COVENANT
UNITED STATES OF MIND
ALBUM DEPENDENT, SSC, PLAYGROUND, METROPOLIS RELEASE: FEBRUARY 7, 2000 (EUROPE), FEBRUARY 29, 2000 (USA) REVIEW: FEBRUARY 4, 2000


Covenant is always in motion. The Swedish trio has never been afraid of exploring different influences from other genres to enrich their own musical views. And "United States of Mind" invites you on a journey that reaches further than ever before.
Covenant's fourth album travels through familiar places. The heavenly opening track "Like Tears in Rain" marches into the synergetic, more melodic, EBM landscape that has evolved during the past few years.
But soon the scenery starts changing. In the second track "No Man's Land", you can catch a glimpse of modern dance beats and ambient in the horizon, drum'n'bass and electronica pass by in "Unforgiven" and in "One World One Sky" you stand face to face with eurodisco. Also the lyrics shifts, from two line-mantras to more epic stories.
Though you're never lost. You always, somehow, recognise your surroundings and the language is still the same; heavy, danceable rhythms, and strong clinging melodies.
This is a trip that gets better and better for every time. Some might be blinded by the first impression, the experiments with various music styles and maybe claim that "United States of Mind" is too commercial. But for every experience new nuances, depths and sounds appear more vividly.
There is still no doubt why Covenant is regarded as one of the pioneers of electronic music today - they're brave, curious and they're not settling down.

SUSSI PETTERSSON