Four Carry Nuts-Mechanical Age

[Ormion]

Four Carry Nuts-Mechanical Age

Aurinko 2004

 

 

1.Hexagon 7:33

2.Mechanical Age 7:00

3.Falling Chains 7:40

4.Theory Of Gravitation 8.:13

5.The System 6:53

6.Red Shift 8:45

7.Pendulum 7:05

8.The Violet Ray 8:21

9.Convergence 16:53

 

 

Four Carry Nuts are Tim Schuldt and Detler Funder. They had released some great tracks in several compilations and 2004 was finally the year for their debut album.

The great thing about Mechanical Age is that each track is unique and completelly different from the others.First track Hexagon is an old-school masterpiece reminds me a lot the amazing tracks Tim used to write some years ago (check out Singles Collection). After that is Mechanical Age which is a POWERFUL Tech-Trance track. I’m not a big fan of that style but this track blew my mind. If you love powerful German Psy Techno you will fall in love with this track. Falling Chains is in different style again.More full-onish but don’t worry this has nothing to do with the usual crap Full On of these days. The bassline is beautiful,hypnotic rhythms and great guitars also. I don’t like guitars too much but Tim knows how to combine them with Psy.Next is Theory Of Gravitation. Tech trance again but not so dirty and brutal as Mechanical Age but still good and much more emotional. The System now is what I called -Ultra dirty Hard Rock Psy-. Well I don’t think you can call this track 100% Psy Trance cause it isn’t.Heavy guitars,vocals and DIRTY percussion.To be honest I enjoyed this track. Red Shift is a morning melodic track, more trancey but still good, very emotional and beautiful.Nice track. Pendulum is one of the highlights of this album.This is perhaps nu school psy. GREAT melodies in that one and again great production, this track is simply awesome. The Violet Ray was originally released back in 2001 in a compilation called Password Is Love(XIII Bis records). What can I say about this track? Man, this is dark,evil and DARK again.The bassline is unbelievable and the effects are twisting through your brain.And these samples….Is like you have been teleported in a horror movie scenery. And the break at the end…This is the dark anthem of…2001. Last track is Convergence, melodic track with guitars,slightly melancholic not something great but still good for the morning times.

 

This is one of the best albums of 2004 and recommended to everyone who wants to try something different.8.5/10

Fav:1(!),2,3,7,8(!!!)

[seraph]

Yeah, I actually liked half of the album, and other half didn't get to me that much, maybe because of excessive usage of guitar in those tracks. Those tracks without guitar or with some really appealed to me but the rest, hmm, I expected slightly more serious stuff from Schuldt considering that this is his first regular album...Favourites : PENDULUM, HEXAGON, VIOLENT RAY...7/10

[shaman of sound]

the first track realy kicks ass!

[Jon Cocco]

My top best albums of 2004:

 

Filteria - Sky Imput ... A-

 

Talpa - Art of Being Non ... B+ / A-

 

Four Carry Nuts - Mechanical Age ... B+

 

Ypsilon5 - Binary Sky ... B+

 

Space Monkey - Psychotic Episode ... B

 

Electric Universe - Cosmic Experience ... B

[Jon Cocco]

Mechanical Age is one of the biggest surprises of 2004.

 

Tracks 1, 4, 7, and 8 are so far my favorites.

 

I'd love to see a 4CN album with more tracks like the ones Seraph mentioned above.

[Lamat]

to noisy... can't help, it's like to overloaded for me

 

allthough I respect the fact some parts are well done

[Nioreh]

Nice!

 

Track 1, 4 and 8 for teh win.

[mono]

This is a truly great album. I didn't think much of it when I bought it in 2004 and almost never played it. But recently, when I was mixing at home I put it up again and WHOA, I was blown away. Very melodic, atmospheric and dark. And OK, some tracks are a bit noisy and they use guitars quite a lot (but in a good sense most of the time) but the overal sound of the tracks makes you feel like you're in the middle of a hurricane or something, i cant quite explain.

 

Their track donuts was one of my favorite goa tracks back in the days and I am happy to see that their style haven't changed a lot, it gives me the same blown away feeling.

