With so many electro industrial artists focusing their energies on music with a dancefloor orientation, artists with a different take on the style are always attract attention. Index have created a release of this kind in
Ultra Hard Shadow, but, more than that,
Ultra Hard Shadow is a compelling release in its own right. Alternating between quiet and loud, ethereal and beat-driven, harsh and organic,
Ultra Hard Shadow is a complex release that at times can feel like there is a lot going on. For this reason, it can take a few listens before
Ultra Hard Shadow begins to gel for some listeners. However, this is well worth the effort, since Index's sound is unique, and shouldn't be missed. The tone of
Ultra Hard Shadow flows, from the relative quietude of the opening tracks (including contradicting light and dark of "Night's Plutonium Shore" and the ethereal sweeps of "Zone Marrow") through an intense center (such as the frantic "Aethrabyss" and, later, "Avant Guardian Angel") to the ambient soundscapes of the conclusion ("Holistic Fibrosis"). This flow makes
Ultra Hard Shadow feel like a concept album, rather than a simple collection of songs, which could easily demand as much attention as you have to give it. ~ Theo Kavadias