Collide - "Live at the El Rey" Review

Artist/ Band: Collide
Title: Live at the El Rey
Label: Noiseplus Music
Year of Release: 2005
Artist/ Band Link (click for details/ ordering)

The Review:

Collide has been a duo act for many years so when word of a live album and dvd were made on their website, I began to wonder how will they reproduce the studio tricks live. My suspicions soon flew out the window upon hearing their live album from April 14th, 2005 simply entitled, Live at the El Rey. The set list is the same as on the dvd, “Like the Hunted” with the exception of a extra edit version of Euphoria. Other than that, the listener will be able to live or relive the live experience Collide has to offer.

The line-up is also the same, with Scott Landes and Rogerio Silvio on guitars, Kai Kurosawa on warr guitar / bass and Chaz Pease on drums. Again I was really amazed to hear a warr guitar played within a metallic based band. This, to me gives the music more dimensions. Kudos to Kai! Also kudos to the main duo kaRIN and Statik. Both of them over the years have created such beautiful music together. The twin guitars of Scott and Rogerio also add their style into the fold as well. I was surprised to hear the “live” drum sound within the songs, Chaz does them much justice.

One of my favorite songs of Collide has always been Crushed, so to hear it in a live setting was a treat. They beefed up the song to make it, dare I say, better than the original. I can see this band becoming a household name very soon withing the gothic/industrial genre. They have the makings of being one of the best of the newer modern music. This along with the companion dvd, Like The Hunted are essential for both new and old fans alike. One can only wonder what Collide has in store for us on their next studio album. I’m sure all of us fans will be waiting eagerly.

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on February 4th, 2006

Tracks:

1. intro

2. Beneath the Skin

3. Crushed

4. Complicated

5. Falling Up

6. Dreamsleep

7. Slither Thing

8. Modify

9. Razor Sharp

10. White Rabbit

11. Wings of Steel

12. Like You Want to Believe

13. Somewhere

14. The Lunatics Have Taken Over the Asylum

15. Euphoria

Bonus track:

16. Euphoria-video edit