 

One of the best 2004 releases IMO 8,5/10

[Jon Cocco]

FOUR CARRY NUTS - MECHANICAL AGE

2004

Update: November, 2008

 

 

 

 

Track list

 

1. Hexagon

2. Mechanical Age

3. Falling Chains

4. Theory Of Gravitation

5. The System

6. Red Shift

7. Pendulum

8. The Violet Ray

9. Convergence

 

 

Mechanical Age is one of the best albums of 2004. It is also one of the most solid, dark Industrial/Metal influenced albums in Psytrance.

 

Four Carry Nuts is comprised of artists Tim Schuldt and Detler Funder. Tim Schuldt has made some super songs in music and this 4CN debut allbum is no exception. The album is loaded with good tunes, melodies, song variation, and some of the most stomping beats I've heard out of 2004. There are couple guitars at times in a few tracks. Not every track has guitars in this abum and they are not the main focus of this album. I'm very selective with guitars in psytrance because I find it can quickly enhance or ruin a song. Generally speaking, the several (maybe 3-4) tracks with guitars are well done. The tracks are generally storming, dark, driving, stomping, aggressive, melodic, involving in unexpected twists, turns, or transitions, and intense.

 

 

1. Hexagon is a hurricane. Wow. This song wastes little time exploding. The fast and powerful melody lead beginning around 1:19 is excellent!! The leading melody would steal the show if it weren't for all the other great sounds that compliment it, though the song isn't all that arresting around the two monster climax extensions. A catchy, distorted NIN-esque piano tune starts playing around 3:32 combined with an uprising sense of euphoria in background melody work. The music soon vanishes and we're left with a chilling, dark sample regarding what should be done with what appears to be the life of someone. Cold water drops fall with gentle echoes as if someone's locked in a chilling basement. Silence... Then *WAM* the tornado returns around 4:50 like rocket blasting off in the listeners face. Awesome! This is a powerful, climactic dancing rocket from start to finish. Great/excellent Psytrance/dance track. A-

 

2. Mechanical Age may not be a super song but it's very well done for Tech-Trance. There seems to be a strong industrial/metal psy influence throughout. The winner here is a powerful, stomping beat and bassline. At around 2:43 the beat disappears for an interesting melody. It sounds as if children are playing. This is the first unexpected part on the album after the moster melody of the opening track. At around 4:40 several sustained notes combined with an attractive sound /melody. It's good and doesn't last too long as the core and rugged sound takes the front seat again. The melody returns one more time at around 6:03, providing the track with something distinct and catchy. Surprisingly I'm disappointed with this song after the high octane Hexagon. The artists have created a completely different and solid sounding track in their elaborate, varied dark (general metal-industrial influenced) Psytrance style. This is a good track, albeit one without a climax like the first and that's fine. B

 

3. Falling Chains is a strong follow up. This is closer in style to the second track than the first. The echoed sound of metal hitting something is catchy. What will they pull off here I wonder? Don't let the opening several minutes fool you, though around 2:27 takes place the first guitars on the album. They're pretty cool I suppose for those who don't mind them in Psytrance. The entire song changes around 3:30 when a strong, inspirational melody begins with someone proclaiming words as if speaking to a large group of people. This section really develops nicely to the strong beat and bassline. When the voice sample ends the melody was released too. Returning is the driving energy and psychedelic rhythm. This is a great, stand out and guitar free part in the song. Soon after the guitars return and are tactfully gone around 6:27 to let the choir and melodies lead the path. This was an unexpected and refreshing, smart decision. The artists end the track strong, with clarity and soul. It's very well done. B+

 

4. Theory Of Gravitation is very different from the previous two stomping beats and similar in two ways. First, it's another stomping Tech-Trance song and second, it has melodies. What's the difference? The main focus is on the super cool melodies and sounds around everything else which works as strong support. I really like the melodies in this song. Coupled with choppy, crazily edited voice work, the track has this intense, non-stop action feel to it with some of the best leading melody work since Hexagon. The industrial sounds mixed in with the melodies can get a bit noisy at times but I think the intent was for this to be chaotic. The overall beat and bass line is strong. The melodies are great. The song is driving, more so than the previous two tracks I feel. Overall it's good. B

 

