American aggrotech/industrial mainstays Combichrist released their 9th studio album, “One Fire,” on June 7th. Frontman, founder, and all around badass Andy LaPlegua continues to push the boundaries and definition of what the Combi-sound is.
The 13 track album features some iconic Combi-sounds combine with new elements. At the San Francisco VIP Meet and Greet (prior to the album’s release), La Plegua said “You have no idea how difficult it is to finish an album in November and have to hold on to it until June. It’s tough man, it’s tough. It’s like my baby.”
The album features hard-hitting, aggressive, in-your-face songs as well as softer, ballad-esque songs. The first single, “Hate Like Me,” was released on March 8 and met with warm-reception.
| Track # | Title | Length |
| 1. | Intro | 1:03 |
| 2. | Hate Like Me | 4:15 |
| 3. | Broken United | 4:06 |
| 4. | Guns at Last Dawn (featuring Burton C. Bell) | 2:53 |
| 5. | Lobotomy | 4:45 |
| 6. | One Fire | 4:00 |
| 7. | Bottle of Pain | 4:11 |
| 8. | 2045 | 4:10 |
| 9. | Interlude | 1:09 |
| 10. | Understand | 5:35 |
| 11. | California Über Alles | 3:20 |
| 12. | Last Days Under the Sun | 5:58 |
| 13. | The Other | 5:45 |
| Total Run Time: | 51:00 |
Following the release of “Hate Like Me,” the band released the video for “Understand.”
Throughout the album, LaPlegua flexes his vocals and musical prowess. “Lobotomy” and “Bottle of Pain” are easily two of the best tracks on the album. “Lobotomy” plays more into the electronic roots of Combichrist (and I’m so in love with the sound) while “Bottle of Pain” is an angry ballad that sounds like it should be playing on a show like “WestWorld.”
In my personal (and humble) opinion, Combichrist really can’t go wrong. Between explosive live shows and the amazing musical abilities of LaPlegua… this band is definitely making its mark on the industry. I strongly recommend checking them out.
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