ooluu

Ooluu is another band that reached out to us directly not long ago who again have a sound quite different from most anything out there. They self describe as Voodoo Metal so just what the hell is that? I don't think I can intelligently answer that but I can tell you Ooluu's sound is like Nine Inch Nails meets Incubus meets Ministry. There are songs or at least parts of songs that remind me a lot of Ministry's Filth Pig run through a Nine Inch Nails (Downward Spiral era) filter. If you play around in industrial metal it's hard not to garner some comparisons to Ministry or Nine Inch Nails and most fall very short in that comparison, Ooluu do not fall short. I found most of the songs to be catchy in one way or another but I do enjoy some industrial metal from time to time as a long time Ministry fan. If you're a little younger you'd probably make a comparison to Rammstein but it doesn't matter the point is Ophus is good enough to stand up to those comparisons. There is a slightly more pop feel to some of the songs like Polyvalence which is what put Nine Inch Nails in mind. I don't know about calling this Voodoo Metal but I do know there is a strong industrial vibe and that was good enough for me. If you're a fan of any of the bands I mentioned then Ooluu should be right up your alley. A solid Indie release that should have you looking forward to what Ooluu bring in the future. Favorite Tracks: Gnosis, Man and Victor - Thy Demons Be Scribblin

Genre/Influences: Industrial-metal.

Background/Info: First there was Oompalunatiks, which in 2013 got renamed into Ooluu. The band consists of Davindra, Asa, and Wychdoktor. They’re hailing from Ottawa and have this year released their 2nd album featuring 9 songs.

Content: Ooluu defines their music as ‘voodoo-metal’. The sound clearly reveals a solid industrial-metal element, which is logically driven by furious guitar outbursts. A similar furious touch can be heard in the vocals. But Ooluu is much more than this and supports their songs with tormented atmospheres. It together with impressive guitar playing creates a spooky element, which might be the explanation for the ‘voodoo-metal’ label.

Next to this solid basis, the work also reveals rock/new-wave elements and a few cuts, which are more into electronics. The 2nd part of the album is more electro-driven, the vocals becoming less enraged. The final cuts get us back into the darkest and more aggressive fields of “Ophus”.

+ + + : There’s a great power boost emerging from this work, which is characterized by noisy-industrial-like guitar parts and possessed vocal parts. I also like the dark and somewhat disturbing atmosphere hanging over the songs. A few more electro-driven cuts inject some diversity, but still reveal another fascinating side of Ooluu.

– – – : I regret the rather short duration time of a few cuts. “Ophus” features a quite specific sound, which is not exactly the most common- and accessible one.

Conclusion: Speaking for myself I enjoyed the ‘industrial’ approach of Ooluu; I’m definitely under the influence of their ‘voodoo-metal’ sound rite.

Best songs: “Porcelain”, “Polyvalence”, “Manichaeus”, “Gnosis”.

Rate: (7). - SIDE-LINE Industrial electro music magazine

You know, I can be a bit psychic sometimes. For example, I'm quite positive that later today I will receive an email with the words "that's quick". I admit, it's not very spectacular since this album came in today and I'm already doing the review. Yet, I also predicted that I would really like this album, just from reading the review submission. So I loaded the album into my media player, along with a bunch of others I wanted to check out today and here we are, reviewing it.

Based in Ottawa, Canada, Ooluu is an industrial rock band. They call their music 'voodoo metal' but I quite prefer 'industrial' because I really like that genre. This album is loaded with crushing guitars, electronics and methodically pounding drums, almost mechanically tearing the listener apart. It's Link Park meets Combichrist and Nine Inch Nails meets Godflesh. But above all, it fucking rocks!!!

The album opens gently but impending with 'Scaphism', the intro. This one could make quite a good Calva Y Nada or Das Ich tune actually. Then, in 'Manichaeus' guitars come in and the whole slowly turns into a gnawing and bloodthirsty beast. The heavy part drives on quite elementary black metal riffs and fierce hardcore vocals. It's a good song, that's true, but from here it gets even better, believe me, it really does.

​'Viscera' is a bit more radio friendly, reminding me a bit of some of the greatest hits by Nine Inch Nails. Again, good, great even, but hold on, this gets better and better. 'Calenture' starts filling up the dancefloor, just like acts like Hänzel Und Gretyl or Oomph have been doing over the years. This is pretty much a classic blend of metal and EBM, much to my delight. I am now trying to decide between dancing and headbanging.

'Porcelain' definitely helps me make that decision and I take a few minutes off from writing to start shaking my ass off to these massive beats and brutal guitars. The volume goes up, the neighbours start knocking on their ceiling and walls. Yeah, I think this is the absolute highlight on this album. At this moment, I've started telling myself "see, told you it would be good". Think Die Krupps club mix and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Somehow, I'm also regularly reminded of Linkin Park and I hope that Ooluu doesn't take that in a bad way. The electronics, the alternation between clean vocals and brutal screams and the grinding guitars are all elements that both bands use. However, Ooluu definitely is the heavier, harsher and more in-your-face brother of Linkin Park. 'Gnosis' easily passes the Americans in intensity, heaviness and brute force while 'Polyvalence' goes deeper than any Linkin Park song could ever go.

So yes, this is a stunning album, exactly like I predicted (or perhaps hoped) it would be. This trio seem to know pretty good what they're doing and where they want to go to. I hope they'd like to come over to Europe to roll their twisted industrial over an unsuspecting audience. And over me, who obviously will bask in self-glorification because I was right about this band and because I knew perfectly well that this was going to be a massive party.


​Serge - Merchants of Air