Disco de Static-X: “Wisconsin Death Trip [Clean]”

Somehow, someway, this never comes across as sloppy like most heavy bands, it's smooth but without losing that crunch. Whatever you wanna call it, industrial, evil disco or heavy-trance-core, it is amazing. This band is like a dentist's wet dream, it'll shake those teeth right out of your mouth in the first few songs. White Zombie, just heavier might be the closest way to describe them for those that aren't in the know. Wayne Static's lyrics are difficult to understand, thankfully they give you the lyrics in the CD jacket, his voice sounds like a drill sergeant on a bad acid trip, very nice. He even played with Billy Corgan in a goth band during the 80's! I'm dying to hear something from those two, especially goth music, their band was called Deep Blue Dream or something like that. Anyways, Static-X move along together like they are one unit that functions as a music machine, even the guitars stop, pick up, then roll along with everything else. The two singles "Push It" and "I'm With Stupid" are great songs. Listen to the lyrics through the CD, pretty funny stuff. My favorite song on here is "I Am". The opening guitar riff is amazing, it's very catchy but not in a pop tune sort of way. When I first listened to the chorus I thought I heard it somewhere else before. I listened to Tool's "Prison Sex" and thought they were the same, guess I was wrong. The song is really great and well produced, which is another thing, this is one slick produced album. Nothing sounds out of place here, it all works nicely. The first five songs are easily the best but thankfully they didn't put in filler for the rest. "Sweat Of The Bud" and the title track are great as well. The last track is a song a lot of fans don't seem to like, "December". I think it's brilliant, it's easy going and beautiful, I love it. Things don't have to be crunch, crunch all the time, but if that's your thing I can undestand why you don't like it. In the end though, this is a great album by a band that has a bright future. I have to say this, I love Wayne's hair.

The rifs are intense, the make my blood boil out my eyes. When I hear the vocals come in I lose complete control I feel as if I could take on anything. The first time I heard this CD I was like "DAMN!". recomended to anyone that just wants some sick *** rough **** to escape from reality for a bit. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Just short this but it has to be said that this is a good listen in its own way. If your into rap metal or any industrial stuff you will love it. Cool riffs etc and lastability. Grows on you too. It will probably warrant a 5 star reveiw later......

When I had first heard(and saw) "push it" on a local evening hard rock program, I thought it was a joke! The song was just too unusual for my taste(that's kinda odd concerding that I listen to Tool all the time). Low and behold that about 3 months later I'd be listening to it on almost a monthly basis(and end up buying the "Push it" maxi single).

Like with PM5K, I didn't care for it for awhile but then it kinda grabed my like an involentary action. So where do I stand now on St-X? I think they have much potential. With that said, onto the review.

The cd has Ulrich Wild mixing at his best. Not since his White Zombie days has he mixed a cd this well. The music itself is very tight, high octain fuel for the soul that just makes a man want to get down and get funky(oh yeah!) The riffs are powerful yet simple, the songs are strong and memorable, and the band is always right on target, hiting those riffs at lighting fast paces and never missing a single beat. Wayne's voice fits the band very well and is something different from the same old "lets copy Johnathan Davis's old voice from self titled KoRN!"

But even despite the fact that I really like the cd, tracks 7 and 8 seem like they were rushed. They fit the bands personality but they just don't do anything to excite me about the band(if they were singles, I would have been severly turned off by them).

But in this case the good out rules the bad and we are left with a truly remarkable debut. And after hearing some tracks that didn't make the album "Down, So Real", one can only look forward to what the future holds for these asspiring musicians...

This album is great. Not just good, but great! Machine is good. This is GREAT. Get the picture? Just look at the title of the CD, for crying out loud! WISCONSIN DEATH TRIP...wow. The album title isn't trying to be all "serious" or "deep" like many nu-metal bands out right now. The album title and cover are foreshadowings of what you'll find in Static-X's debut album: a hard-hitting good time.

No, the album isn't insanely heavy, the music isn't neckbreakingly complicated, and the genre isn't anything new or groundbreaking, BUT...it's still great. And it's definitely not a disappointment, or anything else degrading people have said about it. Here's why:

Wisconsin Death Trip begins with the anthemic "Push It". The song mixes thrash metal guitar with underlying disco beats, showcasing Wayne Static's rhythmic vocals. What's this, you say? His lyrics make no sense? You can't understand them? Hmmm...for the latter question, I'll have to ask you to sample any death metal CD and tell me if the vocals are any cleaner. Didn't think so. Let me explain the lyrical content. Wayne was going for an abstract feel with the lyrics. The meaning of the words themselves or in conjunction with others was not so important as the texture and feeling of them. That is the purpose. The rhythmic effect. With that in mind, I must say that "Push It" is a great song. Other highlights are "I'm With Stupid," "Love Dump," "Otsegolation," "Fix," and "The Trance Is The Motion." The songs sounds might be a bit monotonous, but each song is different, and all are pretty addictive. "December" is on here for a reason as well. A common denominator between industrial albums is to have a soft ending. "December" does that very well. It's a slow, trance-like, almost ambient, ending to the CD, much like other songs by other bands(i.e. "A Therapy For Pain," "Blood, Milk, and Sky,"...). Explicit lyrics are not a problem. Curses appear on only a few songs and are difficult to pick out. The album is a hair or two short of being a masterpiece, to show you how good it really is. My only real gripe is the fact that compared to Machine, a vastly inferior effort, there is no equivalent to "Cold." "Cold" on Machine is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece-type song that they don't have on here. Shame.

Well, that's Wisconsin Death Trip. It's not as heavy as some say, but it makes KoRn, Adema, Drowning Pool and all the insufferable nu-metal quake melt away easily, for the disc is still not intended for the light-hearted. Static-X are NOT nu-metal! The closest comparison would be a cross of Fear Factory, White Zombie, and Ministry. Thrash metal, grindcore, techno, disco, and enough samples to satisfy are what make up this almost-masterpiece. Hard to find that it's a debut, eh? Pick this one up definitely, along with Machine, Fear Factory's Demanufacture/Obsolete/Digimortal, White Zombie's Astro-Creep 2K, and Ministry's Twitch/Psalm 69. Happy headbanging! Or raving, or...