since his return to the forefront of the electronic scene.
masterfully delivers a very angry and upbeat album dealing with mental distortions triggered by our world made of fear, pain and anger. A concept perfectly captured in the album art by the talented American artist
.
Leather Strip translated this emotional violence into a roller-coaster collection of EBM songs constructed around powerful electronic sequences, punishing beats and brutal harsh vocals ("Turmoil", "Your God has left you tonight", "No entry no exit", "Battle Mind", etc). And to avoid making this dark album sounding too claustrophobic and intricate,
Claus Larsen added that little touch of experimentation through a couple of more intimate songs ("Invade my body" or "The bear's aren't sleeping tonight") and other slower moody tracks ("We Built the walls", the poignant "Slow", the carrying "Dead Soil" or yet the grandiose dreamy "Abscido"...) which all together reinforce the richness of this chef d'oeuvre.
Also noticeable is the evident inspiration of the classics in the likes of Beethoven's "Moonlight sonata", Chopin's "Funeral march" or songs like the pearl "My Shadow is your home" or yet "My Funeral". There is also the splendid collaborations with
Andi Sex Gang who offers the perfect vocal duet to "What have I done" or yet the acoustic version of "Songs for Pia" by
I:Scintilla's Jim Cookas.
"Mental Slavery" is bound to become a milestone in
Leather Strip's prolific career, gathering in a way, the best elements which made the band's successful career to date, but also opening new directions and exploring new grounds reminding us of how unpredictable our favorite Danish multi-talented artist can be.
