342 (album)
| 342 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Pin-Up Went Down | ||||
| Released | 28 June 2010 | |||
| Recorded | 2009/2010 | |||
| Genre | Avant-garde metal, progressive metal, death metal | |||
| Length | 42:27 | |||
| Label | Ascendance Records | |||
| Producer | Alexis Damien | |||
| Pin-Up Went Down chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Mind over Metal | 4.5/5 link |
| Heavy Blog Is Heavy | 4.5/5 link |
342 is the second studio album by French avant-garde metal band Pin-Up Went Down, released on 28 June 2010 through Ascendance Records. It is the first album of the band which counted with the participation of Alexis Damien's brother, Nicolas Damien.
The title of the track "Vaginaal Nathrakh" is a pun on the name of British extreme metal band Anaal Nathrakh, while "Murphy in the Sky with Dæmons" may be a possible allusion to The Beatles' song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". Judging by the song's lyrics, the "Murphy" mentioned in the song's title is Edward A. Murphy, famous for popularizing the concept of "Murphy's law".
Track listing
All lyrics written by Asphodel and Nicolas Damien; all music composed by Pin-Up Went Down.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Diapositive" | 3:25 |
| 2. | "Escargot" | 2:20 |
| 3. | "Porcelain Hours" | 2:42 |
| 4. | "Essence of I" | 4:03 |
| 5. | "Khabod of My Aba" | 5:08 |
| 6. | "Home" | 2:33 |
| 7. | "Vaginaal Nathrakh" | 4:25 |
| 8. | "Pictures to Speak To" | 3:37 |
| 9. | "Murphy in the Sky with Dæmons" | 5:44 |
| 10. | "Paradoxical Sarabanda" | 3:15 |
| 11. | "Aquarium" | 5:15 |
Critical reception
As with their previous album, 2 Unlimited, 342 was also critically acclaimed; Mind over Metal gave it a 4.5 out of 5, comparing the band's sonority and aesthetics favourably to Alexis Damien's former project, Carnival in Coal.[1] Writing for Teeth of the Divine, Mikko K. gave the album a favourable review, also comparing Pin-Up Went Down to Carnival in Coal and to The 3rd and the Mortal as well.[2] Heavy Blog Is Heavy also gave 342 4.5 out of 5 stars, stating: "Pin-Up Went Down have every capability of being a present-day Mr. Bungle; if their name was put out there more, that could very well happen. For fans of experimental, progressive and avant-garde music, Pin-Up Went Down's 342 is a must-listen".[3]
Personnel
- Pin-Up Went Down
- Aurélie Raidron (Asphodel) — vocals
- Alexis Damien — vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, piano, drums
- Nicolas Damien — guitars, keyboards
- Guest musicians
- Romain Greffe — keyboards (on track 1)
- Benoît Bugeia — keyboards (on track 4)
- Miscellaneous staff
- Asphodel — photography, cover art
- Alexis Damien — production, mixing, mastering