Search - Cyberaktif :: Tenebrae Vision

The Epitome of Early 90's Elektro / EBM

SandmanVI | Glen Allen, VA United States | 07/30/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Do you want a textbook definition for what dark elektro EBM of the early 90's is supposed to sound like? It's this album, with its eerie atmospherics, hard & fractured beats, distorted vox, liberal use of samples and themes of isolation and loss. As you likely know, this was a side project for members of Skinny Puppy (Key & Goettel but not Ogre) and FLA (Leeb not Fulber). It sounds like a 50/50 mix of the 2. It sometimes sounds like the SP guys took the day off... those songs sound like outtakes from FLA's 'Caustic Grip', a classic of stripped down, direct EBM. The songs with the heavier SP influence are richer on atmosphere, texture and sonic depth. The central of these is the epic "Nothing Stays", which is the primary reason to own this album. Although other tracks are good, this is the only one from the collection that still gets clubplay a dozen years later. Appropraitely this was the lead single. The other single, "Temper" is more from the FLA side with its straight-ahead beat and angry vocals. On the whole, 'Tenebrae Vision' should appeal to all fans of Puppy and FLA."

4.5 stars, actually

Melkor | San Diego, CA USA | 10/20/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"2/3 cup Skinny Puppy + 1/2 cup FLA = Cyberactif.

A band with cEvin kEy and Dwayne Goettel from Skinny Puppy made with the their buddy from FLA, Bill Leeb (William Schroeder); who was in Skinny Puppy until he left to pursue his own interests and was replaced by Goettel. What is this CD missing? Well, Ogre. I'm a huge Ogre fan. Rumor has it that this CD was made at a time when Ogre was going off to work with Pigface and Ministry people, and tempers within Skinny Puppy were flaring. Who knows whether or not that's true?



It's a really good CD. The reason I take off half a star is, well...it's basically Skinny Puppy. That's not surprising considering who makes up the band...and though I may in the minority, I'm a huge Ogre fan. I understand why he's not on it, but his presence (and lyrics) are missed. The vocals they have are good, and sound nice. The beats will keep this in your player for multiple listens; but after listening to it for a while, I find myself reaching for "Ain't it Dead Yet?" or "Too Dark Park".



If you're a Skinny Puppy/FLA fan, you'll probably like this CD. There's nothing new here, but it's still a good buy. It will be hard to have a Skinny Puppy collection, and not have this CD on the same shelf."