The debut of an industrial supergroup 

Claus Larsen ofLeæther Strip, Jürgen Engler of Die Krupps and Dino Cazares of Fear Factory have come together to form new industrial band Die Klute. Their debut album Planet Fear just dropped courtesy of Cleopatra Records. Upon first listen, it’s hard to believe a band like this is coming out of Los Angeles. Their sound and grit are reminiscent of the Scandinavian, Germanic and Slovenian underground.

As to be expected, their sound doesn’t stray from the industrial path. While the genre has never been a groundbreaking one, you get the sense that they don’t really care. Planet Fear is a perfect example of the industrial scene’s attitude: Pour out your frustrations with society and love of evil into something you can mosh to and let go of your worries for an hour. No need for taking life too seriously when we’re all dying anyway.

Where that love of evil is concerned, songs like “For Nothing” and “Infectious” pay tribute to undead and the Devil himself. The strongest theme of this album, however, seems to be a war on American politics and mainstream media. Die Klute may never name names, but lines like “Mind controlled / Trained to attack / You give your life to the powers above / Like it’s nothing for a country you love” (in “Born for a Cause”) and “I’m the man with the golden wig / I’m a high-ranking lunatic / I’m the one who wants to build a wall / I’m gonna end your good life once and for all” (in “Rich Kid Loser”) send a clear message. The track “She Watch Channel Zero?!” stands out in particular as a crass critique of women obsessed with reality TV and a soap opera lifestyle.

The shining stars on this record are the tracks “If I Die,” “It’s All in Vain” and “Mofo.” Each track is fast-paced, sounding like something you’d hear on a video game’s soundtrack. Many of the songs off of Planet Fear provoke the feeling of adrenaline and invulnerability—as any good metal album should. This album may not be breaking anybody’s Top 10 list at the end of the year, but it’s a solid release easily enjoyed by any old school industrial fans.