Imperative Reaction
Imperative Reaction
Metropolis Records
Imperative Reaction is back with their new self-titled album, a few months after the release of their Surface EP and approximately three years since the release of their last full-length album, Minus All.
Ted Phelps is the sole composer and lyricist of the Los Angeles band which released their most recent album Sept. 13. The band creates electronic body music, which incorporates different elements of industrial dance music.
After having produced the full Imperative Reaction discography by himself, Phelps decided to partner up with Krischan Wesenberg, a member of bands Rotersand and Straftanz, at his German-based Studio 600 to co-produce Imperative Reaction. Compared to previous albums, the production is much more crisp and the bass pounds even harder than ever before.
At first listen, it’s a much more club-oriented album compared to its predecessor. The album still features everything a fan expects such as Phelps’ emotional vocal hooks and catchy synth melodies, but what’s new on this album is the band’s use of guitars which was previously substituted with synthesizers. This lends their songs more to live settings.
“Side Effect” captures the listener’s attention from the first track and sets the mood for the remainder of the Impertive Reaction. The album includes two songs that appeared on the Surface EP, “What Is Left To Say” and “Surface.” The EP title track has a lot of cross-genre appeal as a club hit while featuring gang vocals used in a lot of hardcore punk.
Other highlights include “Song of the Martyr,” which boasted one of the best cross-genre transitions I’ve heard in a while going from electro to hard rock and then right back to electro. “Time Doesn’t Care” was another highlight with one of the most memorable choruses on the album and a showcase of Phelps’ vocal abilities.
Overall, this is the type of album that will keep you dancing while simultaneously rocking out from start to finish.