From the twisted genius mind that is Merci AlterRed. I am finally listening to the debut album that the UK music scene has been crying out for....

'Mind-Forged Manacles' is a tour de force of an album, a debut that actually delivers on the promise of his recent legendary live sets. This artist is truly an artist in every sense of the word. What AlterRed has managed to create here speaks volumes of his passion to his art. To listen to the possibly demented, tortured soul is almost a revelation - if you've ever wondered what it must be like to bare witness aurally - and to hold this pamphlet of pain is a testament to the man's talent.

Setting the scene from the word go is 'Like April Fools' which is electrifying and menacing at the same time... the lyrics of which will haunt me forever! Next up is 'Losing Your Shine' and whilst cohesive still manages to be its own entity.

Whoever give birth to 'Sex Death or Money' should be given a straight jacket or be put on the honours list as this song is so great, it belies its strong electro groove to become an all out classic song - this is the sort of song I wanna get messed up to! However as it's only the third track on the album it has to be followed and the only way to follow it up is the another great track, 'Amphetamine Chic', which, given its subject, is another slice of amazing alternative/electro/industrial music.

'Emily' is where the album, for me, takes on a whole new life of its own and becomes a part of your own life... Merci has delivered an almost perfect song here many times over but on this particular track he has outdone himself.

Having missed his recent sets with the likes of KMFDM, London After Midnight, Rotersand and Combichrist I honestly cannot wait to see this music in a club or where it belongs in the arenas of the world! This truly is a new and original sound that the UK scene has been crying out for...

To successfully mesh rock (90s style) and the hard electro/industrial sound of the 00s together into a completely new sound is something I have never seen and, more than likely, will never see (or hear) ever again!

From the Joker-inspired artwork to the last notes of 'Nothing Less Than Violence', AlterRed the artist never fails to deliver on the promise that he will be spectacular! Live this guy must be pretty special to deliver on the promise of the music here!

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