CD, self-released, 2009
www.groundtodust.com
“Everything Ends: A Cycle of Entropy and Regeneration” is a bit of a long-winded, slightly pretentious title for the first full length release from US duo Ground to Dust. paTrick, creator of Antidote for Annie, started this project in 2007 as an instrumental act. After gigs around Portland and Boston, the addition of vocalist Leanne slotted them firmly into the EBM/synth-pop template of a female-fronted duo.
The majority of this release is what you’d expect from this kind of act, being synth-driven, danceable tunes with a good beat forming middle-of-the-road, generic EBM. The use of noise, drum ‘n’ bass, and even classical sounds makes some songs stand out, mostly because they sound slightly out of place against the others.
Leanne has a Kidneythieves feel to her vocals, and they sit well in the songs on which she performs. “Complicate” shows off some of the vocal talent she holds, and it is possibly the best song on the album. The vocals are good, if a little over-processed, and the overall song writing is well crafted and nicely produced but still what you’d expect. The instrumental tracks feel as though they would be better on a separate release; here they feel like filler for the songs with lyrics.
If you like the female-fronted EBM sound, this CD would fit well in your collection. However, for most fans of the genre, I think “Everything Ends: A Cycle of Entropy and Regeneration” is a little too generic.
[5.5/10]
— M.J. Phillips