REVIEWS - "The Conjoined" CD (page 4)

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Justin-Case.co.uk - by Justin Case. July 2007

It’s a blessing and a curse that the human brain tries to see patterns in everything, even if they’re not there, this builds up preconceptions so that it can anticipate information and speed up the recognition process, so when something comes along that not just challenges these preconceptions it give them a daman good going over as well the brain really sits up and pays attention, this is what P:FF do very well.

The music they create is Industrialised Death Metal but this tag does no justice at all, take the title track, it has all the usual genre tools and an atonal, free form Jazz trumpet solo in it, this isn’t just outside the envelope it’s a dimensional jump and if like me you like feeling when your preconceptions are messed around with then P:FF is for you. It does not make for easy listening but the challenge is worth the enjoyment that you will reap from it, on “Regenerate” they sound not too dissimilar to Pitchshifter at their best and on every tracks there is something out of the ordinary to make you sit up and listen, one track even finishes up with a hard core Dub bass piece, see what I mean about preconceptions.

This is not an easy album to listen too but when you do you will get to like it very quickly, listen out for; “Motionless”, “The Conjoined”, “Regenerate”, “Eve Of Demise” and “Surface Noise” THIS IS A DAMNED FINE ALBUM.

Heavy Metal Universe - (6 out of 6) by Seb. August 2007

+ in both English and French (below).

Second effort for this incredible act, "The Conjoined" leads P:FF to the highest level. If the previous record "A Beautiful Sickness" (2003) was some excellent piece of progressive thrash, this brand new opus pushes the limits over the borders, to some more experimental and more unique landscapes. Of course the band still reminds of Voivod and Sadist, but with an even more personal approach due to the incredible, weird structures of the songs, but also to the use of several noises and other strangely placed string instruments which gives some extraterrestrial mood to the whole stuff. Eric Forrest (ex-Voivod, E.Force) screams with more aggressiveness than before, giving an almost death metal sound to the vocals from time to time, and with the huge talent and clever composition of Kevin 131 and Tim Gutierrez, it brings this album to the top of the extreme metal scene.

Deuxième effort pour ce groupe incroyable, "The Conjoined" est celui qui aura conduit P:FF au plus haut niveau. Si le précédent enregistement "A Beautiful Sickness" (2003) était déjà un excellent disque de thrash progressif, ce tout nouvel enregistrement repousse les limites du combo au-delà des frontières, vers quelque paysage encore plus expérimentaux et uniques. Certes la musique continue d'évoquer Voivod ou Sadist, mais avec une approche encore plus personnelle du fait des structures étranges et inconcevables, mais aussi à l'utilisation de multiples bruitages et instruments à cordes inconvenants qui confèrent à tout ça une atmosphère d'outre-espace. Les gueulantes d'Eric Forrest (ex-Voivod, E.Force) sont plus agressives que par le passé et donnent des tonalités quasiment death metal à certains titres. Si on y ajoute le talent et les compositions intelligentes de Kevin 131 et Tim Gutierrez, ça conduit directement ce disque aux sommets de la scène metal extrême.

Pull The Chain - by Georges Laforet. August 2007

Crossover is a term used quite often in those pages (and eventually in today’s metal music world) and in many ways it has become less a signifying style as it is become a mockery of the music delivered by so many bands. What was once a fresh and interesting fusion of different styles and arrangements has eroded into a melting pot of followers or at worst pretentious musicians without any idea of the right music to play. Project: Failing Flesh are a complete different story and their new and second full-length is another proof that there is still place for such talented musicians and song-writers. The shortest summarize should underline that "The Conjoined" is experimental (in a positive way) thrash metal with lots of progressive death metal surroundings. Very good song-writing (no surprise if you keep in mind Eric Forrest was part of the Canadian legends Voivod), excellent musicianship, honestly it’s difficult to find bands that would have both equally original style and impact (perhaps Pestilence, years ago). Despite "The Conjoined" has unique structures, tempo changes and riffs which are often far from death thrash orthodoxy, the album doesn't suffer from a too experimental / boring aspect. To sum up, Project: Failing Flesh succeed in creating an original (even innovative) yet coherent album. Highly recommended if you’re an open-minded metal listener.

Keithownz / One Listen Reviews - (rating: Apocalyptic). August 2007

Phenomenal fucking CD! P:FF add industrial elements to razor-sharp riffs and punch-like drums; the result is a futuristic, apocalyptic, monster of an album. The title track has to be heard to be believed; they throw in some trumpets or something in a way that actually fits the music perfectly. Anyone that calls themself a metalhead needs to check this out immediately!

