Carinou first Reviews

Twierdza
Carinou
"Bound"
Spielzeit: 43:39
Bewertung: 7,5 Punkte
Label: CODE666
Rezension
CARINOU ist ein Seitenprojekt eines Mitgliedes der durch ihre extrem misantrophisch ausgelegten Aussagen relativ bekannt gewordenen Combo PUISSANCE. Da mir keinerlei Musik eben jener Gruppe bekannt ist, wird es mir leider nicht möglich sein im Rahmen dieser Rezension entsprechende Vergleiche zu der auf aktuellem Rezensionsobjekt enthaltenen zu ziehen.
Dies wäre sicherlich interessant gewesen, ist die Musik CARINOUs doch sehr ungewöhnlich und experimentell geartet. Dementsprechender Weise ist es auch nur sehr schwer möglich sie zu klassifizieren, vereint sie doch zahlreiche Genres miteinander. So lassen sich in stets unterschiedlicher Gewichtung in jedem Stück Rock - , Gothic - , Gothic - Metal, Industrial - und Ambient - Elemente ausmachen. Eigenwilligerweise gelingt es den Musikern dabei das jeweilige Stück an sich nicht aus den Augen zu verlieren, sondern die zahlreichen Elemente im Dienste eben jenes wirken zu lassen. So wird die Musik zwar stets flüssig und nachvollziehbar gehalten, nicht aber druckvoll und energetisch. Eben dies stellt denn auch den einzig wirklich anführbaren Kritikpunkt dar. Obgleich nämlich die Musik sich in weitesten Strecken eben genannter Maximen entsprechend verhält, ja geradezu im Kontext der Vielseitigkeit regelrechte daraus resultierende emotionale Höhen erreicht, dümpelt sie gelegentlich doch nur unspektakulär herum. Mag mir diesbezüglich auch Urteil nach Geschmack vorwerfen, so denke ich, dass dies hier nicht der Fall ist, sind genannte Phasen doch schlicht als langweilig zu bezeichnen. Da sie jedoch den quantitativ weitaus unbedeutenderen Teil ausmachen, stellen sie keine erhebliche Minderung der Qualität dar.
Insbesondere hinzuweisen sei auf den wirklich interessant klingenden Gesang, welcher der Musik durch die sequentielle Mehrstimmigkeit sowieso seine Art eine besondere Atmosphäre zu verleihen weiß. Sicherlich begünstigt wird dies durch die Tatsache, dass sich die Musik überwiegend im mittleren, treibenden Geschwindigkeitssegment bewegt, woraus resultierend eine sehr elegante Phrasierung realisiert werden konnte.
Der Musik entsprechend ist auch die klangliche Gestaltung als absolut gelungen zu bezeichnen. So wirkt der gesamte Klang extrem lebendig, energetisch und druckvoll. Insbesondere die Lebendigkeit verleiht dem Gesamtbild dabei einen recht emotionalen Anstrich, der zu gefallen weiß. Einzig die Bass - Drum hätte etwas knackiger abgemischt werden können.
Zu den Texten kann ich, da sie mir nicht vorliegen leider keine Aussagen machen. Auffällig ist jedoch, dass sämtliche Titel nur aus einem einzigen Wort bestehen. Ob dies gleich auf ein geschlossenes Konzept schließen lässt, weiß ich nicht zu beurteilen. Eine gewisse Ahnung in jene Richtung jedoch ergibt sich logischerweise.
Insgesamt stellt "Bound" ein extrem interessantes Album dar, welches wohl nicht nur Freunde metallischer Klänge, sondern auch jene elektronischer ansprechen sollte.
 
www.resurrecturis.net

CARINOU - Bound
(Code666 - 2004)

