"NO GOD" EP [2012]
Credits
released 21 December 2012
All music written and performed by Evestus
All lyrics by Evestus
Additional guitars recorded by Jan
Additional synths recorded by HK
All tracks mixed by Evestus except "Voices" - mixed by Kristo Kotkas
All tracks mastered by Kristo Kotkas at Sinusoid
All artwork by Grete "Stitch" Laus @ KillingCulture.com
AVAILABLE at iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby, Spotify, Rdio
Free download available at Evestus Bandcamp page
Follow-up to 2010 "This Is Dramacore", the "No God" EP is about losing faith and direction. Containing 5 tracks that go through all the different shades and sounds of Evestus, representing the loss of his personal and artistic direction at the time. Sound-wise, this release captures the strength and focus of the group, representing the switch from an eclectic solo artist into a determined rock band.
Physical issues pressed - 300pcs
The "Voices" single is also separately available as a free digital download along with two remixes. [Download Now]
Official Music Videos
Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, February 4th, 2013.
http://fabryka.darknation.eu
Evestus is an Estonian band founded in 2004 by Ott Evestus. Initially a solo project, Evestus has turned into a four-piece band featuring Latvian drummer girl Tanya, guitarist Jan and HK playing bass and keyboards. No God is the fifth studio release from Evestus and includes five brand new songs.
The opening track titled "Dirty" begins with a synth usually heard in Electro music styles. Slightly distorted bass, drums and lead guitars follow. Additional layers of noise make Evestus sound more Industrial. The vocals, when performed in the same heavy-duty manner, match the arrangements well. The lyrics are dark and sound very imaginative: "To see the smiles on your dirty little mouths while you're crawling all over me - an army of bugs" and thus, they bring up an idea of an artistic video as well.
"Voices" could be bracketed in the Electro-Rock genre as a result of the synth, which accents throughout the entire composition. The band smuggled guitars into the track as well, giving it an edgy tone. These however, are covered with a dense and jumping layer of electronic beats. The song has been illustrated with a high quality video production, which includes various different camera perspectives cut together in a fast paced and interesting montage. To give you a little glimpse - the plot begins with a group of young yuppies, along with some desirable goth/EBM women partying together. A mysterious man sprays gas into their room in order to break in and steal a suitcase. Be sure to visit the Evestus YouTube channel to discover more about this video.
The third song on the album, "The Fall" brings in a Breakbeat-Electronica sound in the vein of The Prodigy, The Crystal Method and Propellerheads. If you listen closely, you will hear symphonic sounds that conjure up violins. On the other hand, there's Big-Beat spiced up with a lot noisy FX that may make this song pleasant for less rock-orientated listeners. There are many instrumental movements in "The Fall" but Ott left room for the vocals, which come in shouted and distorted. It seems also that a soundtrack compilation CD would be a good idea for a better exposure of this track.
"No God" is reminiscent of Marilyn Manson’s music and is presented with psychedelic synth, grooving bass, dirty guitar riffs and haunting vocals. Yet, the song’s mood is mixed. Initially there's melancholy, created by the sound of the piano that opens the song, but you'll also experience many dynamics performed on bass and punk-esque drums. Anger strikes within the choruses as the vocalist contests the existence of a deity, arguing that no god has protected the human race against tragedies: "There is no god. For every miracle you witness my friend there's a disaster and there will never be an end to our fears and our dreams and the hope that they feed so you believe someone else will pick you up from your knees" and "I'm lost but my madness will lead me to the answers I need to know, not to believe in".
The final song on the album could be a perfect soundtrack for a big budget movie, however Evestus have already illustrated this track with a meaningful video in a black & white production style. "Sleep Forever" begins with a subtle piano joined by cold background samples, synth and broken drum beats. This quite innocent mood continues for almost 3 minutes until it dramatically changes. Nostalgic atmosphere turns into a fast ride with rhythmic drumbeats, pitched up synth and yelled vocals.
On a side note, the lyrics of "Sleep Forever" may refer to Escapism, a behavior resulting from avoiding problems and the reality of living a struggled day-to-day existence. An individual who becomes frustrated with too many overwhelming issues, locks himself in an alternative world built upon either activity or the opposite, passivity. In this case, the lyrics dwell on escaping into sleep - either into an everlasting dream world or more presumably, a suicide: "I don't want to wake up ever, I just want to sleep forever, let me leave this cold and clever world - don't want to be here".
Any day can be a good day to launch a new music release. Nonetheless, Evestus did it on 12/21/2012 - the fearful date on the Mayan Calendar supposed to mark 'the end of the world', and frequently brought up by the media last year. Happily, not only have we survived but we’ve also received an interesting new EP.
Jake Murray at Echoes and Dust
echoesanddust.com
Industrial music has always been, and probably always will be a loose term often misused by people who hear something dissonant and clangy. Equally, it tends to be an umbrella keeping all the gothy electronic kids dry from the rain they love so much (but not as much as their makeup). People! Please remember that industrial rock lived before Nine Inch Nails and existed and developed after their peak. I won’t repeat that.
