Search

ARCHIVES
CONTACT US
WORLD NEWS

CD Review-MDFMK's MDFMK

MDFMK

MDFMK

Republic/Universal Records

Two stars

KMFDM won a huge following in industrial circles, the group's archetypal screaming-distorted-electric-guitars-with-grinding-hip-hop-beats formula proving tremendously influential on a host of 90s bands, from Nine Inch Nails to Limp Bizkit.

With the debut release from splinter group MDFMK, we see that not much has changed, at least musically.

MDFMK is composed of two members of the now-defunct KMFDM, Tim Skold and Sascha Konietzko, and slinky new vocalist Lucia Cifarelli (formerly of Drill).

The band, unsurprisingly, makes music much like their backwards-namesake, but less overtly political and more song-focused. Some of the songs here are even downright poppy, like the first single "Rabblerouser," which has received considerable college air-play.

Cifarelli's vocals, alternately a breathy purr and a scream, provide more drama than Skold and Konietzko's raspy yells. Unfortunately, the men in the band vocally anchor most of the tracks.

The music is as hard-driving as could be predicted, but with a more modern sound than KMFDM's output. The tracks have a more structured, commercial sound than most industrial music, even displaying verse/chorus/verse structures.

Clearly, the focus here is on commercial acceptance rather than artistic advancement or purity.

Ultimately, that accessibility is what works against the album. Nothing here is poppy enough to find true large-scale acceptance, but fans of KMFDM's harder sound will be alienated by the softer tendencies of MDFMK.