Review
Is there a law that states that you have to do something the same way as everybody else does ? Electro-newcomers UnterArt, from Northern Germany, must have had this or a similar thought in mind while working on their debut album, "Noise And Grace". The album's title can be viewed as rather programmatic : basically, the music of the band could be categorized as "Hard Electro / Industrial" but, after a thorough listen, a categorization suddenly does not seem all that easy. Yes there is enough noise, stomping beats and aggression to provide the hard-Electro-faction with solid dance floor fodder. But ( and this is a big 'but' )...UnterArt enhance their aggro-inferno with an altogether new dimension that could be pretty aptly described with the word 'grace'. Right in the midst of their musical hell made up of thudding beats and aggressive vocals there is a graceful spirit that always provides the listener with soothing moments of light. Melodic elements, clear, emotional vocals and rather catchy hook lines are allowed a solid place within the UnterArt universe. And it is no real surprise that the lyrics also transcend the usual clichйs of the genre, circling around a highly diverse complex of themes often bordering on the mystical. Fans of hard Electro will love "Noise & Grace" for its 'noise' aspect ( of which there is a lot ), while people who are usually not too fond of Industrial music will find a lot to enjoy here too. You can choose whatever term you like to describe this unique little niche that UnterArt have created for themselves be it 'Intelligent Industrial' or 'Progressive Hard Electro' there is no way around admitting that UnterArt stand out from the masses with an innovative, refreshingly original and challenging release for which themselves and Germany's Out Of Line label are to be commended.
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