If you haven’t yet reached the comprehensive Artifact double CD compilation issuing the short and tense music career of the American band Factrix, this album might come as a surprise, if not revelation.
Factrix was an American pioneer industrial group from San Francisco, formed in 1978 by Bond Bergland, Cole Palme, and Joseph T. Jacobs. In its short life (it was active only four years), Factrix released only one studio album, which is this one: Scheintot, an invitation to a special listening, way beyond the ordinary and the common borders. The title is the German word for a ‘state of apparent death’, or ‘suspended animation’.
Besides Scheintot, there was a 7" single, "Empire Of Passion/Splice Of Life" which balanced sound-poetry with minimalist rock. The live LP called ”California Babylon” from 1982 represents a collaboration with Monte Cazazza and it is a complete and categorical release, in both minimalist sound and morbid lyrical content.
The dark and morbid sounds of the Scheintotrecord evoke a deep introspective journey with no start and no end. You just fly through psychedelic guitars, moody melodies, creepy whispers and fascinating rhythms coming out from abused drum machines and synthesizers.
Beyond any doubt you should check the album as a whole, with its nine tracks, but especially pay attention to ”Center of the Doll”, ”Ballad Of The Grim Rider”, ”Eerie Lights”, ”Phantom Pain”. Some really hardcore stuff for heavy listeners of Throbbing Gristle, early Cabaret Voltaire, Suicide, SPK, NON, Wolf Eyes, and interested in the origins of industrial music.
Tracklist:
A1. Eerie LightsA2. Heavy Breathing
A3. Center Of The Doll
A4. Thin Line
A5. Anemone Housing
B1. Over My Shoulder (And Out Of My Life)
B2. Ballad Of The Grim Rider
B3. Snuff Box
B4. Phantom Pain