8 / 10
Their aim is true. Their principles, immaculate. Their sound, however, is like the plagues of Egypt throwing an all-nighter in your house. Like Dungeons & Dragons fans who hide their Nigelness behind Thawdor, Wizard Prince, the Digital Hardcore hardcore espouse the most righteous politics - proceeds of this double-vinyl record go to anti-fascist organisations - yet sound like they've got Lucifer's home number.
Patric Catani, member of the uncompromising EC8OR, is clearly driven like a satanic Sherman tank: the cover of 'Hitler 2000' is tastefully decorated with young people frolicking in moustaches, the opening sample provocatively declares the world would welcome a F|hrer-clone with raised arms, and his trashing of the pleasure-pain division is the sort of thing that usually gets you a spell in high security lockdown.
Whether unanaesthetised electronic surgery is the best way to fight the dark side is questionable, yet the DHR philosophy is very much about individual rights, and for Catani, well, that means freedom to make a noise like someone swallowing their tongue. It means freedom to create 'Long Time No Speak', the Leftfield Guinness ad if it had been made with Trident submarines, or the Gatling-gun jive of 'Check Our Madness'; freedom, even, to unleash the electro-enteritis of 'Commando', tune-based like a bloody massacre is human-based.
And this record is on the side of right. Hell. It's good.
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