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Sexy Death
The Damiana Error

Hateworks

Posted: Tuesday, March 28, 2006
By: Ilker Yucel
Editor

There is a burgeoning number of bands in the industrial rock scene that set out to make their mark on the world through an effective combination of rock and roll abandon and technological embrace. Sweden's Sexy Death is one such band, as proven by their debut album The Damiana Error. Headed by Alex Frejrud, who produced and performed the majority of the album on his own, Sexy Death's sound can best be described as digital rock. Drawing on a wide range of influences from the '80s, Frejrud uses technology to its utmost, combining heavy rock guitar and drum arrangements with digital synthesizer backdrops the sound of which bands like Orgy and Zeromancer would be envious of. The album revolves around a central theme based on a film Frejrud once worked on about a woman who is half vampire and half android; unsurprisingly the music reflects this theme, being sexually suggestive and emotionally venomous while simultaneously possessing a horrific vibe befitting a sci-fi epic. "Deathlicious" is the best song on the album, with its recurring four-chord progression, the beat shifts amidst this progression, resulting in one of the more musically satisfying moments on the album. Other songs like "Telepathic Sex with the Machine," "Halloween Robot Girl," and "My Devil in You" resonate with sexual vigor, primarily due to the groovy beats, and most of all Frejrud's raw vocals. The '80s influence shows through with an energetic cover of Michael Sembello's Flashdance hit, "She is a Maniac." Not unlike Orgy's cover of "Blue Monday," the Sexy Death version replaces the original's synth-bass progression for some heavy guitars and distorted digital mayhem. While the Satriani guitar solo is missed, Sexy Death pull off one of the better '80s covers any modern band has ever done. "Shame on Me" pulls in a shining acoustic guitar to counterbalance the heaviness of the rest of the album. Overall, there are two things that ultimately flaw The Damiana Error, both of which have redeeming points that keep them from totally ruining the album. The first is that aside from "Deathlicious," no track really stands out. This can mainly be attributed to a consistency from song to song, all of which are skillfully produced; the synthesizers stand out where necessary, and the guitars provide a heavy backdrop but never overwhelm the listener with distorted noise. There is little variety in the songs, but the style of the band's sound is so tight that it can be excused. The other problem with this album is Alex Frejrud's voice. While he does not lack a sense of melody, there is the indication that he paid less attention to this aspect of the music, focusing merely on letting loose emotionally. Of course, some will see this as annoying, as well as his nasally tone, not unlike that of fellow Swede Tim Skold. However, he does occasionally show moments of being on key, which perhaps indicates a finer tonality of voice in the future. All in all, Sexy Death's debut album is a fine outing, one that is sure to stand up to the current crop of futurist bands. With messages like "The Future is in the Past" and "To Dance, to Fornicate, and to Murder," Sexy Death make a firm declaration of their intentions to infuse the scene with new life, full of deadly sexual power, and drawing from the past to pave the way for the future.The Damiana Error is a strong debut, and if Sexy Death can hone their sound and maintain this level of quality music and production on their next album, they are sure to be a mainstay in the future of industrial rock.