SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: COCKSURE – CORPORATE STING

Cocksure
Corporate Sting
Metropolis Records

Corporate Sting is a collaboration between Chris Connelly (of, among numerous others, Revolting Cocks fame, which I’m guessing was the impetus for the band name) and Jason Novak, perhaps best known for Chicago-based industrial band Acumen Nation.

The ten-track album has been lauded as a rebirth of the original Wax Trax! sound. I didn’t really get that, but when I think “Wax Trax!”, I think of Front 242, the Revolting Cocks, the Thrill Kill Kult, KMFDM, Mussolini Headkick, etc. This album isn’t quite on the same wavelength as those bands. Corporate Sting certainly is respectable in its own right, and I absolutely adore Connelly’s vocals and the backing soundtrack, which included experimental-sounding industrial noises, what sounded like samples from a movie, and lots of great electronic beats.

Connelly, with that incredible Scottish accent, but minus those awesome dreads he once had, does a great job on vocals, both spoken word- style and sung. The album opens with “Porno Drones,” the beginning of which is covered with static-type sounds, shortly thereafter hitting with a strong industrial feel. The next two songs, “Severance Package” and “Hustler Face,” seem to keep with the theme of celebrating the x-rated (based on their titles alone).

The album often makes use of distortion on the vocals and includes tracks with a steady beat as well as experimental industrial-sounding “noise” art. At times, I was reminded of a rap beat, but it would probably be more accurate in citing similarities to bands such as Murder Inc.(which happened to be made up of the members of Killing Joke minus Jaz Coleman – who was replaced by Chris Connelly, featured on vocals – and with the addition of Paul Ferguson). Featuring a dark new take on “Harold and Cindy Hospital” by Australian band Severed Heads, the duo pays homage to one of their forerunners.

All in all, a worthwhile effort and an enjoyable listen!

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