Well, it’s effective and a promising hint, if the band name offers a letter/number-combination, which shall document the genre classification, isn’t it? Seriously, the debut of the Illinois-based duo V1RTUAL D3SCENT is a little surprise for the DSBP label, since the musically direction of Erich Fate and Scott Pilz turns rather into a smoother form of Futurepop/Electro. No hint of the Harsh EBM formula normally expected and often presented by DSBP can be found on "Darkened Skies", but therefore an unexpected catchy tendency. This duo has already shared the stages with acts like LOST SIGNAL (signed to 23DB – yep, the label of Tom Shear/A23) or STATE OF THE UNION (maybe much more prominent in Europe with a license deal to Infacted Recordings...) and it doesn’t seem to be happened by chance, that their sound outfit draws comparisons with these examples and to related bands. What disturbs is the abused term ?Futurepop’, which has been too often used in the past to describe a repetitive one-dimensional point of view of danceable Synth-/Electropop music. Transformed on V1D3 this wouldn’t be a fair description, because the music turns much further – simply the fact that both Erich and Scott are more talented than the usual PC-user-produces-some-samples-and-adds-loops-?musician’. Both have experienced in their childhood a classic-oriented piano training – and for some reasons this can be heard. Very often they add classic strings and piano drops as being used as the main lead synth sound ("Darkened Skies", "...") – it sounds elegant and cohesive so it seems to be a trademark of this act. The opener "1000 Tears" is a fresh state-of-art Electro-track reminding with its strong programming art on works of bands like IMPACT PULSE or INDIVIDUAL TOTEM. Applause also for the excellent usage of vocoder fx on the lead vocals for "Suffocate" – seldom before a band could use vocoderized vocals that effective like V1D3. "I Vivisect" then is another favorite and it didn’t wonder, that V1D3 have given out remix kits especially for this track to share it with some friends and additional musicians. The result can be discovered here, 4 additional remix contributions of "I Vivisect" are documenting the attraction of this fine and catchy tune with finest programming art. The track "Concede" then offers a fair amount of a fast-paced rhythm construction which allows some dancefloor action. A lot of good stuff to discover from this duo and a perfect alternative output against the harsh and pseudo-aggressive Hellectro camp. Check it out!