So, here’s a brief lesson starting sometime in the early-mid 90′s as Trent Reznor is on the up. Taking his influence from both the likes of Bauhaus and Throbbing Gristle simultaneously with David Bowie and Gary Numan etc etc etc, during his rush-rise he meets a chap by the name of Brian Warner. They proceed to produce some very cool records for both their bands, they part ways and Brian continues to attract the hearts of teenagers across the globe and pioneers his own industrial-esque goth-pop-rock-electronic-shock-disco. Now you know the context you’re ready for EVESTUS.
Hailing from Estonia, Evestus is a one-man production machine, fuelled by a fluctuating live band drawing influences from a vast array of mediums. This most recent EP, No God, has been put forward as a window of what is to come as the dedicated producer works away at his next full-length.
Kicking straight to the point with a dirty, noise-addled synth and driving bass-line, Evestus kicks it off straight into a head-nodding momentum piece. Introducing his heavily distorted vocals (a signature sound) early, it’s clear what to expect within the first minute: rhythm, pulse, drive and action. Voices, the EP’s lead track/single kicks immediately with a synth line prominently reminiscent of Marilyn Manson’s This is The New Shit and features a drum’n'bass influenced drum-line not too far from the The Prodigy or latter-day sound of Meat Beat Manifesto (who also once featured on Nothing Records).
The Fall displays a similar spooky synth/drumbeat style as previous and includes more Manson-esque vocal delivery and lyrics “I wake up in yesterday’s makeup”. The song occasionally strays into a more dubsteppy vibe and pretty much supplies more of the same. Following this is the EP’s title piece, No God, which is admittedly a musically very catchy track. However, the scabs of industrial music begin to show at this point: It is not uncommon for a band of this movement to have some sociological disdain, self-loathing, anxiety, etc; it just works as inspiration for a large portion of people. The question is: Is writing a militant-atheist anthem still relevant?
What is the necessity or impact of such a strong view in a world where it’s the very question is asked daily by millions, if not billions? Nine Inch Nails did it with Heresy (amongst other tracks), Marilyn Manson did it with too many tracks to mention, Rob Zombie, Throbbing Gristle, Mortiis, Fear Factory: it’s been done. This isn’t a question as to Evestus‘ sincerity/authenticity but does raise the point of certain similarities/originality and how much is present in a song that essentially repeats regularly that there isn’t a god and, well, nothing else. The closing song on the record is a NIN-heavy, piano based piece with a heavily programmed, clunky beat and smothered, radio-interference vocals that add a curious texture.
No God is an interesting record. It’s a good collection of easy, driving songs. There’s a certain late-90′s/early 2000′s feeling reminiscent of Manson, The Matrix and Fallout (which is cited as a reference, gladly); post-apocalyptic, torn and furious. It’s as if Evestus‘ music is not set now, in the present day, but rather in the future when the title could be more relevant after a hard turn of events for humanity. It speaks of turmoil and aggression, without ever being too heavy or overburdening.
The EP is a window, as mentioned earlier, and it would be excellent to see what variation comes with the next LP,.. perhaps experimentation in varying vocal style and performance and maybe a step sideways into the doom-gloom of downtempo pieces. Evestus would certainly see benefit in wallowing in a deep cavern of sound and it could, perhaps, turn into the next step toward something truly original that the artist is clearly aiming for… if nothing else, Evestus is dedicated, passionate and strong-willed. With that, there can only be purification.
Roberto Alessandro Filippozzi at Darkroom Magazine (Italian)
www.darkroom-magazine.it
Rating : 7
Uscito negli ultimi giorni del 2012, questo breve e conciso EP segna un nuovo traguardo nella carriera dell'act estone, dopo il notevole terzo album "This Is Dramacore" del 2010. Il chiaro intento dei cinque nuovi brani proposti dal four-piece guidato dal carismatico frontman Ott Evestus è quello di rendere le intuizioni dell'eclettico album di cui sopra ancor più dirette e facilmente fruibili, soprattutto nel contesto live, avvicinando il suono ad un electro-industrial-rock che va dritto al punto, astutamente spogliato di tutti gli orpelli che lo appesantivano. Ne è la più chiara dimostrazione l'iniziale "Dirty", energica e concisa come non mai, degnamente seguita da una "Voices" (singolo ufficiale e videoclip) dal refrain a dir poco adrenalinico. Con "The Fall" si torna al folle eclettismo del 2010, con una costruzione divisa fra teatralità oscura e concitazione ritmica ai limiti della jungle; l'irruenza rock/metal riemerge nella title-track (per cui è previsto un nuovo videoclip nell'anno in corso), completa di una vera e propria cavalcata strumentale, mentre la conclusiva "Sleep Forever" (l'altro videoclip), che apre drammatica fra piano e vocals sussurrate, fa segnare il culmine della durezza quando esplode il refrain, autentica sfuriata metal in odore di Fear Factory. Una breve ma indicativa anticipazione di cosa ci attenderà col prossimo full-length, per una band che rinuncia a qualcosa in termini di estro ed eclettismo in favore di una maggior efficacia: risultato raggiunto sulla breve distanza, e vedremo più avanti dove questo rinnovato approccio porterà la band estone. Disponibile in 300 copie nel pregiato formato digipak a sei ante, oppure in download presso i canali ufficiali del gruppo.