Rotersand – Welcome To Goodbye

A masterclass in 21st century alternative electronic music Rotersand's second studio album is a staple for those interested in Future/Industrial Pop and has since become essential listening for those wanting to get into the EBM genre. After the cult classic 'Exterminate Annihilate Destroy' hit the dancefloors it was a foregone conclusion that this trio from were about to drop something big, and with 'Welcome To Goodbye' we certainly weren't disappointed!
From start to finish Rotersand don't hesitate in leaving their mark on the various sub-genres that they had been linked with over the last few years. There is a constant dark mood that washes over the runtime, from it's beat heavy installments 'Dare To Live' & 'Storm' to more subdued numbers like 'By The Waters'. However there are moments of levity with the likes of the quirky 'Would You Buy This?' which features a bunch of wild & weird questions laid out to the listener, not as a call & response but more to give off a puckish nature that proves that the group do indeed have a sense of humour.
A lot more could be said about this landmark release, it's technical wonders and the fabulous hooks, but it would be easier to instead listen to it for yourself and see what all the fuss is about!

Possibly the most important futurepop release ever!

Anyone with the habit of dismissing anything with the label "futurepop" should go on reading, though - Because this is a record that truly challenges the boundaries of the term.
In its basics, this is an EBM album mostly build on structures from pop music, with influences ranging from trance to synthpop. But unlike your average VNV Nation clone, Rotersand manages to fill the album to its brim with unique and varied tunes, where every single tracks stands out.

With Rotersand, nothing is left to chance. Every single little detail in the sound (and that's a lot!) has been cared for until it sounds exactly like it's supposed to, the songs are all catchy without relying on weak clichés, the vocals are rock solid, and the beats are of the EBM-patented stompy kind that's bound to move the dance floor, as everyone sings along to easy lyrics like "Exterminate! Annihilate! Destroy!" or "Send the last ship home!". Not a single crack can be found in Rotersand's rock solid surface.

Among pop songs like "Undone" and "Send the Last Ship Home", and anthems such as "Dare to Live", the band have spiced the album with ballads that are almost accoustic in their sound (compared to the rest of the album anyway), as well as the bouncy electroclash track "Would you buy this?", and the instrumental and aggressive, tribal industrial opus that is "Storm"

It's hard to find a favourite track when they are all so good, but "Storm" is a definite floor filler, that always makes people curious to hear more from the band.
All in all an excellent album, that tops the similarly excellent predecessor "Truth if Fanatic" in of originality and production.

Do you like VNV Nation, Icon of Coil, Covenant or Apoptygma Berzerk? If yes, then you'll love this album.
If no, then you should check it out anyway, because Rotersand manages to take futurepop to a much more serious level, without ruining any of the fun.