Chris Connelly - Artificial Madness

Chris Connelly - Artificial Madness
Genre: Alternative/Post-Punk
Rating: 7/10

Chris Connelly is probably best known for his work with Ministry, Revolting Cocks and more recently the High Confessions rather than his solo career. The main reason for this would have to be the transient nature in regards to his solo work, whilst most of his more notorious projects have centred on quite dark themes and areas of music his solo work is much more diverse. Previous efforts have seen him experiment with everything from pop to new wave with varying levels of success so unlike many solo artists his work normally has no relation or common ground with his other more lucrative projects. This also means however that even at best his output could be described as patchy so whether or not you'll be on to a winner remains to be seen. Luckily with Artificial Madness Connelly has made the decision to play to his strengths blending elements of post-punk and industrial genres.

Whilst Artificial Madness bares some resemblance to Connelly's more recent work with The High Confessions there are still a lot of determining factors that ensure the two are not one and the same. The music on offer is mostly fast paced and their is a real sense of urgency throughout most of the album, the album is also less experimental which makes it instantly more appealing. Whilst the overall tone is one of darkness there is less effort to make each track an epic slow building masterpiece. The guitar playing is a lot more pronounced and schizophrenic with its impressively fast scales and scratchy vibe imbuing the whole record with more traditional punk sensibilities. Connelly's vocals, whilst not at the frightful snarl of some of his other work, fit the tunes well and the album is quite lyrically diverse touching on a broad spectrum of themes. Whilst areas of the record seem quite claustrophobic there are also some softer moments that help the album avoid being to repetitious. Whilst Ministry stood more prominently within the industrial genre there is not that much in the way of electronic and machine like beats here with most of the music having a more organic feel overall. Highlights include the frantic opener and title track "Artificial Madness", that surges with a volatile pace with inspired guitar work throughout, and the softer "Compatibility" that sounds like an eerily distorted Clash-esque tune. Other great tracks include the gentle and almost poppy "The Paraffin Hearts" which whilst contrasting strongly with the rest of the record provides it with one of the most notable moments. The majority of the album is good and accessible the only downside to all this is that it lacks the power of muxch of his other work. Whilst consistent in its dark themes the music doesn't quite capture your imagination enough to make this a true masterpiece. It is still thoroughly enjoyable though.

Overall Chris Connelly's latest effort is fairly impressive, especially when compared against the rest of his patchy solo work. Whilst it hardly redefines the rule book it is an enjoyable listen and easily more accessible for the mainstream. Recommended.

Download: "Artificial Madness" "The Paraffin Hearts"