"Zombie Commandos From Hell!", whilst having amusing title, is actually a collection of exclusive tracks inspired by the comic series of the same name. The compilation has been compiled by the comic's creator Steph Dumais and features an impressive line-up of names including Milligramme, Mimetic Data, Mlada Fronta, Implant, Empusae, Tarmvred and Flint Glass amongst others.

As you might expect from the title, a majority of the tracks fall into the rhythmic/power noise category, but there is the odd deviation once in a while. The album opener for example, 'Stomach' by Milligramme, sits somewhere between an ambient soundtrack and a rhythmic noise anthem. Hard bouncy bass collides with tinny metallic beats over sweeping texture to combine the best of both genres. It doesn‚t take long, however, for the pace to pick up and hard beats to kick in. Headscan's 'Dissolution' is a vocal track aimed squarely at the dancefloor with pulsating beats and a trance-like feel. Implant follow suit but with softer beats, a more electro influence and no vocals aside from the odd sample. Mimetic Data offer a deceptive track that starts with minimal drifting soundscapes but soon erupts into a pounding bassy beat frenzy. In contrast, Empusae presents waves of distorted noise and hard breaks with 'Last Breath' while Negative Format trance it up with 'Gaia's Will', 'Kill All Humans' by Tarmvred, however, is a return to form with an 8-bit computer game type track that occasionally morphs into an epic collision of beats and distortion. Following in Mimetic Data's footsteps are Mlada Fronta with their track 'Invisible'; a slowly evolving track that unravels over time to explore different tones and sonic textures but never quite unleashes the barrage of beats it threatens. PTSMC go down a similar route but SMP pick up the pace with the electro/EBM influenced 'Kommando'. Andraculoid opt for the middle ground between punishing beats and growling vocals. Flint Glass provide another drone based track of low-key ambience that mutates as it progresses, eventually self destructing against a wall of distorted bass and beats.

"Zombie Commandos From Hell" delivers a whole list of quality noise tracks of various types, amongst the strongest are Milligramme, Mimetic Data, Tarmvred and Andraculoid. This album is a mix of various musical styles; dark ambient, electro, trance, noise and even combinations of these styles. There should be something here for everyone.

PRL