MINDWARE SHUTDOWN ALBUM SSI RELEASE: NOVEMBER, 2004 REVIEW: DECEMBER 6, 2004

Mindware is a project of Axel Kleintjes (Cycloon) and Ajf Barian. They have released one previous album, "Warm Places", and an EP, "On Earth". Axel is also a member of Cyber Axis; a busy man, to be sure. Mindware's debut was a bizarre combination of noise, hard beat, electro and EBM. I liked it, although not nearly as much as Cycloon, or his best known band, Page 12 (rip).
The band have made substantial progress with "Shut It Down". This is electro without the filler, without the glittery pop sugarcoating. Mindware are a brutally aggressive shot in the arm and deserve your undivided attention. Axel's programming has never sounded better and his lyrics, while not astounding, get their point across and compliment the music perfectly. This act has a genuine sound and approach to their work which is rarely found in the ghetto of the underground. Whatever you do, do not expect tame emotive work but rather the sound of a band getting down to business with ruthless efficiency. The songs tend to be brisk in nature (with several instrumentals); they never sound undeveloped or rushed.
Menacing electronic music is alive and well.

PETER MARKS