ANTI-M FEATURING RONNIE MONTROSE Reviews and opinions

REVIEWS

ANTI-M: Positively Negative: 2005 Remaster (Topographic Productions)

When I saw that Ronnie Montrose was involved in this project, I just had to check it out (even if IT totally alluded me in its original release). After all this time, I wasn't sure what to expect from Ronnie: Would it be hard rock, a la Montrose? Would it be spacey kinda pop like Gamma or kinda jazzy like some of his instrumental releases? About all I can say is this: I wasn't expecting what I got! Anti-M is John Wardlaw, Ruston Slager, and Mark Rumer, a trio of retro-thinking futurists whose sound is very dark, not something that I would imagine Montrose would agree to playing. But... he did and the results are quite impressive! The imaginative hodge-podge that is POSITIVELY NEGATIVE was originally released in 1995; this ten year anniversary remaster features the original 17 tracks plus two bonus tunes, instrumental versions of "Security" and "Television." Trying to nail down a musical thread in Anti-M's music is like hunting for the proverbial needle in the hay stack: Just when you think that you can put your finger on a certain style ('80s New Wave Electronica, English Goth, '70s metal, '90s hard rock, English pop, etc. ad infinitum), it's gone. The music is generally dark and crushingly claustrophobic, kinda like mid-era Depeche Mode or most of Tangerine Dream's output (even the seemingly happy and innocuous tracks, like "Why" and "Rap This Around Your Head," have an underlying menace that sneaks up and gut-punches you). The vocals by Wardlaw (known to all and sundry as "Wedge") and Slager (and I'm not really sure who's singing on what... I think that the majority of the leads are taken by Slager, though) can best be described as a synthesization of David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Peter Steele, Peter Murphy, Greg Lake, and that guy from Rammstein. The guitars are generally crisp and up-front, though the bass and synths seem to be the forces driving the music. With Montrose only appearing on four of the original tracks (plus the bonus material), that means that the guitar has to come from somewhere. That somewhere is the supple fingers of Steve Weber who, though not an official member of Anti-M, also played on the group's debut, NO WAVES IN HELL; Wedge also adds guitar on several tracks. Trying to describe this release - other than to say that it is absolutely brilliant - has induced a headache the size of Nebraska, so I'm gonna quit trying, except to say this: I don't know if the guys in Anti-M are modern day visionaries or if they just got lucky with this record; whatever, POSITIVELY NEGATIVE is one of those rare beasts that should be in everyone's collection... no excuses! To secure your own copy of this musical masterpiece and to learn more about the band, go to the Anti-M web-site (www.anti-m.com). Do it now! We'll wait for you.

- Darren Tracy FLUSH Magazine

ANTI-M: No Waves In Hell- Predominantly a synths-based album, it features the odd song, short link narrative tracks, the occasional electric and electrifying guitar solos, spooky voices buried in the depths, some mighty flowing lead synth lines from the three musicians and a staggering 21 tracks in sixty-eight minutes. The mood of the album is pretty varied from intense multi-synth darkwave flows of warming music through more delicate refrains from guitar and the massive synthbank that surrounds and envelops the mix, to the D.Mode style songs, on one of the strangest albums I've heard in ages. Like it? I'll tell you in three or four plays timeâ.maybe.

Andy Garibaldi-CD Services

ANTI-M: Positively Negative -Three years on and we find our heroes back in the studio, this time toning down the quirky sense of humour, and going for a more sensible seventeen tracks and keeping the narrative out of the window altogether. So, it starts off with a song that bizarrely mixes D.Mode style synths, drums and vocals with a biting electric guitar lead courtesy of none other than Ronnie Montrose, who also contributes some stirring guitar work on three further tracks, while guitarist Steve Weber, whose influences I am reliably informed are Fripp/Holdsworth, contributes electric guitar to most of the other tracks, while the main duo behind the band remain as Ruston Slager on lead vocals and keyboards, with John Wardlaw on keyboards, lead vocals and guitar. With six instrumental and eleven songs, it's a strange mix of music that mixes the likes of Human League/D.Mode/Heaven 17 styles with some hot electric guitar work in there too, giving it quite a unique feel, and if you're into that style and era of songs, only with less pop, more atmosphere and overall stronger instrumentally, then this is for you, for sure.

Andy Garibaldi-CD Services

ANTI-M: It Hurts - The Instrumentals 2000 Five years onâ and.haven't we heard this before somewhere,..and the band reconvene, only, even more strangely than ever, to do a CD comprising instrumental version of their best tracks from the previous two CD's, and even including extended versions and remixes, on seventeen tracks (nothing by halves, this lot!!) in seventy nine minutes (value for money for sure!!). Best bit is that it all begins to make sense in this form with synths to the fore, guitars in there too, and a set of predominantly three-four minute tracks that really deliver, from punchy rhythmic stuff full of synths and the odd guitar line, to more atmospheric offerings and all sorts in between. With Ronnie Montrose on guitar on the same four tracks, Steve Weber on guitar elsewhere, and plenty of synths and electronic drums, this is a most engaging album, but where you classify it, lord alone knows.

Andy Garibaldi-CD Service

Positively Negative is an eclectic mix of sometimes erotic, sometimes neurotic, guitar and keyboard oriented fare, with superior musicianship and professional production quality. Haunting vocals and sublime guitar intonations combine for a memorable and riveting experience.

Chris Monrad

(Positively Negative)"...Peter Murphy-style vocals from Ruston Slager, neon green dance beats from an all-ages dance club located somewhere in 1986, and the biggest synthesizers this side of Depeche Mode. Plus, at no additional charge you get four songs featuring Ronnie Montrose (yeah, that Ronnie Montrose, the one who used to play with Sammy that little red rocker Hagar), Techno-surf instrumentals, and songs that beg you to shave off your trendy little alterna-goatee and replace it with a chinful of Don Johnson stubble. If you want a copy of this, and I daresay you do in order to soundtrack your next '80s party, write to...."

The Santa Barbara Independent-Danny Gellert

(No Waves in Hell) Rocking guitars, satan, Surf, and a sense of humor, this is programming heaven. Very well done and very enjoyable.

From: Rockin' Patrick, BC

I actually like the first anti-m (no waves) a lot better. More melodic & instrumental

Geoff O'keefe

I bought positively negative because of Ronnie Montrose and those songs are great, but I like the other songs he's not on even better.

Annonymous

Man, these are really good. In fact, I just got finished listening to Positively Negative and want to listen to it again, I am really impressed with your diversity. I just started listening to No Waves. It's funny and the music is just what I like. I hear so many of the bands that I like in your music, but your sound is unique.

Dave Crist

Positively Negative-I heard a strong Thomas Dolby / David Bowie vibe. Both of whom I like.

Kira Nielsen

Positively Negative-Like the sound, reminds me of David Bowie.

David Habermann

Positively Negative-Albuquerque-very cool stuff! On Cyber-Age show "you've got my full support on this".

Tommy T. KUNM radio

Positively Negative-I listened to the cd twice and both times it scared me. It sounded okay but I got this weird vibe from it. I directed it toward our Goth dj.

WESN radio

Positively Negative-pretty cool, very different, refreshing to have a record that everything is clean!

WJMU Radio, Decatur IL

The last two reviews here are posted just because I found them funny, and refreshingly honest-Wedge / Anti-m

Positively Negative-cd was being played and calls came in to burn that CD.

WTUL radio, New Orleans

Positively Negative-Made my ears vomit, but some of the dj's are into it.

WXLV Radio

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