
Puppets & puppeteers
-- October Changes --
24/10/2020
Stijn Daneels

Album genres:
■ | Industrial Metal |
■ | Gothic Metal |
Album artists:
■ | Wendy Van Craen | Vocals |
■ | Luk Michels | Rhythm guitar |
■ | Sven Luypaert | Bass |
■ | Wesley Marivoet | Drums, programming |
■ | Bert Lempens | Lead guitar |
Review written by Stijn "Metal Shredder" Daneels.
[METAL SHREDDER REPORTING]
A year ago
October Changes’ vocalist Wendy Van Craen introduced me to her newly formed band
October Changes along with links to demo versions of songs like “Silent Screams,”
“Haven” and “The Puppet Factory.” Earlier this year I played a few of those
demos on the BMS ON AIR show and later on I jammed the band’s official debut
single, “Decay of Sleeping Beauty” (thanks to Dutch promoter Hard Life Promotion
for sending that on us) and now, the band has brought out a completed version
of “The Puppet Factory” as their second single. Let’s shred it out!
[SHREDDING BASICS]
As I mentioned
earlier, “The Puppet Factory” is the second single from the Belgian gothic/industrial
metal act October Changes, who formed in 2018. Like their debut single, “Decay
Of Sleeping Beauty,” “The Puppet Factory” single is released independently.
The single
begins with a menacing techno beat that soon gets backed by roaring guitars and
pounding drums and eventually Wendy’s soft-spoken words kick in. The song then
progresses into a harmony of electronic tunes and heavy riffs and echoing
singing. Those vocal echoes are quite effective, especially during the chorus
as it gives the song a huge sense of duality. A façade of happiness in the main
vocals that gets uncovered by the growling backings. Eventually the song’s soft
and heavy sides get more and more intertwined until the finale burns everything
down.
Overall, “The
Puppet Factory” is a twofaced song. Part peaceful and melodic, part aggressive and
harsh, part metal and part electronic, part happy and part tragic. And that
same sense of duality continues in the song’s lyrics and visual presentation.

[SHREDDING VISION]
While the beats
on “The Puppet Factory” are rather joyful and easy to dance to, the lyrics are
much darker. The song tells the story of a circus wherein the seemingly joyful feel
of the show is put into comparison with the hostile atmosphere behind the
scenes with the circus owner (or puppet master) holding all the strings. The lyrics
suggest such grisly crimes like murder and rape committed by the circus
director on his performers (or rather puppets).
The single
cover art features said circus (with October Changes’ logo shining above in
blood-red neon light) and the narrating performer wearing black and white makeup
with the eyeshadow looking like tears and the lipstick looking like stiches. I
also love the small details in this artwork, like the faintly glowing eyes above
the performer’s crown. Not to mention the artwork is colorful without
sacrificing any of its purposeful darkness.
[SHREDDER’S SCORECARD]
8,5 puppets
out of 10. An excellent tune that balances techno & metal elements with a atmosphere
that hides a grim darkness underneath the energetic beats. So take a seat, let
the show begin! Enjoy the single!