Un "terrorista" come Fredrik Söderlund nei panni del musicista pop-rock? Non ci volevo credere! Mentre leggevo la biografia di Carinou non riuscivo proprio a figurarmi il famigerato mastermind di Puissance e Parnassus alle prese con un genere di musica così distante dai territori insani dell'industrial o del black metal. Lo ammetto, sulle prime qualche perplessità stava prendendo il sopravvento, ma già al primo ascolto 'Bound' ha saputo fugare ogni mio dubbio, confermandomi che persino gli artisti più estremi sanno cavarsela con melodie ruffiane e motivetti dall'appiglio facile.
Ma andiamo con ordine. Carinou è un progetto che, oltre a Söderlund, vede coinvolta la cantante Sofie Svenson e la compositrice di musica elettronica Maggie Elfving, già nota nell'ambiente pop svedese per i suoi lavori di produzione e per una recente collaborazione con i The Ark alle backing vocals del loro album. Non c'è che dire, un collettivo stravagante e che "funziona" nonostante i differenti background artistici dei tre.
La diffidenza covata inizialmente verso il progetto lascia il posto allo stupore quando i primi ritornelli di 'Bound' entrano in testa e a destare tanta meraviglia non è certo la stranezza della proposta musicale, ma una sensazione di immediata sintonia con le contrastanti frequenze umorali di cui l'album è pervaso. Passione, odio, rancore, apatia... queste le emozioni che in 'Bound' trovano asilo, alimentandosi tra le insanabili conflittualità del nostro inconscio e consumandone lentamente gli istinti vitali, come se una sottile linea di inquietudine scivolasse invisibilmente attraverso ogni brano.
Se però rifletto sul termine "negative metal" coniato dalla Code666, è solo e unicamente sull'aggettivo che mi posso trovare d'accordo, perchè Carinou ha davvero poco in comune con il metal e assomiglia piuttosto ad una versione vitaminizzata dei Placebo, con tanto di melodie vellutate, chitarre energiche e arrangiamenti elettronici di ottima fattura. A questo punto tutto sembrerebbe perfetto se non fosse per la prova vocale "impostata" di Fredrik, talvolta insopportabile nel suo tentativo di fare il verso a Brian Molko. A parte questo, un album da ascoltare, anche solo per curiosità.

Roberto
 
http://www.lordsofwinter.com/Menu.php3?action=chronique&groupe=769&album=1481

A la réception de cet album et à la lecture de la courte présentation qui y était jointe, je m'attendais, sans pour autant avoir affaire à quelque oeuvre brillant par son côté novateur, tout du moins à une musique rafraîchissante et agréable à l'écoute. Le projet Carinou naquit en effet de la rencontre de Fredrik Soderlund, qui s'était auparavant déjà illustré dans l'underground metal (Puissance, Octinomos, Algaion), et de Maggie Elfving, présentée comme l'une des programmatrices de musique électronique les plus talentueuses (permettez-moi d'en douter lorsque je me permets de jeter une oreille à "Bound"...). La dénomination "Negative Metal", comme toute dénomination à vocation singularisatrice, s'accompagnant immanquablement d'une ambition empreinte d'audace, me laissait néanmoins craindre le pire, cette notion étant définie par ses initiateurs comme "un mélange perverti d'electro-pop, de la misanthropie du black metal et de froide musique industrielle suédoise".
Je dois toutefois avouer que l'écoute de cette réalisation m'a immédiatement ramené à la réalité, et mes craintes se sont bien vite avérées plus que fondées. En effet, loin de proposer un produit novateur ou tout simplement bien ficelé, nos suédois se sont contentés de mettre en présence dans un chapeau une dose de metal et une bonne dose d'électro-pop, dans l'espoir d'en extraire l'instant suivant un mélange des plus détonnants. Cette stratégie naïve, consistant malheureusement ici pour les musiciens à se contenter de sélectionner les éléments les plus directs et accrocheurs, et bien souvent les moins exaltants, faillit à chaque mesure, et offre un résultat simplement dénué de tout intérêt.
Usant exclusivement de riffs d'une basicité déconcertante au regard de la dimension metal de "Bound" (ce que j'appelle l'effet Spontex, car j'aurais plutôt tendance à comparer l'usage fait des guitares - "Vivid", "Trust" - à celui qui en est fait dans le neo metal le plus basique qui soit : on gratte, on gratte, et on change de note comme on changerait d'éponge lorsque l'on l'a trop usée...), et d'effets électroniques destinés à l'assimilation immédiate, dont une part non négligeable se montre proprement insoutenable sur le long terme (la seule intro du morceau "Bound" est à ce titre particulièrement évocatrice), qui n'auraient jamais pu figurer en arrière-plan de quelque morceau que ce soit sans souffrir du ridicule qui leur sied. Imaginez un peu lorsque ceux-ci se retrouvent propulsés au premier plan comme c'est ici le cas...
Carinou nous livre certes une oeuvre personnelle, mais emplie de clichés éculés, qui lui interdisent irrémédiablement de décoller. Car si l'on ajoute à l'ébauche que je me suis déjà proposé de dresser une rythmique répétitive quoique diversifiée lorsque l'on en vient en comparer la teneur musicale des différents morceaux composant "Bound", et une voix (presque exclusivement claire) portant davantage à sourire qu'à s'en trouver transporté (rappelez-vous le "Platypus" de Mr Bungle, et vous en aurez une idée plus précise), l'auditeur que je suis, tout interloqué qu'il est suite à l'écoute de l'intégralité de cet album, est implicitement invité à se demander s'il s'agit en fin de compte d'un foutage de gueule délibéré ou davantage d'un somptueux élan de prostitution intellectuelle.
Seule la sympathique ligne de piano dirigeant le propos du morceau "Carinou" aura eu le mérite d'éveiller mon attention : non qu'elle soit formidable, elle est simplement bien pensée et ne se trouve pas affublée de l'horrible voix essaimant le présent album, celle-ci se contentant ici de murmurer, choix particulièrement judicieux au regard du massacre général... Répit de courte durée, puisque "Chris" et "Dead" nous rappellent vite à la raison et concluent l'album ainsi qu'il débute : dans une orgie de tonalités simplistes suscitant au mieux l'indifférence.
"Bound" relève finalement du savant mélange d'un metal insipide et d'une electro-pop peu encline à provoquer l'élévation de l'individu, et ne présente dès lors pas véritablement l'intérêt que l'on s'y arrête. A mon sens, une erreur de signature de Code666, label qui fut pourtant la source de récentes excellentes surprises (parmi lesquelles la dernière réalisation d'Atrox en date, "Orgasm").
(Reapie - 27/05/2004)
2/10
 
