CTRL-ALT-DEL – Ctrl-Alt-Del

Poland has contained some of the most diehard Metal fans on the planet for many years, however, the reality of it is when these well-intended fans have taken their crack and creating their own Metal Magic on stage, the result is often something similar to John Candy and Eugene Levy’s Jash and Stan Schmenge & The Happy Wanderer’s parody. Happily, if not somewhat remarkably, the Polish-based band Ctrl-Alt-Del (CAD) has thrown their proverbial hat into the musical arena with their self-titled debut, and have more than successfully shed all prior, if not justified, stereotypes.

CAD’s debut album, independently produced and funded, is a totally unique (if not bizarre at times) delving into Heavy Rock Psychedelicism. The band has its roots in the Grunge movement, it appears, but injects elements of Jane’s Addiction oddity, along with peculiar musical electronics found in albums like Kraftwerk’s Radioactivity. The music was written via a collaboration of all band members, Dominik Rozwadowski (guitars), Piotr Sitkowski (guitars), Pawel Sitkowski (bass), and Piotr Sypula (drums), while vocalist Adam Sypula composed most of the lyrical lines. Information about Adam’s heritage is sketchy, but it’s a good bet to say he either is a native of an English-speaking country or spent a good chunk of time abroad if he indeed hails originally from Poland too, because his lyrics are very smoothly written, and he sings without a trace of an Eastern European accent. An extremely capable and easy to listen to singer, Adam Sypula helps sell CAD’s “world appeal,” and is one of the definite highlights of this album. His strength is not so much in his range or versatility as it is with comfortable, sincere, and rounded sound to his voice.

The album kicks off with its best track, “Stepping Stone,” a Modern Metal type song, and one of the heavier tunes on the album. Adam Sypula shows his full range within this song, and it’s obvious from the start that the production quality of this album is top notch, even though independently produced. “Sound Machine” is next and quickly shifts the band’s focus from Modern Metal to something less defined and musically complex. Although this song has some nice effects, it lacks the punch of the opening track and actually comes across as lacking a specific direction. The 3rd track, “Accelerator,” however, is better able to coral in the band’s musical eclecticism, and comes across with a more successful, relaxed mood. CAD begins to implement a few Jane’s Addiction tricks in the next track, “Revulsion,” especially with the vocals, as they also do within the 5th track, “Manchild.” “War Between Two Tribes” gets CAD back into a more conventional vocal pattern and musical delivery, conceptually in line with the opening track. There’s a quick visit to Nu-Metal during “Newer Age,” which although good, tends to confuse the direction of this CD a bit. The final 3 tracks, “Groundloop,” “Bitter Pills,” and “Virtual Sky,” incorporate a fair share of Kraftwerk-ish electronic effects, with some pretty cool heavy guitar explosions in the final track.

Overall, if your only purpose in listening to Heavy Rock music is to headbang, this CD is probably not for you. However, if you are prone to get into one of those moods where you might want to partake in unconventional behaviors … say like wearing sunglasses at night or showering with your socks on … then you’re the type of person who should definitely check out this CAD debut release. The feel and mood of this album is curious and peculiar, almost to a mildly unsettling level. Case in point is the track “Manchild” … a song that contains excerpts from the movie Barton Fink. If you’ve ever seen that movie, you’ll remember the “uncomfortable” and odd, surrealistic vibe running through the plot … it was a very successful movie from the standpoint of sucking you into essentially a new dimension – a “Twilight Zone,” if you will. Well, much of this CAD album is effective at accomplishing that very same feel. Yep, the Poles “did it” this time … not only erasing a nasty stereotype, but also creating one of the more unique albums (regardless of the genre) in 2005!