Everything looks good on paper for Dimension Zero: “semi-dark, aggressive EBM,” with such varied influences from Pink Floyd to Depeche Mode to Mike Patton and Trent Reznor. The description of their sound was said to be industrial electronic with “amazing guitar builds and relentless beat patterns.”
A promising release from Salt Lake City’s Monty Singleton and his one-man-project on Dimension Zero’s debut Scythe for Liquid Records—right?
Wrong! Nothing “amazing” or “relentless exists on this debut L.P.
The hopes for highly original material from the land of Mormon worship—properly dark and nasty and full of angst—fell far short of the lofty expectations and heaps of praise the bio presented. What Scythe actually delivers is a pointless mess of mashed-up influences and loads of unhindered cheesiness with little conviction. Weak production, ridiculous samples, one-dimensional vocals and songs that lack any kind of “dark-bite.” Aside from the “ok” industrialized version of U2’s “God Part II” from Rattle and Hum, and the obvious Nine Inch Nails rip-off track “Static Space,” Scythe rings hollow and largely un-listenable.
Repeat listens are not necessary here—as nothing really new pops-up after the first go around. From the ridiculous opener “Sex & Murder” complete with dumbass chainsaw samples through to “Ice Man” and ultra weak closer “October,” it is obvious that Dimension Zero needs a lot more seasoning to project “semi-dark, aggressive EBM” label.
Plus, there is nothing really dark at all aside from a few “semi-heavy” guitar riffs or some scattered “semi-dark” synth sounds or even some “semi-effective” video game bleeps. And using the “aggressive EBM” tag to catch attention is absolutely ludicrous. A better description of Dimension Zero would read: “non-dark, passive Electronic Industrial Rock” bathed in ‘80s aesthetics with a hint of bass, various sounds and plethora of beginner sampling atop tinny-production.
Nice effort Mr. Singleton.
www.dimensionzero.com
www.myspace.com/dimensionzero
www.liquidrecords.com