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=155278

Carinou - Bound
Code666 Records - code022 - 2004
By Philip Whitehouse

Note to people suffering from clinical depression - stay away from this album. Carinou have branded their particular style of musical expression as 'negative metal', and I suppose it's pretty much 50% accurate. The missing half comes from the fact that the icy, minimalistic electro-synth soundscapes in Bound are only occasionally visited by electric guitar and human drumming. Rather, Fredrik Soderlund (whom you may know from Puissance) and his cohorts Maggie Elving and Sofie Svenson choose to craft bleak, skeletal songs around washes of ambient electronica and Fredrik's... errrm... rather unusual vocal style.

You see, there's really no two ways around this... on Bound, Fredrik sounds like a cross between Brian Molko of Placebo and Neil Tennant of The Pet Shop Boys. And this is where the problem arises. The downbeat atmospherics and Gary Numan-meets-Depeche Mode leanings of the music are dragged screaming into the abyss of unlistenable noise pollution by the characterless, uncharismatic, effete whining of the vocals. Admittedly, the suicidally morose inflections conjured by Fredrik's chosen vocal style suit the music well, but the voice itself jars across the nerves. It's as infuriating as watching an episode of Dawson's Creek.

There are moments where the simplistic, affecting soundscapes behind the voice shine through and make you forget all that, though - the sucker-punch that is 'Trust' knocks the listener out of the contemplative trance they've been lulled into with some punchy riffage, while the introspective 'Carinou' sends them right back into it a few tracks later. Moments like these cause a gentle see-saw affect, alternately relaxing then re-doubling the album's hold on your attention.

Overall, if you're gagging for some seriously bleak electronica-based rock, then you could do worse than searching out Carinou, but be warned - the vocals could prove to be a huge off-putting element.

6/10


Code666 Official Website
 
http://www.rockmetalbands.com/Carinou-review.htm

Carinou
'Bound'
(Code 666 records - Aural Music)
MARK: 90/100

The name and history of this Swedish band are totally new to many, so I must tell you it's formed by ex-members of Puissance, Octinomous, Algaion, and the Ark.. It's a particular debut, trying to break some boundaries and create certain negative music scenarios; the aim is not always achieved, but the effort is appreciable all of the time.

The opener "Vivid" moves on electronic bases, scratching, menacious voices, then black misanthropical screams, but later it becomes vocally and musically close to Placebo; great is the obsessive refrain, repeated by a robotical voice.
Needless to say the keyboards play a major role on this record, as shown in "Purge", opened by a sinister intro and based on 2 different kinds of vocals, both threatening and disturbing their way. This song is perfect for a horror, thriller or even a sci-fi flick, you can bet on that!
Every song is titled with only one word, and "Whore" makes no exception; musically it can even be sided to the latest Gathering ("If then else" to be clear), but when the voice comes out, you cannot but think about Placebo once again. A slow symphonic song with hypnotic keyboards and guitar walls; sometimes the singer's voice sounds too nasal and that's one of the few faults I can find in Carinou.
Slow and calm is also "Alone", a smart composition between Radiohead and Pink Floyd. Wonderful atmospheres you will find here, lulled by the twin (male and female) vocals and the guitar.
In the beginning "Trust" is almost spoken and not sung, then the vocals burst like in the opening track; galloping are the drums in this lively song, Placebo-oriented; very good the refrain, the few stopped guitars and the keys, this time a little in the background but hugely expressive. One of the best tracks to my view, lively and convincing under every aspect.
From the powerful rock guitars added to the pop layers of keyboards of the title-track, we get to the strange symphonic soundscapes of "Mistress", in which I find some vocals I wish I could hear sung better or reinforced by some backing ones.
Simply marvellous the duo singing on the tender and melancholic piano notes of "Carinou", closed by a strong attack guitar-drums, which allows you to realize how much care was put into the writing and arranging of the record.
Beats a là Aphex Twin mixed the best 80's electro-pop vocals and keyboards textures compound "Chris", while the closer "Dead" is gifted with lazy, perverted beats and sounds anticipating the trip hop following; here you can forget any metal element at all, but that doesn't mean the song suck of course.

