Artist: Velvet Acid Christ
Album: The Art of Breaking Apart
Contributor: Chirality
Date: 11/19/2009
Genre: EBM/Industrial/Gothic
Rating: 5 out of 5

I have been impressed with the art that Velvet Acid Christ and Bryan Erickson created for many years now and was looking forward to reviewing the new LP The Art of Breaking Apart released through Philly's own Metropolis Records.

The album starts off in typical VAC fashion with thumping beats and movie splices. One song that drew me was Phucked up Phreak which is a remake/follow up to Phucking Phreak which came off of Calling ov the Dead. This song is filled with sinister sounds, gritty lyrics and filtered vocals. Tripped Out, Vaporized, and Killed in Space consist of ominous synth and rich musical splendor, and the punch that is sometimes needed.

Just when you think you're getting an EBM club album, you get songs like Black Rainbows, Faithless, Amensia, Killing a Stranger and the title track The Art of Breaking Apart, which consist of classic acoustics. (Oh no! Acoustics you say? Yes, I did... read on) Bryan's voice has enough power to make goosebumps form on even the toughest of skin. His brooding croon can be compared to the likes of Robert Smith. The change in tunes is indeed a successful one and proves VAC to be flexible and diverse.

When asking Bryan to make any comments in regards to the making of the album he said : “One of the hardest lp's to make, I tried to make it more complex, but it ended up simple, catchy with good sound quality. I made my voice clean, and tried to break new ground, this lp has some of my personal favorite VAC tracks that I have ever created.”

Indeed he broke new ground. Nowhere else will you hear an EBM/goth album with both club worthy tracks like Caustic Disco (also check out the Mindless Faith Remix) and simply superb tragically beautiful tracks like Silver which painfully wraps up the album and leaves you wanting more.

This album is filled with doom, gloom, and pure blackness. It is not early VAC, this is the evolution of VAC and I am looking forward to see what is in store for us next. Perhaps a show in Philadelphia? Let us cross fingers.