Foetus, Flow (Thirsty Ear) 9+
A native of Melbourne, Australia, Jim Thirlwell is one of the original forefathers of industrial music. But don't blame him for the crap we've been subjected to after Ministry hit it big in '92. Under various monikers, most with "Foetus" stuck somewhere in the name, Thirlwell has remained true to his iconoclastic vision since he first moved to London in 1978. His last major effort was the admirable Gash (1995), which briefly enjoyed major label support from Sony. Unfortunately, industrial bandwagoneers had trouble separating true talent from the chaff, and Flow is the first full-length album after a six year cold spell. "Cirrhosis of the Heart" employs a bossa nova rhythm that recalls a sixties spy thriller mixed with Charles Mingus' forays into Latin hedonism. Jazz stylings touch down in several points on the album. In heavier moods, the eight minute "Mandelay" is a slow, soul-crushing piece of considerable power. "The Need Machine" is a gloriously crunchy masterpiece that brings to mind the nasty grind of the long-lost and forgotten Aussie band Lubricated Goat. With Flow, Thirlwell has accomplished no less than reviving and reinventing industrial music for the new century.
