A musical 'orgy' of unoriginality

By Ryan S. Hakes, On-Line Forty-Niner

Monday, August 31, 1998

Several musical artists in the late '90s are increasingly blurring the genres of music.

By combining pop, metal, hip-hop, gothic and techno, many groups have become extremely popular over the past few years. Korn, Marilyn Manson and Prodigy are just a few of the artists paving the way for fresh bands like Orgy.

Orgy, a Southern California quintet, is the first product of Korn's Elementree Records.

Following their successful predecessors, Orgy has incorporated several types of music into their debut album "Candyass." The majority of "Candyass" is an influx of gothic, metal, and pop. Unlike their successful counterparts, Orgy omitted a critical piece to its musical collage - originality.

The album opens with "Social Enemies," a weak attack on those who govern society, which comes across as an ailing Nine-Inch-Nails song.

Several other songs are equally unoriginal.

Jeff Gordon, the lead vocalist, triggers flashbacks to the once popular Faith No More with his singing style on "Stitches."

"Platinum" is even more disappointing. Does a gothic impersonator wearing black eyeliner and sounding like Candlebox make you cringe?

Orgy does prove slightly successful with a dark and edgier rendition of New Order's "Blue Monday."

The song was previously a colossal '80s club hit that now sounds like it has been mixed by Bela Lugosi.

Orgy is '90s gothic rock lacking fresh ideas.

The only thing occurring on "Candyass," is an Orgy of unoriginality.