A poor effort indeed
'Norwegian techno metal-core', now there's a phrase not used very often, but perhaps a phrase that best describes Miksha's new album, 'Collect your hazardous waste.' It's perhaps an over-dressed phrase because Miksha are nothing more than a nu-metal band with Fear Factory tendencies. In these enlightened times Nu-metal is somewhat given a bad press, quite unfairly in my opinion, because not only did it re-invent metal but it seemed to epitomise what metal was all about; loud guitars, shouty vocals, aggression, passion and so forth. Like most musical fads it has passed into the musical history books, causing ridicule to those who still play this said musical style. Miksha have loud guitars, shouty vocals, aggression, passion all wrapped up in a veil of samples and I can't help thinking I've heard all this before.*
'Locomotive' is a kicking opener and sets Miksha's stall out well, it's perhaps a song Fear Factory wish they had on Transgression. 'Reflect, Conclude, Return' is another respectable cut but I was worrying that if this is the best the album has to offer, then I wasn't holding up much hope for the rest of the disc. It's not that these songs are bad, they're just 'by the numbers' so to speak, ideas that are tired and humdrum, and wouldn't sound out of place on the first Ill Nino album or indeed a Spineshank record. Vocalist Tor Age Ballo shouts his way through this disc with neither thought for melody or restraint. His use of the talking verse shouted chorus is overused, and becomes tedious as do the guitars which only really play a succession of sub standard riffs, devoid of hooks, leads, melodies and harmonies.
This album sounds great however, the guitars are very much 'in your face', the bass adds a smooth yet powerful depth especially when the pace subsides, which allows the whole rhythm section to envelop the atmosphere. The techno inspired pops, gurgles, squeaks and samples are slotted into the music well, although arguably overused, they never really add anything to the songs, they're just the glitter atop averagely priced Christmas card.
So if the musical appeal isn't coming from the riffs, the vocal melodies or the quirky techno parts, where is it coming from? To be frank, it's not really coming from anywhere. The album is laden with musical tedium, 'The Hunger' and 'The Coop' are perfect examples of this style over substance writing, they've nothing in them that makes you want to nod, tap or sing and it becomes very easy to push that 'skip track' button.
To be fair, 'Behind the Scenes' has a great slow churning riff but it is chopped up with a messy bridge and chorus, which spoils the whole effect of the original idea. 'So Solid' tries ever so hard to be liked but the constant sample percussion noise behind the mix just gives the impression that the disc is skipping.
I can see, or should I say hear, what Miksha are trying to do. In an attempt to fuse metal-core and techno inspirations they've produced a messy sounding album. Absent of any real song-writing skill, Collect your Hazardous Waste tries to make up for the short fall by having a thick production. This instantly grabs you, like many great produced albums do, but soon you realise there's nothing else there, nothing to grab hold of, nothing to sing along to or tap your foot to. It takes more than thick guitars and electronic sound effects to make a record, let's hope they get it right next time. *(Check out Lost Souls 1996 album 'Closeyoureyesanditwonthurt')