by Vincent Jeffries
Predating many ?90s competitors, Skrew deserve credit for hopping on the bandwagon early and helping to forge the punishing guitar and drum attack of ?90s industrial-metal. This 1991 debut showcases the many abilities of Skrew's central figure Adam Grossman. The singer/guitarist/programmer blends quality guitar riffing, regimentally abusive drum tracks and searing vocals into a single violent assault. Critics and fans noticed Grossman's talent for postmodern audio torture as Burning in Water, Drowning in Flames posted solid sales and many positive reviews. Highlight tracks include the hardly recognizable deconstruction of the Rolling Stones classic &Sympathy for the Devil& and the eviscerated funk of &Charlemagne.& Skrew lived up to the hype when they released their follow-up Dusted years later, but shifting musical sands and Grossman's eventual power-metal regression kept the group from ascending beyond their cult status. Dusted and this debut are certainly the band's best work, well deserving the attention of fans fascinated by the industrial-metal genre.