Wumpscut has been a mainstay of the industrial scene for nearly two decades, consistently turning out music that’s interesting, if unvaried. Their influence (along with the influence of Leather Strip) has been felt across the industrial scene for years, and bands like Velvet Acid Christ, Pain Station and Grendel owe at least something of their live and existence to Wumpscut helping to pave the way for their sort of industrial. Body Census is something like the twenty-ninth release for the industrial mainstay, and while it bears many similarities to its forbearers, that’s not exactly a surprise going in.
Body Census is, in short, exactly what you’d expect it to be: Rudy Ratzinger growling over electronic beats. Right from the get-go, the album doesn’t disappoint, leading in with “The Beast Sleeps Within Youâ€, a strong, if unspecial, track that shows off exactly what Ratzinger is capable of. Tracks like “My Dear Ghoul†and the title track keep that flow going well, and Rudy throws out something of a surprise at the end with “The Fallâ€, which features female vocals in place of the standard growling vocals one would expect, which ends the disc on an interesting note. Overall, Body Census has a strong, solid sound that’s enjoyable if one is a fan.
Which, unfortunately, broaches two problems with the disc: first, Body Census is Wumpscut, which means if you’ve bought an album of theirs in the past few years (Bone Peeler or Cannibal Anthem, for instance), you’re listening to a mildly varied version of the same album. Wumpscut fans, obviously, won’t care, but if you’re worn out on the sound, you’re not going to find anything to change your mind on Body Census. Second, while Body Census is a technically solid and very enjoyable effort, compared to the efforts of, say, VAC in recent years, Body Census seems downright conservative in comparison to many of the bands that they’ve inspired.
Even so, Ratzinger has produced another album that is of the same consistent quality he’s known for. Fans of old-school industrial will eat it up, and fans of Wumpscut will immediately jump on board for another go-round. Body Census isn’t going to convert the nay-sayers, but it’s not really meant to: it’s for the fans, plain and simple, and in that respect, Body Census does exactly what it’s meant to, entertain.
Website: Wumpscut
