reviewer: Jeremy Eckhart
Date: 01/05/05

Tracklist: 1. Disconnected 2. The Way I Feel 3. My Addiction 4. Shame 5. Something Into Nothing 6. Swallow Me 7. Time to Let Go 8. Forgive Me 9. Darkest Side 10. What Do You Want From Me? 11. Naive

9VoltRevolt, the great, shining hope of the Kentucky industrial scene, prove their immense worth and incredible talent with their latest release "Gravity". The band was recently chosen as the winner of the Best New Local Band by the L.E.O. Readers Choice Awards and it easy to see why. Eleven songs of crunching, rhythmic guitars, throbbing, powerful bass lines, pounding, hypnotic drum lines, seamlessly layered synths, and passionate vocals that range from clean and simple to heavy and aggressive vocal effects.

For a self produced album "Gravity" has some of the most impressive production quality to be found in the current industrial rock scene. Nothing was spared for this album. 9VoltRevolt brought out their big guns, and it is quite obvious that the revolution has definitely begun.

The programming and keyboards on "Gravity" are incredibly well-polished and provide an atmospheric sense of stability that weave the music into a tightly structured dynamic. The emotional vocals and lyrics are seething with alienation, angst, regret, hopelessness, and suffering, and are delivered with a ferocious intensity.

The album swerves from one drastic mood to the next as shown on songs such as "Shame" and "Swallow Me" with their catchy vocals, the brutally heavy bass and guitars of "Disconnected" and "Something into Nothing", and the flawless synths and delicate programming of tracks like "Time to Let Go" and "Naive", my favorite tracks of the album.

Fans of Drown, gODHEAD, Sister Machine Gun, and early Nine Inch Nails will absolutely love this, as it is a very original release by a powerful band that has been influenced by the classics of industrial rock, but has kept a distinct sense of self and appeal. This isn't the mainstream electro-garbage most people are inundated with on a daily basis. This is a stunningly addictive band that tears down the walls of conventional music and produces from the heart.

I feel strongly that 9VoltRevolt is poised to become a successful act in the near future and I strongly recommend checking them out as soon as possible.

For more info, please visit the 9VoltRevolt website at:
www.9vr.net

Support the Revolution!

Rating: 10/10 - Jeremy Eckhart 2005
- Grave Concerns