Ad Noctum - by Christian Metzner. August 2007

Auf ihrem zweiten Studioalbum "The conjoined" zeigen sich Project: Failing Flesh abermals sehr experimentierfreudig. Die Kompositionen leben von ihrem enormen Ideenreichtum, die Band hat sich beim Songwriting wirklich viel Mühe gegeben und die Songs mit allerhand anspruchsvollen Breaks garniert. Die druckvolle Produktion sorgt dafür, dass die Songs ein enormes Mass an Brutalität ausstrahlen. Sänger Eric Forrest ist übrigens kein Unbekannter, übernimmt dieser ja auch noch bei Voivod und E-Force den Sängerposten und ist auch übrigens im privaten Bereich ein ganz netter Geselle. Hier bei Project: Failing Flesh schreit er sich die Kehle aus dem Leib, genau so wie es zu den Songs am besten passt. "The conjoined" zeichnet sich zudem durch einen hohen Anteil an Industrial aus, viele Soundsamples schmücken das metallische Kleid und erinnern mich teilweise an Combos wie Red Harvest oder auch The Amenta mit dem Unterschied, dass Project: Failing Flesh nicht ganz so düster zur Sache gehen wie genannte Bands und sich auch mal nicht davor scheuen, ja fast schon jazzige Trompetenklänge mit zu integrieren. Die Songs sind ordentlich abgedreht, aber im positiven Sinne, denn wo sich viele Bands zum x-ten Mal kopieren, sind Project: Failing Flesh merklich um Abwechslung bemüht. "The conjoined" ist ein hartes Metal Album mit einem apokalyptischen Touch, aber definitiv einen Probedurchlauf wert. Mehr eigenwillige Bands vom Schlag dieser Combo würden der Metal Szene gut tun.

MetalHeart.se - (9 out of 10) by Ribert Ryttman. August 2007

» Som ett smart betongblock i skallen «  --  Det räcker med att sätta på första låten, ”Final act of treachery”, för att fatta vad Project: Failing Flesh handlar om. Har du inte skivan till hands kan du i stället slå pannan mot en tegelmur med full kraft samtidigt som din värsta fiende får nöjet att dunka ett cementblock i bakskallen på dig. Känns det hårt? Det är det också.

Men Project: Failing Flesh är inte primitivt dumhårt. Bandet varierar nämligen sina attacker rätt mycket och uppnår önskad effekt, likväl experimenterar de med ljud som får en att tänka på både industrirock och vansinnes-avant garde, utan att för ett ögonblick glömma det riktigt astunga hårdrocksriffandet. Jag kan på rak arm inte komma på en enda grupp som låter som Project: Failing Flesh och detta faktum gör mig salig av glädje. Det här bandet har tveklöst bestämt sig för att göra något nytt och annorlunda, något som definitivt inte kommer att tilltala alla och finns det något som verkligen bör kallas extremmetal så är det den här plattan.

Jag uppskattar verkligen våghalsigheten, röjet, brutaliteten och aggressionen som här har satts i samband med vad jag skulle vilja kalla konstmusik. Jag uppskattar det traditionella betongöset som möter det uppfinningsrika nytänkandet och det ibland försiktigt vackra. Project: Failing Flesh är en power trio (Eric Forrest, Tim Gutierrez och Kevin 131) i ordets rätta bemärkelse och The Conjoined kan du skrämma massmördare med om du vill.

Metal Italia - (8 out of 10) by Luca Filisetti. August 2007

Davvero interessante la piega che sta prendendo la musica dei Project: Failing Flesh. Chi ha avuto l’opportunità di ascoltare l’esordio “A Beautiful Sickness” si ricorderà di una band prettamente thrash che utilizzava delle partiture moderne ed inusuali, ricordando i Fear Factory. Bene, l’evoluzione del trio è avvenuta con modi piuttosto originali che, alle influenze iniziali, affianca prepotentemente quella di Ministry e Godflesh, senza dimenticare i Voivod, i Pitchshifter e John Zorn. Se considerate che qua e la si affacciano anche elementi trip hop vi renderete conto di che razza di album sia questo “The Conjoined”! L’atmosfera generata dai polistrumentisti Kevin131 e Tim Gutierrez e dal singer Eric Forrest è piuttosto cupa e malata e viene restituita in maniera magistrale grazie ad una produzione eccellente. Descrivere nel dettaglio le tracce sarebbe impresa impossibile nelle poche righe di una recensione: cercare di trasmettere le emozioni della title track, con il suo incedere da mantra nero violentato da inserti di sax suonato da un simil John Coltrane in acido non è possibile, anche perché i nostri non contenti inseriscono anche dei rimandi al seminale “Atom Heart Mother” dei Pink Floyd (datato 1970) a completare l’opera. Come vedete a parole non funziona, bisogna gettarsi nell’ascolto a capofitto e cercare di cogliere ogni nuova sfumatura, ogni passaggio complesso e di non facile assimilazione, ogni riffing thrasheggiante che non scade mai nella banalità. Bisogna farsi violentare da “Eye Of Demise”, ai confini con il death ed il black ed al contempo abbandonarsi sul tappeto trip hop di “Regenerate”; scuotere il capoccione al ritmo di “Final Act Of Treachery” e perdersi nelle dissonanze di “Surface Noise”, con il sax ancora in evidenza ed una struttura doomy nera come la pece. Abbandonate preconcetti, gettate il paraocchi: i Project: Failing Flesh sono tornati per restare e per stabilire nuovi parametri di eccellenza. Non potete perderli per niente al mondo.

