Hate Speech is the latest release from German electro/industrial duo Ibyss and it’s a decent listen with some great elements to it.
There’s a nice amount of passion to the performance, and the momentum from start to finish is tremendous. No matter if the music is sparse or if Ibyss is projecting a wall of sound at you, it’s clear that the pair are giving it their absolute all and the way the piece progresses is great – everything fits in well together and the flow from one track to the next really works. Additionally the guitarwork throughout, particularly in Home Is Where The Graves Are which features an awesome squealing line in the middle, is excellent.
However, the songs aren’t exactly gripping, and it’s a little difficult to fully connect with them because there’s not many moments that really stick in your head as there isn’t a great deal of variety to them. The music is good, and as mentioned earlier is a decent listen, but it just doesn’t jump out at you and grab you – and in a music industry with a tonne of bands trying to make their mark, a release does need to have an extra something to stand out from the crowd, and Ibyss haven’t quite managed this with Hate Speech. Still, the band’s passion and determination cannot be faulted, and the EP is still a decent listen – I’ll be awaiting their next release with interest.
6/10