5. The System is the least track like on the album. But its grown on me over the years. This is the only track with a sense of singing on it, though not entirely. There are two types of voices and I prefer the latter, more altered/robotic one. The song starts out interesting. It's dark, a cross between industrial/metal and then around 1:58 begins the second part, a heavy rock/metal sound. It is at this second part, at 2:28 that an angry male voice appears for a verse.. "Religion doesn't work. The system doesn't work." It actually sounds pretty relevant today surprisingly. I like the voice alteration and electro part around 3:45 to 4:30. The effect is pretty cool though it may split Psytrance fans down the middle. The third part at around 5:08 is a repeat of No religion.. etc., there's a virus that kills us all. I was never a fan of this type of harder core music and this is no exception. But musically, when the heavy rock/metal sound isn't Full On guitars I enjoy the song. Overall this is the one song on the album that I least expected to be here for better or worse. I can't say it's bad but I can't say it's great or what I consider good either. What they basically accomplished was a hardcore (in a sense) Psy Industrial/Metal song. Since I don't like hardcore or the heavy parts here it's kind of difficult for me to judge it. C+

 

6. Red Shift is another song that stands out from every other. It starts well. Around 1:50 establish a string of melodies. They're catchy. Soon at around 2:19 appers to be several quick, smooth notes of a guitar and it sounds great. If this is guitar I barely notice it from the rough way I'm used to hearing one in psytrance. Sustained notes enter giving the song more feeling. There is a sample that seems to be from an X-Men movie with Professor X. It's cool. As it it ends the tone and sound because a shade more serious and the stream of melodies return from their birth at 1:50. This would be a repeat if it weren't for a second deeper leading melody, born around 3:07 that I hadn't mentioned before. The track is musical and refreshing in comparison to some of the others, especially after the previous track. It's uplifting too, a wonderful reversal actually from all of the darkness taking place before. The music cuts out at around 5:20 for an interlude voice bit. Professor X is talking about helping the mutants with something, regarding his respect for mankind. The song gains edge at around 5:50 with a stomping beat coupled with a wonderful melody lead. This is soon complimented by another gripping lead at around 6:45. The song is very musically flavored and catchy. I think it's great, a very well done melodic Psytrance number. B+

 

7. Pendulum is my favorite song on the album next to Hexagon. This is more ambitious and involved than the opening which relied on a infectiously climactic melody lead. This huge number has an emotive, cinematic feel throughout. There are 2-3 strong melody leads throughout this song. The first begins around 1:45. It's very catchy. The second begins around 1:55. It's excellent!! The third begins around 2:40 and sound like the theme song from Requim For A Dream. Yes! That is where I've heard the melody now. Excellent movie by the way. I wonder if this is copyrighted or rewritten and slightly changed. Anyway, Pendulum is an incredible cinematic mini-epic so to speak. It develops two leading melodies on twice the support and foundation, and has enough taking place around it to create a storm, fire, and sea around its inner world, which the opening capitalized upon without as much going on around its center focus, lead. There also appears to be a female sound or gentle tune I now notice in the background towards the last several minutes that are great. The melody/sound work on this song is awesome. Pendulum is hands down, one of the most provocative and catchy Psytrance songs I've heard in years. A-

 

8. The Violet Ray is a return to nitty, gritty rough and hard hitting Psy/Metal Psytrance. This is one of the darkest tracks on the album, if not the darkest. The first sample sounds dark and twisted but the second takes it to the next level of darkness. I like the melodies as they build anticipation like a tune in a classic Caslevania game. Suddenly the drums, bassline, and all else appear. The song builds in both rough and stomping development. This is a good track with moments of greatness, great ideas I feel. Okay I listened to it again while writing this. Wow the voice and tone is dark, evil. It goes perfectly with the song. Great work! B+ / A-

 

9. Convergence is a solid conclusion to a great album. First there are some good melodies. Second there is a real stand out guitar playing along with the more floating, emotive ambient, melodies, and more. So few tracks on this album seemed to use guitar(s) or employ them as the leading melodies during moments when you actually count. In a sense I'm greatful for that and I enjoy the moments with guitar in a track like this one for instance because of that. They basically took too songs, a soft relative to the melodies and a a heavy relative to the guitar and mixed them together. The guitar has verses and the layers of melodies upon melodies have even more time show. The artists have kindly made a song not too hard or soft, but a song incorporating multiple ideas throughout the album. My only complaint is the bonus track that does nothing really to enhance the album. B

