PRIDE AND FALL NEPESH ALBUM DEPENDENT, MEMENTO MATERIA (SWEDEN), METROPOLIS (US) RELEASE: SEPTEMBER 15, 2003 REVIEW: SEPTEMBER 30, 2003

Professional, rhythmic and catchy. On their first full-length album, Norwegian newcomers Pride and Fall show good potential to qualify for the international future-pop scene. Just a little more dance-mood in the leads, and the band should fit in at once.
Unfortunately, it feels as if the album never really takes off. One of the exceptions is the track "Paragon", a song that we probably will hear on some electro club dancefloors during the autumn. That track has all the ingredients that a real futurepop song should have, to make your legs go crazy on their own. But it is almost the only one - the other tracks are not coming through all the way. The beat is there, it is just not the right one. Add long intros and interludes to that and the dancemood just will not appear. But the album is nevertheless a catchy one, and it is difficult not to feel familiar with most of the leads. Add the singer Sigve Monsen's drawling, monotonous and straight voice (the similarities with Ronan Harris, VNV Nation, is quite striking) and you will get a mediocre futurepop sound.
My personal favourite is the track "Delusion". In this interlude Pride and Fall shows a more unique sound - and that is really something I would like to hear more of in the future.

KARIN MARTINSSON