In a futuristic dimension, controlled by machines and where music has been processed - say remodeled - into an industrial product, projects like GLAUKOM SYNOD rise. In the age of computers and filtered everything, music seems to have no choice but to follow trends and model itself to the demands of the popular culture. Luckily, there's a slight plot twist I like to call, Metal music. As the foundations of this genre advocate contesting and defying the top 40 chart standards, certain people still risk themselves into mixing electronic and other popular influences to it. Somewhere in the middle of dark and commercial, the aberration lies. While one genre demands tremendous technique and dedication, electronic music demands such, but in a different form of skills. With ''Covered in Semen and Slime'' being his 13^th release among demos, remixes and records, the electro/indu oriented one-man band delivers a perfect example as to why some genres are meant to stay put in their proper boundaries.

Many factors contribute in making such combinations dissonant. On one hand, metal is heavy, curved with tone and massiveness. Now, picture high-pitched electronics that often lack deepness in the sound. It may not always be about comparison, but when two genres are merged into another, analyzing both individually and as a pair is necessary. While metal is in for varied riffs, structures and tempos, electronic music takes pleasure into repetition. Created with the intent of buzzing your mind through different waves and constant, vibrant pulses, there is no shame into admitting it definitely doesn't forge a tasteful or even meaningful marriage with metal. Although electronic demands a certain level of creativity, the modern sounds emerging from technological devices and props suck out the credibility from the street, garage genre metal first identified to. Of course innovation brings progress and achievement, but crossover was never meant for genres with no similarities to blend. It's instruments vs computers, always.

This said, GLAUKOM SYNOD deserves recognition for its audacity. Daring can be tough not only creatively wise, but guts wise too. G.s is not submitting himself to the popular demand, and so should you! Remaining underground and darkly influenced, the man is only creating and spearheading his way through originality and difference. Created for a precise audience, his music could drive club crowds into dancing the night away, but calling this metal is pushing it a tad too far. Far too extreme into the electronic, computer effects and sounds, the only metal influences are in the pumping drums. There sure is a vibe of fury, with fueled madness and sharp effects (syncopation, metallic tone), but the myriad of techno arrangements overwhelm the general product, resulting in a subtle metal flavor only. Considering this, ''Covered in Semen and Slime'' could easily be mistaken for dark electro, say limit industrial.

All eight tracks combined give birth to a cold, repetitive and cerebral record. Far from uplifting your soul with emotion and reflection, every song from ''Thrown Away'' to ''Dead'' (both being NAPALM DEATH covers and remixes), give a vibe of video games and machines. The overall album is coated with abusive repetitions (the well-known, well appreciated electro-trance effect), accompanied by varied, squeaky, unidentified sounds and noises. Fidel to industrial metal as the tone comes across your eardrum like someone shaking the hell out of a beer bottle filled with screws, and so very dark because of the hardly audible pig squeals and the general heavy ambiance caused by the drums, it could be somewhat considered extreme... For electronic music. Yet, there is an insistence from GLAUKOM SYNOD, as if identifying to metal was a major seller for the man. With three NAPALM DEATH covers, one BOLTH THROWER cover and a variation to the theme of Dazed and Confused by LED ZEPPELIN, our guy clearly indicates his sources of inspiration. Sadly, industrializing, commercializing and processing such hard, heavy, violent acts destroys the spirit these bands have created with their music. Adding Pacman noises to a grind piece and repetitive structures to a blues/groove classic is a no-no. These influences don't sink nor mesh pretty well, as the listener cannot take the fury seriously. If it wasn't for the varied tempos, blast beat influences and different sections replacing the typical metal riff, every single one of these brief pieces would be practically empty, only representing a different experimentation of sound every time. Intriguing, yes. Trippy? Why not! Pure, from the heart art? Come again.

The intentions and the state of mind behind this release are for the most interesting. Digging further into innovation and experimentation, GLAUKOM SYNOD entered a risky game. For strange combinations will always please a part of the population, there is no possible or credible way this record could be considered as metal. Too far up on the axis of electronic, computer-like product, the metal heritage simply fades out.<