4 out of 5

Label: American

Producer: Dave Sardy

I put this album on as a counterpoint to Gravity Kills’ self-titled album to prove to myself that straight-forward industrial pop doesn’t have to be boring.  While I think Vitro owes a great deal of debt to Sardy for deepening their sound, the band has the song-writing smarts to kick out a full album of catchy songs that, while maybe not breaking any new ground, prove richer than the genre normally provides.

The sequencing on ‘Distort’ is definitely a little off, the album blasting off with two amazing propulsive and aggressive tracks that give way to slower, more building fare, but the sound dynamics are pretty much in place from the start – echoy, metallic drums pumping out a clipped and moving beat while a distorted bass gives you your groove and some keys and guitar drop in now and again for dynamics.  It’s a slick sound, brought to life by Sardy’s calculated and yet freeing production style.  From here on out the disc takes a step back, which seems disappointing until the pace makes you hear the extra goodness that’s being layered into the background – subtle samples and production tricks.  And unlike that Gravity Kills comparison, these layers feel effectively woven into the songs and the band’s style as opposed to cover-up for empty space.  It highlights that there’s feeling here, and that there’s focus on craft instead of Vitro trying to pigeon-hole itself into a genre.  Again, perhaps there’s nothing on here to champion as the best song ever, or any given line to make you sit and ponder life, but there’s a lasting quality to the music that makes it easily trump its peers.