![XE-NONE - Headquarters of [Rave]olution](/sites/default/themes/xenone/logo.png){kind=logo}
Artist: XE-NONE
Album: Dance Metal [Rave]olution
Year: 2008
Xe-None from Russia can nearly be called a celebrity on our webzine. Having one of the first reviews and the very first interview with this band back then when we started in 2004, I always kept a closer eye on them. Xe-None isn't really a band that can be thrown within a genre. Many descriptions already passed, such as 'eurodance metal', 'industrial techno metal' and 'blood rave cyber metal'. Let's just call it industrial metal from now on, just a mix of 90's dance tunes and modern metal. If I am not mistaken, I prayed for a full-lenght release night after night each time I reviewed another 3,4 or 5 track demo. Well, my prayings have finally be answered. 'Dance Metal [Rave]olution' is the official debut full-lenght of Xe-None, released by Reflexya Records and as always - downloadable for free on Xe-None's official webpage!
'[Rave]olution' is the first track of the release. It consist of wicked and modern (euro)dance influenced keylines, distorted guitars and powerful programming and vocal lines. 'Angels' is a little more uptempo and crazy. It's an excellent mix of modern metal and 90's dance tunes, with excellent interaction inbetween the male and female vocals. The powerful programming suits excellent with the keylines, and the straight forward guitars. 'Digital Fucker A.D.' is more metal based, and has a more heavy sound. The soft and modern keylines are still very present, but less dance influenced, which brings the metal edges more forward - as well supported by the brutal male vocals by Lexy Dance. 'Decay Dance' shows us a modern mix inbetween trance, metal and a little techno - all brought together within a catchy and easy going, danceable song. 'Collapse' comes up next. It's probably the most metal track on the release, with strong riffing and powerful drumming. Sonically this song still has many industrial influences (specially during the female vocals), but it's less danceable than the other tracks on the record - but therefore more powerful and metal. '[Play]station' is again a wicked dance metal track, with excellent synth lines and no nonsense guitar riffs. The marching programming and the recogniseable vocal lines fit in excellently, which makes this track in my opinion the best one on the release. 'Amnestesia' follows. It's a more atmospheric track, with modern sampling and experimental guitarwork. Overall the song has a more darker metal touch, which makes it sound less extreme but more heavy. 'Day of the Dead' is the most accessable and easy listening track on the release. It switches from passages that are close to a ballad to some more outgoing parts, without losing the original waveish touches. 'Slave On Line' was back then in 2004 the first Xe-None song I ever heard. Anno 2008 the song had some major improvements, but still the structure and the original, danceable approach is present. It's a modern, easy going track which switches from more heavy to more powerful and extreme parts. The release ends with 'Heaven Awaits'. It's a powerful track, with harsh metal edges and soft, electronic based keylines.
'Dance Metal [Rave]olution' contains many songs that appeared on preverious demos. Xe-None managed to make slightly improvements to each one of them, like the more harmonic keysound on 'Slave On_Line', the more modern and wicked approach of 'Decay Dance' and the major transformation of 'Digital Fucker' into 'Digital Fucker A.D.'. After hearing the new tracks, and the new versions of the older tracks, it is getting clear how much improvement Xe-None made since the 'Digital Rape' and 'Blood Rave' EPs. Not only have both Lexy Dance and EvilAnn made big progressions on their vocals, as well the band manages to exploit more creativity within the smaller parts of the song such as sampling, intermezzo's and vocal interaction. As well, there is more variation within the song structures and they used different exploitation of their influences in each track on this release, which makes it an essential one when it comes to variation, originality and musical talent.
'Dance Metal [Rave]olution' will beat the preverious (high) scores that Xe-None recieved on their demo releases. 'Dance Metal [Rave]olution' will beat the currently highest score on our webzine of an album released in 2008. 'Dance Metal [Rave]olution' will recieve the highest possible score, and can be added to the very few "totally perfect" releases that got reviewed on our zine. And I know that 2008 is just five months old, I can't see any album beating them anymore. Album of the year. Period.
Vote: 100 / 100
Review by: Gerardo