 

 

In Conclusion, this is a great industrial-metal influenced Psytrance album. The melody/sound work and track variety is strong and several songs have powerful, driving intensity and/or climaxes that are quite refreshing in industrial/metal Psytrance, a sub genre who's albums are seldom as dynamic, developing, and evolving as this one is. If I were to complain about one thing, it would be to say track 6 is more Industrial than Psytrance and doesn't correlate so well with the rest of the numbers here. The opening track is a rocket. Some of the best songs from 2004 (and the 21st century in Psytrance) are on this album. Mechanical Age is underrated. Anyone into dark psytrance with melodies I recommend checking this out. It's not perfect; I don't care for track 6. But the work around that is often so strong, that this one industrial-metal piece is forgivable. Overall this is one of the best Psytrance albums of 2004. It's also 78:29 minutes long!

 

 

Favorite tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8

 

 

B+

 

 

 

Samples

 

http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/aur/aur1cd004.html

 

http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display...ase.asp?id=4065

 

[Jon Cocco]

This is one of the only albums in Psytrance I can actually listen to that has guitars in it. They're not even common and only on 2-3 tracks that I can tell; most present in track 5. All other work is good, great, excellent. Even track 5 I enjoy from 3:08 to 4:34 especially. But the opening four tracks in combination with 6, 7, and 8 produce one hell of an album in dark Psytrance. How can melody/sound work be so emotive at times on such a dark album? I've wondered this numerous times upon hearing Red Shift and Pendulum. Furthermore, Violet Ray is so dark and great. The part in the middle and again around 6:23 is like walking in on a Satan priest in a dark cathedral. It's awesome.

 

Mechanical Age is worth getting if you can still find a copy, especially for those into dark and/or industrial-metal influenced Psytrance. This is a rare release. Almost every track is good, great, and excellent.

 

These artists have got to produce more songs like these if they don't surprise fans with a follow up album. Dark Industrial/Metal Psytrance albums are just too few and far between now days.

 

Whenever I play Hexagon, the part at 4:49 after the dark voice sample -- my friends go nuts!

 

 

Update: It's currently available to order again on Psyshop.

http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/aur/aur1cd004.html

[Psycosmo]

Yeah its a real shame that the Aurinko style of Psytrance never really caught on and that this and other releases before it have mostly been forgotten. This is a great album and anyone who hasnt heard it should, and if they like also the compilation "Catcher" from Aurinko, which has trax by 4CN, Tim Schuldt and others.

 

And it seems that Catcher is for sale at Psyshop as well, altho sadly its not the 2CD Japan edition, as the second CD was as good as the first.

[Manuser]

wow must say this is quite underrated, long time no listened, ...listening to a couple of tracks right now and damn that's GOOD!

might be pretty awful in the early sunny morning but otherwise that just kickass!

tracks 2, 7, 8 ... and others!

[Trance2MoveU]

Tim's productions were always a little out there weren't they? Dark and futuristic this debut album from Four Carry Nuts is a powerful one indeed. Loads of industrial age sounds and atmosphere. For some reason I picture the cover of Depeche Mode's Construction Time again, don't ask me why. As other posters mentioned the duo more than flirt with guitars on a few tracks, but it avoids the cheesy pitfalls that were so common back then. They shake things up with The System, a track that could very easily have come from Front Line Assembly with it's aggressive guitars and thunderous percussion. Ten years old and still sounds fresh and relevant. How many releases can you say that about from 2004?

 

Solid release. Even with the 4 minutes of dead air on the last track. And what did you waste it for? Non-nonsensical chopped up speech that offers no musical value whatsoever. Makes hulk angry!

 

Mdk

[Kombo*]

On 6/28/2007 at 1:07 PM, mono said:

 but the overal sound of the tracks makes you feel like you're in the middle of a hurricane or something, i cant quite explain.

 

Their track donuts was one of my favorite goa tracks back in the days and I am happy to see that their style haven't changed a lot, it gives me the same blown away feeling.

 

 

Like Phreaky - Tornado sort of ?

I totally agree with you even if this track isn't much "famous", Donuts to me (first Psychedelictrance CD Pulse 6) was and still is really special.

Most of the tracks in this album have strong character but in a more harsh way, not very easy listening..

Top result though, difficult to favorite