Two - Voyeurs (1998)Release ID: 7784
As I've said in my previous review, I was following a 3-album industrial rock/metal path as I continued my ongoing early industrial metal rediscovery journey. The first part of this path was Gravity Kills' 1996 debut which, again, is barely metal at all. The second part is the well-done bridge that is Acumen Nation's More Human Heart. And this third part is from a side-project by one of the all-time most famous metal vocalists...
Rob Halford was already in his temporary split from Judas Priest and made a couple albums in his own groove metal band Fight. His second side-project, Two (often spelled "2wo") has disappointed long-time fans with a more electronic metal style. And there's none of the melodic screaming of Judas Priest's Painkiller.
Still the album is pretty decent, starting with the techno-hungry "I am a Pig" that has planted Nine Inch Nails into the minds of listeners, both due to the sound and the word "Pig" in the title. A bit of the alt-prog metal of TOOL can be heard in "Stutter Kiss". The industrial yet melodic "Water's Leaking" can be considered what Judas Priest could've done if they let Halford have more creative freedom. "My Ceiling's Low" bounces through electronic rock and more of Halford's sinister singing.
Next up, "Leave Me Alone" is another example of what Judas Priest would sound like if they go electronic. The following track "If" has more tribal rhythms. Shooting through some more of the cool industrial rock/metal is "Deep in the Ground".
"Hey Sha La La" sounds too awfully close to dance-pop in the rhythm, but at least the catchy chorus makes the song somewhat tolerable. "Wake Up" is far too synth-driven in its attempt to mix synths with guitars. Thumbs down for that one. "Gimp" strikes back with its nice bass punches. Closing the album is "Bed of Rust" which the album's epic-sounding climax. Seriously, you should stick around and be rewarded after all that earlier trouble!
Voyeurs is a decent straight one-time experiment in industrial metal for Rob Halford. After that, he and his project partner guitarist John 5 would go their separate ways. John 5 joined Marilyn Manson, and Halford started a 3rd side-project, his solo band Halford. The album might not be super fun, but I guess two is better than one....
Favorites: "I am a Pig", "My Ceiling's Low", "Deep in the Ground", "Gimp", "Bed of Rust"
