SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL
Horror Vacui
BLK II BLK
There is never any fear of emptiness when it comes to listening to an album by SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL as the Italian industrial and alternative metal Maestros return to earth once more with a 4th alien led invasion under the top-secret code name of “Horror Vacui.”
Re-entering our orbit the SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL crewed starship representing Satan in outer space returns for yet another mission, this time out they are hellbent on bringing death, destruction and dominance over the planet’s ruling classes armed to the teeth with their deadliest weapon yet. SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL’s intergalactic “Horror Vacui” super gun is powered up not by any kind of interplanetary death ray, but by an ultra-cool fusion of modern metal music and post-apocalyptic punk that will force all before them to bend the knee or face complete annihilation, so choose your side wisely.
With all that in mind, can you or dare you resist the dystopian sci-fi and supernatural world of “Horror Vacui,” I think not! So, join the SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL space marines now as they seek to recruit not only the strange and the different, but also all the other downtrodden outcasts of this fallen planet too for the fight against those who would seek to oppress us all by controlling our everyday lives. Sign up now, they need you!
In return for your servitude in the green army all Terrans get the opportunity to march into battle to the superb beat of the SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL war drum and eleven wonderfully unique extraterrestrial songs that have travelled many lightyears across the galaxy for your listening pleasure.
Those of you who like to rock hard are invited to take an exciting journey on the “Railride” as it steams through at pace, or maybe enjoy the much slower and more intense build-up of “God Save The Bride” before it fully explodes into life.
If you like to have a good singalong as you march to war you may well dig the fun anthem to hard work “Diggity Dig Dig”, or maybe the much darker “My Wounds” with its catchy earworm chorus. Then again, the groovy riff of “The Rat King” may be more your thing if you fancy a bit of air guitar action in your life, or perhaps the pumped-up foot stomper “Septem Maleficas” where resistance to partake in uncontrollable movement is futile.
Ode to much of the modern worldwide political class “Hate Manifesto” plays out like a bourbon fuelled southern rock gospel. But be careful not to get too carried away, because overindulgence may result in those hated and black hearted “Death Police” being called in to restore law and order! By now you may well be thinking that being “(Human Is) Overrated,” and you could be right, but in this case it’s also a banging heavy on the hammer tune too!
There are also a couple of heavenly bodies on “Horror Vacui” too that reach out across the darkness and touch the very fabric of the stars bringing joy, hope and light. “Haunted” with its softer and lingering vocals shows both the powerful and emotional side of Herma’s versatile voice whereas “Raise The Dragon” touches almost on the operatic with its huge cinematic proportions and depth of sound that hints SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL have much more to reveal yet!
SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL are exactly that and “Horror Vacui” is most definitely a ‘big bang’ moment for them making it a real genesis style creation that is more than worthy of crossing the universe for. No black holes or anti-matter here, only epic heavy metal which really does matter whoever you are and whatever star system you may call home! Very highly recommended.
Mark Waight