“www.pitchshifter.com”

Pitchshifter

Imagine KMFDM or Ministry with a little bit of electronica and punk thrown into the mix, and you will come up with the hard-edged, drum and bass sound of Pitchshifter.

On its CD “www. pitchshifter.com,” the Nottingham, England-based group adds a new twist to traditional hardcore music.

While many hardcore bands establish one sound early on in their albums and stick with it, the sound on Pitchshifter’s major label debut varies throughout the album.

This may be the reason why people have had difficulty categorizing the band’s sound. In a press release, frontman J. S. Clayden calls Pitchshifter’s sound “strum ‘n’ bass.”

Some of the songs on the album have a heavy sound, encompassing fast and loud guitar riffs, as lead singer J. S. Clayden screams out lyrics.

“2nd hand” features a hard-edged guitar riff and a funky bass line complemented by lead singer Clayden’s scratchy voice.

Other songs have a more electronica flavor to them.

The last song on the album, “ZX81,” is an instrumental electronica song resembling past work done by the Future Sound of London, and incorporating a multitude of exotic samples.

“ZX81” is one of the more interesting songs on the album and begins by sampling the soothing sound of dripping water.

Samples play a significant role in establishing the identity of the album. In fact, the entire last track, entitled “free samples,” gives listeners a taste of all the samples used throughout the album.

Fans of both hardcore and electronica music will enjoy the Pitchshifter’s “www.pitchshifter.com.”

4 stars out of 5

— Conor Benzane