"The new album is titled "Mentis Vici Omnis." This is latin for Mind Conquers All, take it with a grain of salt... I am very happy with the way it turned out and proud to be able to present it to you all. I have just had the discs pressed and they turned out awesome! You can preview samples of the new tracks above. I am also very happy to have such amazingly talented company joining me in collaboration on this CD including: Lost Signal, Frank M. Spinath of Seabound, Funker Vogt, Arzt+Pfusch, GASR. This was a long time in the making and I hope you enjoy it! Please feel free to comment back to me about the new tracks or whatever else... email: info@backscatter.biz "
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Boundless Reviews…[for Mentis Vici Omnis only]
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By: Chain DLK [Worldwide]
Fans of this ex-DSBP-recording artist had to wait quite too long, until Xon, the mastermind behind BOUNDLESS, could decide to return with a new full-length album after his glorious debut ”Perpetual”, out in 2003. Since the years have gone by, also musically and production-wise there has been some improvements. The compositions of Xon have reached definitely a higher quality. He also provides his voice lesser distorted and with a ”real” singing attitude, which sounds to the same time emotional and charismatic. Musically, ”Mentis Vici Omnis” is a lighter, but also a drastically developed version to ”Perpetual”. The arrangements are turning into a more smooth sound outfit, the harsh EBM-like outraging tunes of Xon’s too early gone project SYMBIONT or the energetic pieces of ”Perpetual” like ”Sordid Trooper” or ”Club Trash” seem to be relics of the past. The new BOUNDLESS tracks are concentrating to impress with thick layers, some piano drops, diverse programming kinds and a more or less moderate speed. Seldom, quite seldom Xon’s new compositions are fitting well with some dancefloor movements (”Shadow Reaper” featuring FUNKER VOGT), and if they fit, they are musically more based to provide a refreshing sort of a Techno-/Trance-driven outfit (”Vitals Interrupt”). This all doesn’t mean that this has to be seen as a flaw – it’s rather the opposite, since Xon tries hard to deliver a special album, which drifts a bit away from your usual Electro/Futurepop-listening procedure. Also the invitation to several guest musicians with some prominent names like above mentioned FUNKER VOGT, GASR, ARZT & PFUSCH (what a spooky outro entitled ”Crepesculum”) or the demanding collaborative track ”Seduction” featuring LOST SIGNAL and Frank M. Spinath of SEABOUND helps a lot to fill in diversity, but it also documents the new BOUNDLESS-style. This album is pending between Synth-/Electropop to EBM, but it is musically always tasteful and demanding arranged. Quite well-done with a crystal-clear recording quality, but especially the integration of some global players should help to reach a higher level of attention of the international audience. Let’s finally hope, that we don’t have to wait another 5 years for the next BOUNDLESS-album.
Review by: Marc Tater
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By: Gothtronic [Germany]
Boundless is an American electro project by one Xon, also active in the EBM-industrial outfit Symbiont and hailing from Salt Lake City , the city of the Mormons. Mentis Vici Omnis is the new album and this means so much as ‘the mind conquers all’. Whether a spiritual connection is present with the religious movement from their hometown seems doubtful, nevertheless Boundless seem to be truly devoted on this album. The first track ‘Reinforcements’ at first makes one think of fellow countrymen Battery Cage. If this is enough to leave a strong impression one might wonder. The second track ‘Shadow Reaper’ contains vocals and synth programming by Funker Vogt and this EBM track is a lot more convincing, to be honest. Also ‘Seduction’ is an convincing electro track, with intelligent sounds and rhythms connected to dark vocals from Seabound’s very own Frank Spinath. In this track the music is reworked by the colleagues of the electro-industrial band Lost Signal. In ‘Seduction’ for the first time it gets clear that Xon has a varied and good voice and that he is also capable of creating powerful sequences and beautiful melodies resulting in a good sound. Unfortunately Xon also has his misses, such as can be heard in the less succeeded ‘The End I Sought’ in which the vocals irritate and the sounds come across as too cheap. ‘Atrum Vis Evinco’ contains instrumentation by Gasr and ‘Crepusculum’ by Arzt+Pfuch. Mentis Vici Omnis is a pretty decent electro release, somewhere at the intersection of aggro-industrial, futurepop and EBM, which should at least in America attract interested people, even if it were only for the contributions of some better known names in the electro world.
Review by: TekNoir
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By: Moving Hands Music Magazine [Sweden]
Another unknown group for me or group is not the right word as it is a one man project and XoN is the source behind this project called Boundless.
