When Genghis Tron returned in 2021 following a thirteen-year absence, it wasn’t in the form many long time fans may have been expecting. The group’s third full length Dream Weapon brought a new lineup alongside founding members Hamilton Jordan and Michael Sochynsky and shifted things towards a spacey and prog oriented space. Gone were the harsh vocals and grindy freak-outs, but there were still plenty of louder metallic moments alongside the atmospheric ones. To some it may have seemed like a complete one-eighty, but even though not every moment on Dream Weapon fully clicked with me I could still draw parallels to 2008’s Board Up the House. Five years have passed since that effort and Genghis Tron has once again transformed, with Signal Fire feeling like a true fusion of old and new. Offering some of the harsher bursts and unexpected transitions alongside the futuristic, electronic laden atmosphere, this material has a lot to offer both established and new listeners.
Dream Weapon already significantly expanded Genghis Tron’s sound with the addition of Sumac drummer Nick Yacyshyn, as the band’s first two albums had utilized a drum machine. With Signal Fire that scope increases further with The Armed bassist Kenny Szymanski, which gives the material additional textures compared to its predecessor. As you make your way through the ten-track album it really feels like the band has put a lot of thought into bridging the gap between their earlier work and more recent endeavors, plus they’ve also expanded further into the industrial side of the house. Opener “I Am All” showcases the directness and more energetic cadence Signal Fire offers, as it begins with pulsating electronics before opening up a faster, driving tempo that has a noticeably more aggressive edge. The way this song evolves over its run is mesmerizing, as initially it has more of a Dream Weapon Genghis Tron meets HEALTH vibe, but the second half moves back and forth between shimmering melodies and more punk and industrial metal edged riffing. There’s a fluidity to the reflective and more direct sides of the material that make it so enjoyable to listen to, as you’re never quite sure when a section might lull you into a calm and trancelike state before transitioning over to something much more chaotic. Whether that’s through the Blade Runner 2049 sounding “Future Worship”, return to grind on the early parts of “Born Prey”, or the ethereal qualities of “A Love So Pure” there’s a lot of different elements at work that all come together to hook you. Signal Fire feels more refined to me than Dream Weapon, as its directness eliminates some of the lulls and keeps you engaged from beginning to end on what the band is doing on a moment-to-moment basis.
One of the elements I missed the most on the last album were the harsh vocals, as while Tony Wolski is a very capable singer it gave that material a very different feel that sometimes went just a bit too mellow. This time around Wolski has brought a wide range of scream and sung pitches to the table, and while there are similarities to the work he does with The Armed there are enough differences here that things feel different enough. When he heads into dreamier and ethereal pitches I’m reminded of HEALTH’s work on the Max Payne 3 soundtrack, but those sections are often punctuated by ear piercing screams that bring the metallic and punk aspects roaring back. This might be the first time that Genghis Tron has come close to something that might have broader listening appeal, as songs like “Future Worship” have a cadence that could draw in fans of Nine Inch Nails. On the other end of the spectrum, the way the singing collides with the screams on “A Love So Pure” gives off more of a post hardcore field, and it’s evident that the vocals have just as much depth and span of influences as the rest of the band.
I don’t want to be overly critical of Dream Weapon, as I think there are still a lot of interesting elements to be found on that album. But to me, Signal Fire feels more like what I had hoped a Genghis Tron comeback might offer. It expands further into the industrial and electronic sides of the house, brings back some of the metal, and injects a healthy dose of screams and other harsh vocals into the mix. Yet it does all this in a way where the writing really pulls you in, and there are many sections that have stuck with me over repeat listens. As someone that reviewed Dead Mountain Mouth twenty years ago, I don’t know that I could’ve predicted this is where Genghis Tron would land so many years later but I’m glad they have. Signal Fire is available from Relapse Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg