Deathstars
The Perfect Cult

The best Rammstein clone in Sweden are back with their fourth album and following the collection of songs in their latest release it kind of feels like a new beginning for the band. Having a member leaving and stepping down to a quartet only adds to that feeling.

'The Perfect Cult' isn't revolutionizing but it feels like a new Deathstars that seems to have used the five years gone by since their latest studio release to find them selves and moving on from their Rammstein cloning they've been so affiliated with. 'The Perfect Cult' does follow typical Deathstars style in most ways but somehow it takes a step away from cloning and heads towards something of their own. There's a lot of electronics in these ten songs and "Whiplasher" does his low and "spooky" vocals. Most songs are made in a sort of "anthemish" way with grand choruses and not too high speed tempo as well as catchy melodies. There's actually just one thing that really baffles me when I play 'The Perfect Cult' which is when I reach the eight track and a noisy buzz fills the speakers. Either it could be my file is corrupt or that Deathstars have tried their way on something experimental that should sound like insects. I decided to use this thing called the inter web and found out, and it was my file and not Deathstars that had "experimented". The actual song isn't too different from the rest but have these strange vocal thing going on in the choruses where they go really high in pitch, like some evil spirits or something, but otherwise it has the same kind of industrial metal sound as the rest.

There aren't any real blunders on 'The Perfect Cult' and I especially find the production side of it well made as it gives both a clear and clean sound as well as a quite striking such while maintaing the horror movie feel the band has in both image, lyrics as well as other things. If there is something negative on the album I think they play too much on the hit-friendly material and lacks deeper "fillers" that adds depth and finesse to the album, something a hit cavalcade can't do.

Bottom line is that Deathstars still feels very much like a Rammstein clone with their electronic industrial metal but in my mind it's a clone that's starting to develop a mind of its own. Deathstars has never sounded more innovative than they do at 'The Perfect Cult' and every now and then it does sound really good in between the good without "really" in front. At least it's listenable all the way even if it slips down to "just" that from time to time and the problem is that nothing really thrills me with the album. There are a couple of good songs, my personal favorite is All The Devil's Toys, and nothing bad but neither something overwhelming. However, I'm sure you won't be disappointed if this is the kind of music you love!

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