EISDRIVE

VIRUS MAGAZINE July 31, 2006
http://www.virus-mag.com/index.php?sn=&a=3680

Following Nuclear Riot Party was the local dark electro-industrial band EISDRIVE.
The first thing I noticed was that a drumset and oil drum were set up next to the usual laptops,
midis and synths. True to the appearance, Eisdrive had changed their live approach. Instead of
being just another dark electro band reminiscent of Suicide Commando, they had added
Nitzer Ebb style live drums to their sound.
This gave EISDRIVE’s live performance a big boost from when I saw them last year.
The new EISDRIVE had a sound that was refreshingly theirs; snarling vocals, dark electronics and
militant beats. - VIRUS MAGAZINE

EISDRIVE [ eisdrive @hotmail.com  ]
Title: HOURS OF STEEL
Format: CD EP
Label: self-released

I must admit to being remiss when it comes to the CDs I’ve received to review that have somehow fallen through the cracks or ended up in stacks where they don’t belong. Such is the case with Eisdrive, and I call up an old Latin phrase to plead my case- BETA LATEN EVAH. Besides, most of he stuff I have left to catch up on either falls into the weird/experimental or somnambulistic categories, and there’s only so much of that you can listen to at a time. So good ole’ Industrial music suits me fine right now.

Eisdrive is comprised of two NYC industrial guys- Xian Engle (Vox & Programs) and Lance Marxen (Machines & Percussion). These guys have both paid a lot of dues in the New York Metro industrial music scene, so they obviously know what they’re doing. Citing some of their influences such as Nitzer Ebb, VNV Nation, Skinny Puppy, Covenant, Haujobb, Icon of Coil, Suicide Commando, Das Ich, BiGod20, SignalAout42, KMFDM, F/M, etc. etc., you may already have an idea what they sound like. On the EP, “Hours of Steel”, the duo shows what they’re capable of, and in some spots, it’s really impressive. There are only 4 tracks here, but it serves as a good introduction to Eisdrive.

The first track, “Reeperbahn” begins a little herky-jerky, but picks up steam-like a freight train as it rolls along. Xian’s voice has that sufficiently angry/pained edge that suits electro-industrial EBM music just fine. A little on the old-school Chemlab side, but it works. The song is kind of a sonic mess, but the frenetic energy by the duo seems to propel it beyond the ordinary. “Clockwork” has a bit more cohesion to it, sort of an indictment of the humdrum existence so many people live robotically. Not something that hasn’t been done before, but Eisdrive manage to put it across effectively. Title track “Hours of Steel” is the best thing on the EP, and I’m sure they know it. It’s an industrial stomper incorporating some of the best elements of their aforementioned influences. The synths are spot-on, Xian’s voice is perfect and the beat is relentless. Nearly anthemic, what more could you ask for in raw electro-industrial? Just a little tweak in the sound production and you have an instant classic that screams to be on any modern industrial music compilation. (Hey, Metropolis, are ya listenin’?) Last track, ”Scope” pushes Xian’s voice upfront where it really belongs. I really have to hand it to Lance too, the rhythm programming is quite intricate. Even though the song didn’t seem as focused as “Hours of Steel”, it still has merit in its manic machinations. All too soon this little gem of an EP ends.

I went one step beyond and listened to some of their newer tracks and WHOAH! They seem to have taken firm control of the beast, turned down the vocal effects pedal and let the quality of Xian’s voice really come through. Really good stuff. Everything seemed a lot cleaner too. I think my rating here is more indicative of the band as a whole rather than just this EP, which I don’t even know of you can obtain anymore. I think that when they get around to a full release, it will probably be a “Must-have”. In the meanwhile, visit either their myspace or zeBOX webites, or I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
- CHAIN DLK

RE:GEN MAGAZINE January 04, 2007
http://regenmag.com/Reviews-896-Eisdrive-Hours-of-Steel-EP.html

EISDRIVE
Hours of Steel ep

Review by: Ilker Yücel - Assistant Editor

Dense layers of clashing frequencies of synth and percussion
make up this new EP from the New Jersey duo, solidifying a sound
that sets them apart from their peers in the scene.
This latest EP from the New Jersey based duo of Xian Engel and Lance Marxen,
collectively known as Eisdrive, may not exactly tear down the foundations of Industrial or EBM
music, but it could certainly make more than a few dents.
Only four tracks long, this EP presents a frenzied assortment of abrasive
synthesizers and percussion sure to send your speakers into overdrive. While that description
may surely sound familiar given the large number of terror EBM and power noise acts out there (and perhaps appropriate given that Eisdrive has performed with the likes of FGFC820,
Combichrist, and Terrorfakt), the group shows a good sense of deviating from the norm.
The opening track, “Reeperbahn” kicks off with a highly danceable beat and a
subdued pulse, complemented by some screeching synths and a nice mix of distorted
percussion. Midway through the track, the arrangements shift to a caustic bridge that makes
the track all the more menacing; and above all, the song is catchy to the point of viral.
The rest of the EP follows along the same path, with “A Clockwork” being a much more straightforward EBM affair, which is appropriate given the track’s title. Dense
layers of samples, Xian’s woeful vocals, and percussive clamor abound amidst a simple but
aggressive synth bass loop before the track shifts gears for the coda with a new bass line.
The title track picks up the pace a bit, but once again pumps out the beats and the distortion,
the progression takes several twists and turns that keep the track from sounding formulaic.
“Scope” ends the EP, at first sounding quite similar to Front 242’s “Rhythm of Time,”
before the beat kicks in steadily along with more layers of acidic synths and aggro vocals.
In the end, Eisdrive have established a sound that, while not totally unheard of,
does manage to stand apart from the rest of the pack. If Eisdrive can further their use of deviant
chord progressions and incorporate melody amidst the noise, then they could stand to
become a driving force in the next wave of industrial music.
- RE:GEN MAGAZINE REVIEW by: Ilker Yücel