Avi Ghosh - Severing The Tie

Brainchild of Defy’s frontman, Avi Ghosh, “Severing the Tie” encapsulates all fans have come to love about Defy, and then some. Raw in emotion (though not in production), Avi Ghosh has masterfully produced this full length album to center around something everyone can relate to – a tragic end to a close relationship. The entire CD is a journey from the beginning pains of a break-up to the ultimate resolution of moving on, and everything in between. The album is cathartic for both the artist and the listener, I’m sure.

Defy had already wowed me in the past with excellent song structure and production skills, and this new album surpasses the band’s previous efforts. While I more closely associate Defy with industrial rock bands such as Celldweller, Avi Ghosh’s solo project has a darker alternative sound, reminiscent of the best aspects of A Perfect Circle. The songs are innovative and catching, leaving this album as a top pick to be left on repeat in anyone’s CD player.

Suggested Tracks:
“Art of Feeling Low”
“Don’t Count On Me Anymore”

Lujhboia - Sendero de Panico

A merger of aggrotech and EBM at it’s finest, the independent artist Lujhboia represents up-and-coming industrial at it’s finest. After receiving many favorable reviews from members of the Side-Line forums, I gave this album a spin myself and was in no way disappointed. Lujhboia combines the best aspects of bands such as Psyclon Nine, Dawn of Ashes, and Angels on Acid, while giving a wonderful amount of variance to the songs to keep things very interesting and diverse. This is exactly what the stompy industrial scene is looking for today.

You can’t argue with the price of this album, either – Lujhboia is giving this album away for free on their website! There’s simply no reason not to get this album. DJ’s should especially give this album a listen; there are many tracks on this CD - such as “Sins of My Past” - sure to get the dance floor moving.

My only complaint about the CD (which resulted in the less-than-perfect rating) is that the production sounds a little thin. That may be due to the album being distributed in 192kps mp3s, so I hope that if the band decides to release a hard copy version of these songs, that all will be corrected. And with talent like this, I highly doubt this band will stay unsigned or unnoticed for long.

Suggested Tracks:
“Sins of My Past”
“Maldita”
“Solitude”