Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Neurotech - Stigma (2015)
What the Stigma?! This 2015 Neurotech masterpiece proves how much the world needs to hear this project, just like the previous album Infra Versus Ultra! Stigma continues its streak releasing one or two albums per year, a faster pace than Mechina's "one album per year on New Year's Day" approach. Often it takes time to build up strength and talent before making another album, but Wulf shows that he still has his charm after a short amount of time. The evolution continues greatly and naturally.
You need to have time to memorize all the different pieces of an album to let it flow through you with its mesmerizing atmosphere. That's a good advantage to build up my interest slowly, one song at a time, in the past 3 years. With its symphonic-ish cyber metal sound, there are many layers that stabilize its strength, within the guitars, drums, vocals (cleaner than before), electronics, and orchestrations. Yeah, the orchestrations almost reach the cinematic level of Mechina, hinting at what you would hear from Hans Zimmer and Two Steps From Hell, and it's what adds to this stylistic diversity.
The title intro already proves that with its sonic blend of symphonic ambience and electronic rhythms. The metal power kicks off in "Fear the Fear" as guitars, drums, and electronics collide in an energetic composition. The electronics head up further in "Of Adversity" that should be able to please fans of dance elements in metal without having to go Neue Deutsche Härte.
"Build to Last" has more futuristic trance with even a bit of dubstep. "A Graceful Light" is indeed a graceful highlight, sounding so unique in the atmosphere and emotion. Your soul can make a pleasant transcendence from your body to the astral plane.
"Brighten" can really brighten my mood a bit. Industrial/cyber metal is never highly boring, and you can have fun with tracks like this. If they ever make a film based on Cyberpunk 2077, or the next John Wick or Matrix film, you bet this song would be part of the soundtrack! It's quite well done! However, it sounds like a little too much like Depeche Mode, while not reducing the album's perfection in any way. "Through Hardships" is quite an epic standout to start the last leg of this album. You can marvel through all the hardships you wanna overcome! Amazing, huh?! Quite an astonishing motivational message. "You're not alone." "Things will get better." Finally, "To Theta State" is the 11-minute epic, an ambient electronic instrumental that marks a perfect mini-journey of darkness and hope. I can't believe how perfect a non-metal track like that can be!
Wulf should be proud of his work in Stigma and other albums, and where his journey has lead him so far. While it's not a sequel to Infra Versus Ultra, it's as perfect as that, striking through different dimensions. I'm just glad those two albums have the variation that was missing in Antagonist. Stigma for anyone and everyone who loves music!
Favorites: "Fear the Fear", "A Graceful Light", "Through Hardships", "To Theta State"