Metal Express Radio - (7 out of 10) by George Fustos. July 2007

What is going on here? What’s up with this title? Failing Flesh, The Conjoined ... sounds like something weird and out of the ordinary. Perhaps they’ll end up archiving the catacombs of some ancient civilization that man has yet to come across. Or even stranger, while on the subject, explore some strange yet different type of music that has been out there, but still undiscovered.

Well, the band had its debut release back in 2003 with A Beautiful Sickness. What is strange is the fact that such an obscure band has been able to stay together with the same line-up since the original co-founders, a pair of Virginian Metalheads in Tim Gutierrez and Kevin 131, formed the band circa 2003. The only thing left to do was to find just the right vocalist that would fit well with the band. It just so happens that Eric Forrest (E-Force & Voivod) was the missing component.

Most existing feedback on their debut release proved overwhelmingly positive, which is something most bands covet, but few achieve. For all the fans of Project: Failing Flesh, your time has finally arrived for the follow-up. The new release, entitled The Conjoined, is now out. There are 11 tracks making up almost 40 minutes of listening time. Considering the name of the band and the title of the album, the song titles are fairly normal -– nothing that has any shock value to it. When listening to The Conjoined from start to finish, you'll find solid and tight production between all members of the band.

It was Greece-based Burning Star Records who decided to sign them in 2006, and shortly thereafter The Conjoined was being written and finalized, ready for release the following year. The 11 tracks are powerful and full of changes throughout most tunes. What is weird about the band is their secrecy towards what instruments are being played by which band member -- except for Eric Forrest, the vocalist, Kevin 131 and Tim Gutierrez are both secretive about what instruments they play individually. So, you have two musicians playing the guitar, bass, drums, piano, and keyboards, which are definite, but also included are horns, violin, and who knows what else.

The drummer blows you away with his non-stop double bass barrage and his overall energetic attack with the sticks. The guitar is adequately represented as is the bass ... nothing too flashy, but effective. What is strange in listening to all eleven songs is the introduction of horns and violin during a few tracks. This doesn’t seem to go well with Metal no matter how hard you try to pull it off. Different, yes, but it just doesn’t sound that good in a Metal tune. This is really noticeable in the title track, “The Conjoined.” “Motionless” has a real good Metal-type opening to it, and fabulous drumming throughout. “Second Impact Syndrome” is another good-paced heavy track; one of the better tunes. “Final Act of Treachery” and “Regenerate” are both good Metal tunes with Eric really using his voice. The drumming is just insane in the opener with the guitar filling in where it should be. The piano/keyboard part seems a bit out of place however. “Through the Broken Lens” and its repetitive beat in the early part of the track just doesn’t have what it takes. The song sounds like it was being dragged out at times. There is even a part that is mimicked from Alice In Chains. “Surface Noise” is another track where an oddity (this time a horn keeps popping up) somehow takes away from the Metal feeling of the tune. “Unsight Unseen” includes a piano along with a violin in the early part of the track. Not very Metalish at first until Eric and the boys kick it up a notch. Then, all hell breaks loose and it turns into a pretty killer tune. “Synensthesia” is a little different than the other tunes, but holds its own. The closer, “The Hand That You’ve Been Dealt,” has a pretty heavy beat that is addictive. The guitar work is a bit stronger at times than in previous tracks, and the bass is really cookin’ ... a real good song overall.

If you're a fan of P:FF, then this new release will not disappoint you one bit. Also, if you are in the market for something new and heavy that you haven’t heard before, give these guys a try.

Kronic - (3.5 out of 5) by Giancarlo Maero. November 2007

Carne, macchina e qualcosa di mezzo (o oltre)

Torna il misterioso duo dalla Virginia, sempre affiancato da Eric Forrest (E-Force, ex Voivod) alle voci, con un secondo album che replica la filosofia del debutto, un connubio di compressa aggressività e tendenze eterodosse alla sperimentazione di soluzioni ambientali aliene e alienanti.

