Eerily seductive, subHuman goes beyond the electronica roots of this band, using atmospheric vocals and guitar blues. Sound-bites and transient synths create the dark environment that one could expect from a Recoil album. But it’s Alan Wilder’s collaboration with Texas blues virtuoso Joe Richardson—with his swampy vocals, muffled harmonicas, guitar, and violins—that sets the mood for this long-awaited fifth album from the former Depeche Mode member.

The opening track, “Prey,” has a mysterious voodoo vibe that consistently appears throughout this body of work; as in, for example, “5000 Years,” and the closer, “Backslider.” “Allelujah” and “Intruders” feature vocals by Carla Trevaskis, whose sound is very reminiscent of Kate Bush—although on “Intruders,” her filtered voice becomes borderline pop. “The Killing Ground” has a similar tone—ethereal and tragically beautiful; in just under ten minutes, and using an almost monotonous beat, Joe’s voice takes you to dark misty plains where you can almost smell the moist ground.

Recoil is an acquired taste and not for the lighthearted. Their music suggests such intense visuals that you may question any liking for the band, yet find yourself strangely drawn to it—and unable to press “stop.” If dark, industrial, post-modern themes that combine different music genres tickle your fancy, this album will surely become a favorite.

There are seven songs on the CD, each over seven minutes long, with most of them averaging over nine minutes. The band tends to use themes and visuals (such as the CD artwork) that are quite controversial and could be considered tasteless by some. There are two versions of this CD. This review is based on the standard version that has seven tracks. The deluxe version has an additional CD with five additional tracks.