If Earthworms Hummed, I Would Appreciate the Gesture.
TastyBabySyndrome | "Daddy Dagon's Daycare" - Proud Sponsor of the Lit | 04/26/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
":Wumpscut has been a bit shaky lately, with some of their material being recycled because newer technologies make older sounds better and that found their productivity coming under question. Still, one has to remember that the release of Body Census marks 16 years of releases for :wumpscut and those 16 years span 16 albums and a number of EPs as they learned more and mroe about making music. You can tell that when you listen to the sounds created on Body Census, too; the quality of this piece really outdoes a lot of their older work. This is not to say that you are going to get something unexpected when you purchase Body Census; :wumpscut works off a specific formula and the formula has produced some beautiful hits like Wreath of Barbs and Hang 'em Higher. You have bleak electronic formulas meshing with a cloudy voxed sky that has been consistently bettered under the weight of years of releases, and you have a message that has remained the same when it comes to a nihilist approach to living and a bleak outlook on what awaits us on the deeper side of our eventual dirt nap. I think that's what makes the band good, too, and better still as more and more of the songs scripted in English become less of a forced measure and a bit more natural. Combine this with a minimal apprach to lyrics in many places, some songs haunted only with a four bar approach and others harboring more, and you have the wondrous world of progression.
One thing I was not expecting was the lack of German songs here, with only one track totally dedicated to the language of :wumpscut's origin. This is just a personal thing, mind you, because I've always been partial to the German tracks and I like the way the sounds and the language flow togehter. That said, I still have to say I like this album and I do not fault it for this type of growth - or refinement in the marketplace, as it were. A few of the songs are a little campy, too, but songs like Remember One Thing make up for that by being pretty catchy and keep me listening after all this time.
If you want to know more about the album before buying, you can always obtain a sample from Metropolis on at least two tracks OR you can always listen to samples from a few of the earlier albums. If this is the first album you have seen by the band, I'd suggest Wreath of Barbs as a starting point and perhaps some Music for a Slaughtering Tribe from there. That way you are not going too far back in the band's profile and you are finding some of their music at its best. Also, as I said before, one should keep in mind that you are buying something specific when you purchase the album so know that if you are new to the genre or to the band. If you are a fan then this album should be something worth picking up because the sounds take the songs and really set a dark and brooding mood that seems improved since th elast outing. That has been one of the things :wumpscut has always excelled at; even when they struggled with the linguistic approach they have been a forerunner in the art of constructing a soundscape and I liked that.
Now, with better technology, there is more ambiance that can perhaps becreated.
Definitely what I expected and more; I like it a lot.
"
::WUMPSCUT:: NEVER FAILS !!
Fredrick Walters | Jersey | 04/25/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Wumpscut (rudy) delivers a solid cd with Body Census! i have yet to take it out of my cd player because the cd flows perfectly. stand out tracks are "remember one thing" "Dear Ghoul" "We believe, we believe" but every song is great to listen to, even the intrumental "hide and seek" the cd ends really great with the final track "the fall". overall 5/5, i do hope Rudy picks up the pace and makes some faster tracks on the next cd, but either way great cd! i cant wait for the next one!"
Take it from a hardcore :W: fan...
D. Wente | Fargo | 01/15/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"...this album is much, MUCH less in terms of hard-hitting, dark beats. I first got into Rudy and his work with the CD Eevil Young Flesh, specifically the song "Escape" (a personal favorite), and I can honestly say that this CD is a step in the wrong direction.
Don't get me wrong, it still is a good CD, but it isn't the old :W: it used to be. I have almost all of the :W: CDs, including Eevil Young Flesh, Bunker gate 7, Evoke, Music for a Slaughtering Tribe, Bone Peeler, Wreath of Barbs, Blutkind, and parts of Born Again, Music For a German Tribe, and Totmacher.
The big thing I noticed about this CD is the lack of German influence, a big upset to me. I personally feel his German textures are often his greatest songs, but this CD fails to bring any (except one) to the table. As far as sound goes, the beats are less rough and seem to have a smoother, softer texture.
To conclude, I think this CD is good, but not great. If you are a big fan of :W: and enjoy his heavier work such as Escape, Bunkertor 7, Krieg, Body parts, etc., maybe you should consider skipping this CD. If you like his softer work, such as Wreath of Barbs, Die In Winter, etc., then maybe you will like this CD. Finally, if you are new to :wumpscut:, I suggest checking out Eevil Young Flesh, Wreath of Barbs, and Bunker Gate 7 before looking into this CD."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1