Gravity Kills emerged in the mid-90's as part of the horde of bands inspired by the success of Nine Inch Nails. That hungry mob also included acts like Stabbing Westward, Sister Machine Gun and Filter. GK looked like they would be the best of the lot...and then seemed to disappear. Now, the band has returned, but the ghost of Trent Reznor still haunts Gravity Kills much like Marley bedeviled Scrooge.

"Superstarved" is a very listenable disc that fits right into much of the current hard music scene. It features 13 punchy songs (none over 4:21) that all have memorable hooks. What the record lacks is any sort of freshness or identity outside that of being a combination of other bands. The NIN influence is spread pretty thickly over most of the music, especially the vocals of Jeff Scheel, who might consider looking at his family history to see if he has any hidden Reznor blood in his veins. There's that same contrasting style of danceable electronic beats and huge distorted guitar riffs, with plenty of clicks, whirrs, and chirps to remind us that this is "industrial" music we are listening to. The simple, staccato guitar riffs will please any nu-metal fan.

To be fair, these guys are not out to shock the world with their inventiveness. They deliver some hard and heavy tracks that should appeal to both industrial fans and the larger universe of metalheads. The record is certainly well-produced (by Martin Atkins) and has a strong sonic pedigree. But after such a long layoff, one could have hoped for something a bit more chancy than what we hear on "Superstarved".

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2002 Year Book Volume 2 at  garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2001-and-2002.