Cocksure - TVMALSV

September 30th 2014

(CD Album Review)

*****

I am Cocksure!!!

Cocksure hail from Chicago and is the brainchild of Christopher J. Connelly and Jason C. Novak. Cocksure are a band that bridge the gap between Waxtrax! era Industrial and the future sounds of mass corruption. The bands debut EP 'K.K.E.P.' caused quite a stir in the industry. Chris is best know for being one of the pioneers of Industrial music along side Al Jourgenson (Ministry) they ruled the alternative music scene with the band Revolting Cocks and later with Ministry. These bands influenced everyone that plays in this genre and now Cocksure looks like will be the future of Industrial music, mixing it up even more. Chris when forming Cocksure wanted to do something very unique and with his new recording partner Jason C. Novak (DJ / Acucrack / Acumen Nation) I think he has found this.

The band have recently played a two day concert in the States called 'Cold Waves' and contained the likes of Fear Factory, Die Krupps and Front 242 have worked hard to produce a debut album which will released by Metropolis and had a very bizarre press release with it and t-shirts that we all will want "Don't just be sure... be Cocksure!". From the opening number 'Skeemy Gates' I am already hooked in, It's Ministry, it's Skinny Puppy, it's utterly fantastic. You can hear traditional Industrial sounds mixed with a futuristic modern vision. So take all these sounds and mix it with the sound of Future Punk artists like The Prodigy and Pop will eat Itself, and you have what Cocksure is hitting you with. You hear heavy hitting beats you hear heavy riffage and you hear futurist sounds all hit in with a Future Punk / Dance attitude and modern ideas.

Second track 'Alpha male Bling' starts of slower and gradually builds up with an oray of weird sounds that delight. Before it hits in like a classic Rap sound that sounds like it was taken from a Pop will eat Itself song, added with the cybernetics of the future and weird keyboard sounds. This is a track that would appeal to the Dance and Rap World as well as the Industrial sector and you can see they have been listing to newish Dance and rap acts like Unkle and Pendulum and even the Urban, Dub-Step and UK Garage scene to get ideas that would make their music even more interesting. 'Guilt, Speed and Carbon' has an underground feel to it as it builds up faster and faster. The track is joined by echoing vocals that add to the atmosphere of it, I have to say this is one of my least favourite tracks on the album and that is saying something because it's still really good.

'Ah Doin' eat Meat, Bitch!' starts off sounding like a meat factory from the future before it comes with in with some really evil vocals. This is the best track on the album by far for me, it has a real OhGr (Skinny Puppy) feel to it. Even though this is Cocksure doing it in their own style. It's just nasty and evil and that is everything I love from a Industrial track. 'Cock ripped to the giddy Tits' is a title that is a little offensive and I should really censor, but if I did that I would have to near enough do the same for the whole piece. Cocksure are a band that care about offending, they just say what they want to say and if you don't like it then... don't listen. This track is also superb and has some really great sounds to it and takes me so back to mid era Ministry and old material by Revolting Cocks. I think I will listen to this track like the one before again and again they are just that good.

Richard 23 of Front 242 (Pictured Above)

'Silikon Suckaz' as a real feel of modern Electronic and Dub-Step mixed with the old sound of Industrial, before it comes in real Die Krupps German style with some Metal equipment smashing. This track has a killer groove to it and is really in your face and I love it. 'Drug-A-Bug' is very repetitive and has a riff that goes over and over again. The Rap Esq. vocals come over the top and sound really prominent. Whoever said Industrialists can't rap can shut up!!! because the rapping on this is really interesting and makes the track. On the next track up 'TkO Mindf**k' they are joined by a living Industrial legend Richard 23 of Front 242, who helps them out to produce a Industrial explosion of a track. This song almost sounds your on a space ship like out of the film alien... this is true Industrial the traditional way and it sounds great.

Last track 'Cockane in my Brain' finishes the album off nicely, with what seems like a track recorded during an illegal drugs party in Las Vegas. It even has almost a modern day streets Reggae vibe and is the most unusual track on the album, but in a strange way a good way to finish it all off with. This is an Industrial album that everyone should own and is a must for fans of Revolting Cocks, Ministry, OhGr, Front 242 and The Prodigy. It is a great Industrial futuristic masterpiece and will go down in history as one of the great Industrial albums to be released after the year 2000.This is an album you must own so go out and buy it... simple as... get Cocksure!!!

Review by Dan Devour