2005... a new year for political embarrassment as well as electronic music. If I were to judge the new year in music based on the first new album I heard, then it will be a great year! Fortunately for me ESR’s full-length album ?PERSISTENCE’, the sophomore follow up to 2003’s ?CORRODED FRAGMENTS’, was my cherry-popper for 2005. ESR, consisting of sole-member Vince Pujol, stays true to the ESR formula as well as incorporate new musical elements to the already successful approach on ?CORRODED FRAGMENTS’. All of the elements that created the ESR fanbase on ?CORRODED FRAGMENTS’ are present and highlighted... distorted vocoder effects, cyborg melodies, and deep rich atmospheres. As far as differences, I noticed right away that there was much more emphasis on vocals and lyrics on ?PERSISTENCE’ than on ?CORRODED FRAGMENTS’. Also, the overall atmosphere is much much darker and complex... not in a musical sense but more in a thematic sense. I believe that the listeners will experience more perplexity with ?PERSISTENCE’, and it will leave you thinking well after you stop listening. Score one for a perfect lyrical/musical breakthrough! I can’t recall the last time I heard an album begin with such a menacing force coupled with a perfectly well-paced, yet driving, beat. The opener "Shattered Dreams" takes absolutely no prisoners... just the right amount of intro right before the track erupts into an EBM frenzy! Fans, old and new-to-be, got a feel for ?PERSISTENCE’ last year with the original version of "My Existence", which was featured on the INTERBREEDING 2 compilation. Tracks such as "The Battle Has Begun (War Beat Mix)", "Regression" , and "Resist/Persist (Manipulated Mix)" exemplify how the album mixes perfect electro-rhythms with blistering sequences and melody. And in the center of it all is Vince’s voice driving the subject matter of political angst and injustice of sorts alike. There is also a cover of FLA’s "Mindphaser", which is true to the original yet unique in it’s own rite. However, now that I have a vast collection of ESR material, I can say with conviction that ESR is the kind of band that I had always hoped that FLA could have been. Vince Pujol is much more talented and doesn’t have to rely on sampling other bands to be good ;-) And in closing, I would like to point out that ?PERSISTENCE’ is the first release that is co-released by DSBP and BLACK FLAMES. So many congratulations go out to both labels for monumental album to release together... oh yeah, and many congrats to Vince for an amazing follow-up to an awesome debut!