I was very happy when I read through the biography and saw that the great Danish band Arzt+Pfusch were featured on the last song and thought, this must be good stuff. Other well known people featured on this release are Funker Vogt, Frank M. Spinath of Seabound and GASR.
This is soft electronic music with whispering vocals and dreamy soundscapes. Quite nice and relaxing I must say. I would like to ad ambient to the genre description but who am I to do that? The first five tracks goes on in that slower kind of pace but then on the sixth track "Under Ice" the pace is picked up a bit, but just a bit. The sound is sadly too weak and the beats are way too low and that is in fact very sad because on song seven "Vitals Interrupt" it gets very promising but even when I pump the volume way up it's too soft. Maybe it's supposed to be like this, a bit minimalistic in the recording and mastering but I would have preferred it differently. But I will sure have my eyes open for future releases.
There is also a hidden track which appears after a silent 13 minutes track.
/Johannes van der Meer
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Boundless Reviews…[older material]
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Black Sheep E-Zine [Matt Ossen]
“The educated listener will agree that Xon’s lyrics are incredible in the sense that they are very poetic, yet subtle enough to give each listener his/her own interpretation. The samples are the most sinister that I have ever heard and they are timed perfectly throughout the entire disc. It is evident that Xon spends a lot of valued time finding his samples carefully…”
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“It’s amazing that someone could present such incredible lyrical and vocal diversity on an album that is so creepy. Each variation of Xon’s schizophrenic voice, merged with his excellent sequencing, keyboard playing and overall composition will tear right through you and stir your soul. Any Future-Pop band could only dream of scoring such an achievement. Boundless certainly lives up to the name…”
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Chain DLK.org [KlingKlangBedlam]
“The Beats and sequences never stay the same for more than 30 seconds before making a smooth transition in to the next phase of the song. Easily accessable to the dance floor crowd [perhaps even to the rave scene, on certain songs], yet more made for the mind than anything, to make ou dance without disconnecting your brain in the process, a perfect 10!”
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Metrophage [Verlaag]
“Boundless shows range with an exceptionally hard EBM sound, melodically complex with overloaded vocals, Perpetual has turned out to be one hell of a treat! Many excellent tracks on this [debut] album – a solid release from start to finish. Damn fine work! Music sufficed with aggression, relentlessness and rage, but honed to a subtle edge. More, NOW!”
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Wrapped In Wire [Darklight]
“Xon delivers some very exciting music, just as good [if not better] as the big names in the scene. He definitely paid attention in class and knows how to develop dark, action-packed, emotionally charged electro-industrial music…”
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Wet Works E-Zine [Gothx]
“This is a great solo-outing for Xon. As I said, it’s a great album from top to bottom. I would highly recommend picking this up. One favorite of mine is “Club Trash.” It has that “old Aghast View” feel, but lyrically seems like a much-needed shot at the industrial scene.”
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CD Baby [Editor]
“Industrial madness with all the classic elements and comparable to the best in the genre, with a more dancy/EBM sound at times and with a lot of similarities to Symbiont in the aggressive edge and trademark vocals. The debut album contains some very powerful agro-industrial with vicious lyrics and a personal touch…”
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I'm going out to do some stuff, but I just really don't feel like dressing up this year. Too much other stuff going on for me to justify spending the time and money, I guess.
haha thanks. Someone called me "butthurt" on a messageboard on VF last night, and I thought it was about the most hallarious insult I have ever heard, so I decided to make it my "mood".
Have you checked out my newest track on my Formatted Psyche page? It is a cover of "These Dreams" by Heart. I'll add vocals later on, probably in a week or two.
Are you dressing up for Halloween by any chance? Some little kids are talking really loud outside my window about trick or treating, and it made me think of that.
PARA QUE TUS MEZCLAS SUENEN PROFESIONALMENTE, EN MARS ESTUDIO CONTAMOS CON EL INGENIERO DE SONIDO Y PRODUCTOR MUSICAL "LADIES ON MARS" RECIENTE GANADOR "OFICIAL" DEL CONCURSO DE DEPECHE MODE "PEACE".
I'm planning on rerecording Spit it Out with strings added to the piano. :) that band is incredible. I was lucky enough to see them in LA the day before my birthday, and they do not disappoint live. seems like anything Chris Corner is remotely involved in I'm automatically addicted. XD
New album ARX KAELI - Highway. released on label Acidsamovar, Russia. Cd packed in wooden box with laser engraving, covered a grey varnish. Time 62 min. Tracks recorded between 2005 - 2008.
![Risk Letter [new blog up]](http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/104/s_8cae0285f5a4447b8c3cbf7a7575f70e.jpg)
Online!