As stated above, I didn't like all of the vocals, but the 90% of the record touches elevated levels of quality and inspirations, albeit the male vocalist (also guitarist and programmer Fredrik Soderlund) seems to be Placebo's singer's secret twin brother. "Bound" goes to fans of negative metal and decaying electropop with open minds; diehard fans of each of these styles will not be satisfied as this CD stands exactly on the middle of them without being inclined to one more than another. Nice newcomers to be heard at the trial by fire of the second CD in my opinion.

MARKUS GANZHERRLICH - 12/6/04
 
www.hardsounds.it

Curioso e particolare questo "Bound" dei Carinou, progetto di Fredrik Söderlund (Puissance) che stupisce per la proposta tutt'altro che prevedibile costruita assieme a Meggie Elfving (conosciuta per il contributo che ha dato alla scena elettro-pop svedese, basti pensare agli album dei "The Ark").

Il cd scorre su facili coordinate synth-pop rese oscure ed alternative grazie alla massiccia dose di elettronica dalle forti tinte goth. Il "Negative Metal" che è stato accostato dalla band stessa a questo lavoro, non si addice in verità a chiarire il genere musicale che contraddistingue il disco in questione in quanto di negativo, a parte i testi, non ci vedo poi molto e sinceramente di metal qui dentro ce n'è ben poco (a parte qualche ritmica di chitarra abbondantemente distorta e relativamente cattiva). Piuttosto, accosterei i Carinou ai Placebo più elettronici e ruffiani di qualche anno fa anche perchè la voce che guida i pezzi dell'album è dannatamente simile a quella di Brian Molko rendendo la somiglianza ancor più evidente (ascoltate l'opener "Vivid" ad esempio).

La varietà dei pezzi rende piacevole l'ascolto e permette di avere un'ampia visione di quello che la band è in grado di produrre; si passa infatti dalle lente e sognanti "Alone" e "Carinou" alle più aggressive "Trust" e "Bound", dalla visionaria "Purge" alla seducente "Whore" etc. Già dal primo ascolto le canzoni riescono a colpire, rimangono impresse per le facili melodie che, anche se mai banali, creano momenti a volte dolci ed intensi, altre volte più maestosi e frenetici.

Nonostante l'apparente commercialità, consiglio questo disco a chi è stanco della solite nuove uscite che hanno quel gusto di "già sentito" e soprattutto a chi l'elettronica non da così tanto fastidio.


Una buona uscita che varca i confini di un nuovo mondo.


VOTO 70

RECENSORE Poisoneye

RECENSITO IL 08/07/2004
 
http://www.royalcarnage.com/Reviews/nad/carinou/bound_rev.htm

Stop making up genres. Does it sound like someone's skull getting broken into bits? Fine, it's death metal. Do you hear rabid wolves on the hunt? Black metal. Electronic effects? Techno metal. These three simple labels cover a lot of bases, there isn't a need to break out the thesaurus or call the local patent office with your new word. CARINOU's self proclaimed "negative metal" label is misleading, because Bound is hardly metal and the bouncy choruses are anything but negative. Then again who cares as it's not too bad, whatever you want to call it.

This is occasionally dark electronic pop with a few distorted guitars here and there. The somewhat bleak song titles are quite fitting of the moods created by each song, and there are some seriously catchy moments. What initially sounds like simple pop rock with whiny vocals later reveals itself to be... not so annoying. First impressions are really bad, later that turns to mediocre but not good. For starters the vocals are awfully whiny. When they are subdued or processed into the music they sound good, but when they take a front roll, they are quite unnerving. But the main hindrance is the oversimplification of nearly everything. The songs have only one or two sections each, the riffs are very inconsequential, and the underdone sound effects get tiresome and a little cheesy. Also even with all the hooks, Bound doesn't seem terribly memorable. I get the feeling that the moment I send this review in, I'll completely forget about this release.

If you want some basic techno pop, be my guest with CARINOU. This is hardly the next MANES so don't expect anything grand, just something decent.

Rating 6/10
Reviewer NAD
 
DFRIndustries said:
Yea Carinou - Bound is the 1st CD i heard by Code666 that i loathed

i loved Manes, Enid im very found of Negura bunget. i just don't see anyone in the metal scene giving 2 shits about watered down Techno rock with bad Depeche Mode vocals on it sorry.

What kind of CD-player had used?
Let the CARINOU play, they are GREAT!