Arguably, Genghis Tron can best be described as a combination of Depeche Mode 80’s electronic melancholy, and grindcore legends Napalm Death. In fact, if you were to go into the store today and look at the packaging of Tron’s latest CD Board Up the House, I think it even makes reference to their electronic/Napalm Death hybrid style. Despite many elitist attitudes, there are and always will be musicians in the world of metal challenging what it means to be metal in this day and age, and many people are questioning the validity of Ghenghis Tron’s “metalness.” In fact, Metal-Archives.com won’t even list them because they are considered cybergrind, and not metal enough…whatever the hell that means. All I know is what I hear, and regardless of whatever newfangled title the media and fans come up with to describe this crazy hybrid, I think its safe to call Genghis Tron and Board Up the House a heavy dose of kick ass metal.

I want to mention up front, that this is NOT industrial in any way. Many people seem to think that when a metal group/artist adds electronica to their music, that they are automatically in the same company as Ministry or KMFDM, but the truth is, Genghis Tron really stand on their own. They are super heavy with many progressive leanings, while at the same time maintaining a deep, atmospheric vibe created with powerful electronica interludes that are so obviously influenced by 80’s melancholic new wave (i.e. Tears For Fears, Depeche Mode) that I want to immediately here this band do a strict new wave cover album.

If you have been a reader of AMR, you’ll know that we are big fans of Between the Buried and Me. Genghis Tron has taken on many of the latest characteristics of BTBAM (not saying they adopted these characters from them, but they are similar) that make them so good. Metalcore, deathcore and grindcore have all pretty much played themselves out, and its bands like BTBAM and Genghis Tron amongst others, who progressively push the boundaries of metal, that will truly make headway into the next wave of metal in America and the world. Board Up the House will quickly be known as one of the great progressive albums of 2008 in extreme metal, just as Colors was in 2007.

When metal starts losing that edge, when the system of continuity stops being challenged, that’s when metal will truly die. Luckily, none of us will ever live to see that day as long as acts like Genghis Tron, and their latest effort Board Up the House keep us stoked to find out whats around the next corner.

VERY GOOD

Top Tracks: Board Up the House, Blow Back, Ergot
Similar Artists: Between the Buried and Me, Mastodon, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Napalm Death, Depeche Mode, Sikth, Converge

1 Board Up the House 5:54
2 Endless Teeth 1:47
3 Things Don’t Look Good 3:35
4 Recursion 2:08
5 I Won’t Come Back Alive 6:34
6 City on a Hill 3:26
7 The Whips Blow Back 2:07
8 Colony Collapse 4:01
9 The Feast 1:56
10 Ergot 1:14
11 Relief

Mookie Singerman – Vocals and Keyboards
Hamilton Jordon – Guitars and Drum Programming
Michael Sochynsky – Keyboards and Drum Programming

Relapse Records
http://www.myspace.com/genghistron

Written by CODY