Rating: 8.3

Country: Switzerland

Release Date: 2002

Track list:
1. Rude Awakening
2. What's Up in Your Cryotube
3. Stillborn Prophet
4. End's Eve
5. Lab of their Will
6. Sunset Motel
7. Pull the Pin
8. Seeking an Exit
9. Ecce Lex
10. Feed the Living
11. Turned Black
12. Unwillingly and Slow

Band Website: Nostromo

Nostromo - Ecce Lex

Javier - Vocals
Jerome - Guitar
Lad - Bass
Maik - Drums

Those of you who have heard the human beat-box version of Napalm Death's "Twist the Knife" on Nostromo's previous 'Eyesore' EP will already know the high regard that this band have for 'Fear, Emptiness, Despair'. Furthermore, 'Ecce Lex' takes that gem of reinvention and combines it with diverse styles of punky grinding noisecore and the time-shifting machinations of Meshuggah.

Their high-integrity enthusiasm has been honed and lubricated to deliver an engrossing sequence of stealthy chops to the head. The bolts-and-granite distortion never dilutes the spasmodic precision, clever grooves or tempo shake-ups. Aside from Maik's lateral cymbal frenzies being obscured from time to time, the mixing is spot on.

Seldom is a riff repeated quite the same way, with the instrumentalists circling around each other to achieve planetary alignment consonance and swirling counterpoint and dissonance. Even during moments of Botch-like metallic warmth, the Nasum-esque vocals remind you that you are going to be ripped apart again in a click.

Highlights are "Stillborn Prophet" (that has a superlative spiralling groove) and "Feed the Living" (that is Nostromo at its most indescribable, insane and inventive). It is a great pity that the land of Gruyere and Roger Federer has lost this now disbanded entity. What a great record to bow out with, though!

October 23rd, 2005