Nei riff macigno si ritrova certamente parecchio del cyber metal dei Fear Factory, intellettualizzato però in una chiave più techno thrash coi suoi break contorti, e prono a sfociare tanto in blast beat pseudoblack (l’attacco di “Eve of Demise”) quanto in frangenti industriali e futuristici, grazie a un’elettronica che partendo dall’utilizzo ambientale del gruppo suddetto si fa molto articolata; altro indubbio punto di riferimento per gli scenari dipinti – complice la presenza riconoscibile del loro ex cantante – sono i Voivod claustrofobici del periodo Forrest.

Apprezzabili sforzi di integrazione con strumenti e linguaggi estranei al metal tout court si notano non solo nei sintetizzatori ma anche nell’uso degli ottoni – la titletrack, con tanto di gelidi assoli di tromba – e sono parte irrinunciabile di un quadro musicale interessante, che palesa una via di sfogo intelligente alla fisicità meccanizzata del metal industriale. Vale la pena incoraggiare i P:FF ad una ulteriore, ardita esplorazione di tali lidi, senza che però venga dimenticata la fruibilità di una materia tanto cerebrale, che già in alcuni punti risulta asfissiante e rischia di divenire fine a se stessa.

Les Acteurs de l'Ombre - by Pascal Toilliez. September 2007

Project : Failing Flesh, c’est l’union de 3 personnes au sein d’une même entité. Parmi les protagonistes on retrouve Kevin 131 et Tim Gutierrez (co-fondateurs) et le non moins célèbre Eric Forrest (E-Force, Voivod) dont l’arrivée marqua le réel début de cette expérience sonique.
Le nom du groupe sonne comme le nom d’un dossier scientifique, et ce n’est pas anodin. Nos amis se définissent eux même comme des scientifiques oeuvrant dans un laboratoire, et c’est une réelle expérience que cet album « The Conjoined ». Kevin 131 et Tim Gutierrez ne pratiquent à ce propos juste de la guitare ou de la basse comme dans beaucoup de groupes. Ils utilisent des « instruments ». Comprenez d’ailleurs toute la polysémie de ce mot…

Revenons-en au résultat même de leurs recherches. Dès le premier morceau, on sent ce que va être l’album : un mélange de guitares et de machines. Attention, nous sommes très loin des boucles qu’utilise Fear Factory. Ici il y cet aspect expérience interdite en plus, qui donne à ce déluge sonore un côté beaucoup plus froid et beaucoup plus agressif. On retrouve un peu de Morgul, le côté Black Metal en moins, au profit d’une musique plus Death/Thrash. C’est ça Project : Failing Flesh : Un laboratoire où les pires expériences sonores peuvent être tentées. Le morceau éponyme de l’album rend d’ailleurs très bien cette impression avec l’utilisation d’une sorte de saxophone ou un autre cuivre, joué de manière très dissonante. Côté composition à proprement parlé, on retrouve des bons vieux riffs bien classiques comme on peut en retrouver dans tout ce qui est Death Metal et Thrash Metal. Il est probable que si cela n’avait pas été le cas, Eric Forrest n’aurait pas pris part au projet. Sa voix légèrement écorchée apporte d’ailleurs un peu plus au côté abrupt de cet album.
Mais il y a quelque chose en plus que ce bon vieux Thrash. Il y le côté expérimental (à prendre également dans tous les sens du terme) qui vient s’ajouter et qui crée réellement une musique différente, où aucun aspect de la composition n’étouffe l’autre.

Pas de prouesses techniques car ce n’est pas le propos, mais juste une musique assez complète qui ravira ceux qui n’ont pas peur de tenter l’expérience d’un Thrash moderne, froid et réellement agressif (au sens premier du terme).

Metal Invader (4.5 out of 6) by Dimitris Fotiadis. October 2007

Back in 2004 when the band re-released the debut “A Beautiful Sickness”, I admit that the reason that made me bought the cd was Eric Forrest (Voivod , E-Force). Now, by the chance of this review I want to thank him (and of course my magazine mate Konstantina Peyou for helping me with her review), because he introduced me two very talent musicians like Tim Gutierrez and Kevin 131 and as a consequence to hear one of a hell band like Project: Failing Flesh.

In the new, second effort “The Conjoined” the band keep fresh all the elements that make the “A Beautiful Sickness” so strong. Shredding thrash riffs mixed with industrial aesthetic and samples, death metal power mixed with free jazz influences and all these covered with a dark and bitter aura and with great huge sound created again by Kevin 131. Many bands trying to marriage lots of music styles , it’s not something new, but very few have the ability to present such fine results like Project: Failing Flesh. Everything sounded strongly bonded and so powerful.

I don’t know if Project: Failing Flesh is a unique band… only that I really believe they have all the abilities to convince every “open minded” metalhead of their creativity. So, the choice is yours, I’ve already made mine, three years later.

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