Search - The Covenant :: Dreams of a Cryotank

We are the Heroes of Self-Deception

TastyBabySyndrome | "Daddy Dagon's Daycare" - Proud Sponsor of the Lit | 01/18/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Covenant has been an EBM heavy-hitter for a while now and is one a band that has deservedly been given acclaim in that field. From their initially odd flows that energized audiences to the more mainstream sounds of United States of Mind and their lastest(and possibly greatest)release, they've made music that is, in a word, enjoyable. The voice behind the band is a rather talented one, too, and he only gets better as the albums progress and is allowed to showcase his skills. Perhaps they've changed what they've done from time to time, giving a little variety as the spice of their electronic life, but that's normally what one would want from the engines driving the beats that move both body and mind. Dreams of a Cryotank is the second album I purchased from Covenant, and its one that I enjoyed quite a bit. It took a little while for it to grow on me because I purchased a latter album first, but adjusting a little by giving it a few spins actually helped it along. The reason it took some time was because some of it isn't as refined as the newer works they've produced, but that really isn't something to hold against them. The beats are still there, albeit a reflection of an older time, and the singing style is there in its initially rudimentary layers.I went and picked this up because of the single Thermin, its heavy beat and the line "we dance to the sound of sirens and we watch genocide to relax" getting stuck in my mind. I actually like a lot of the EBM bands because of songs of this nature, with them having a little more meaning in their beginning stages. Here, we have a lot of songs about war and the destruction it causes, which seemed to be a staple for the EBM music in its early days. Besides Thermin, there are some other songs on the album that started growing on me as I listened to it some more. Although it's a little slow in build and the recording level seems a little low, I actually enjoyed the loops of the bomb being tested and the anti - war ballad being strummed in "Shelter." I liked "Voices" and "Edge of Dawn" a lot, too, because the beat for one was an odd construction that moved pretty quickly and because the other was just a fast-paced song and because, as always, I enjoy the voice behind the band. Granted, these weren't the greatest showcases of what he can actually do, but they still worked out pretty well. And a few others (Replicant, for one) were pretty good, too. If you haven't checked out Covenant yet and are wanting to look into them, I'd suggest possibly picking up Europa and one of their two latest before going this way. Europa has some of the more refined elements of the band as it stood at the doorway of transition, and it'll let you see just what they've capable of. If you've picked up some Covenant and are tracking back to reclaim some of the older stuff, then this is something that's work acquiring . It has some of the stuff they were noted for doing before they defined their sound, so it's a notable entry into their body of work."

Covenant: My hardcore industrial introduction

Petar Vodogaz | Sydney, NSW Australia | 06/28/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Having listened to FLA, Delerium and Assemblage 23, I checked on the similar artists listing and came across Covenant and was intrigued by this name. I decided to purchase this CD through Amazon.com and was impressed by 'Dreams Of A Cryotank' which stirred pictures in my mind of sci-fic and fantasy ideas. And this music did not disappoint me at all. This is a quite long CD with 12 tracks. Track 11 is the extended song called 'Cryotank' and is a masterpiece of elusive industrial beats and sounds mixed with a slow beginning to a explosive end. Other songs to look out for on this momentous album are the songs; 'Shelter' that reminds me of nuclear disaster movies like 'Testament' and 'The Day After'. Another good song is the high tempo 'Wasteland' that should make it to dance lists if remixed properly fairly shortly. Also check out the bonus song on track 12 'Theremin Club Edit'now that's a dance song!

A good CD from Covenant from 1999."

Edge of dawn

Erica Anderson | Minneapolis, MN | 05/10/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I am relatively new to Covenant's music. I own "United States of Mind" and "Northern Light" besides "Dreams of a Cryotank". To be honest, "Northern Light" is probably my least favorite Covenant cd of the three I own. I consider "United States of Mind"and "Dreams of a Cryotank" to be vastly superior. I especially enjoy the aggressive sound on "Dreams of a Cryotank". The songs are not nearly as mellow as what I heard on "Northern Light". I especially enjoy the throbbing electronic beats of "Painamplifier" and the sampled vocals. The distorted vocals of Eskil Simonsson reminds on this song reminds me a bit like Ministry's AlJourgenson. I love "Theremin". It is the perfect song to kick off the album. I think Eskil sounds at the prime of his game on "Hardware Requiem". On "Dreams of a Cryotank", I didn't think Eskil sounded like anyone, namely Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan (like he did on "Northern Light"). "Dreams of a Cryotank" is what I was hoping that "Northern Light" would turn out to be but didn't. Still, Covenant is definitely becoming one of my favorite bands off the Metropolis Records label."