Hailing from France, the melancholic rock group PORN will be releasing their 4th album, "The Darkest of Human Desires - Act II", on the 22nd of February 2019. This album is a collaboration between PORN and TOM BAKER. TOM mastered many chart-toppers such as MANSON and ZOMBIE. While PORN has been labeled as an Industrial Rock act, allow me to clear the air. Just because you utilize a synthesizer, does not make you any more Industrial than wearing a kilt would make you Irish. If you are a radio listener who would call such bands as STABBING WESTWARD or ORGY Industrial, ok then, this is your Industrial.

Before we get into the music, there is a story that follows PORN. While this is Act II, their prior release of "Oghr" is part 1, and since this a trilogy, there will be a follow-up. The band plays out a tale of "Mr. Strangler" and this captures how he has embraced his darkest desires and has begun committing murders. He also invites others like him and encourages them to follow suit and join his ... eh-hem..."death cult". Overall it's an over-saturated stereotype with songs about famous serial killers. The first track "Choose your last words" reminded me of the transition TIM SKOLD made from SHOTGUN MESSIAH to SKOLD. It is a typical dark rock song accented by the use of light electronics and samples. The guitar work is simplistic and has strong rhythm parts while the drums do a great job in an attempt to fit the band's image by bringing some heaviness with the occasional rolling double bass kicks. The vocals seem over processed with effects like reverb, delay, maybe a little chorus is why there is a tiny sound with it. I am not too sure why, as the vocalist seems to be pretty good sounding A LOT like Jay Gordon of ORGY. At the midpoint of the song, you get a low spoken word goth feel similar to TYPE O NEGATIVE. The electronics give the song wider atmospheric layers that are more tragic or cinematic sounding.

"Evil Six Evil" delivered an influence of SISTERS OF MERCY, more gothic, dark, slow, and even death romantic. Bottom line here is that none of the songs really have that "pop". Which is similar to ORGY's first release where it was hard to tell one song from another and they all gave the same effort and energy. What it boils down to is nothing more than the soundtrack to a confused teenage state of puberty where the thought of something dark becomes appealing. Life is pain, and pain is life. "Remorse for What" is about as good as it gets. The sample of an interview with a killer plays over some actually very decent programming and synth work, that while it's subtle, it does trick the heart to feel sympathy for the killer. Capturing a very true moment in its darkness. It still isn't quite industrial as it leans more towards GRAVITY KILLS in style, but the use of nontraditional sounds as percussion is a good attempt.

"The Darkest of Human Desires Act II" is definitely one of those dreary albums that typically include a razor blade with it. Good for gloomy overcast or rainy day weather, staring out the window and watching dark clouds roll by as rain washes away the softness of daylight. With the bands' theme being so dark you wouldn't expect such commercial music. Think a lighter version of ZEROMANCER or even HIM but not as guitar driven. I was expecting something mean and brutal rather than skirt chasing songs for chicks and depressed youth, but none the less PORN is good at it and it's semi-decent. Nothing that hasn't already been done before though.Overall: 6