Cathode - Special Measures

the offshore gun emplacements on the cover of cathode's special measures initially suggests menace and aggression. a closer look reveals decay, abandonment and isolation. all of these themes reveal themselves quite subtly in cathode's muzak. they're present in every song but slink around beneath the surface level. lush, crystalline textures and baroque melodies are the focal points of each track so the more disturbing themes can go unnoticed upon first listen. further listens reveal the edge of special measures - an intriguing balance of darker industrial elements (noise, hiss, feedback, clicks and menacing drums) and lighter organic melodies conveyed through guitars and keyboards. the lovely melodies pause, fade away or crack to reveal or perhaps remind the listener of the ominous but not over-powering presence that lies beneath before they pick up again and whisk the listener into more pastoral territory.