A sore thumb band on the normally to-the-leather-vest(ed) Hell’s Headbanger’s, Italian nitro punks Children of Technology play a somewhat flimsy brand of punkish metal, or metalish punk. Either way, the band’s presentation – sort of a futuristic, dystopian get-up – might get some knickers in a twist because of how overreaching it appears, but punk in any form could never be considered overreaching, so the two cancel each other out. Never the matter, for Future Decay, the band’s second proper long-player and first in four years, may have ample S&M spit in the simplicity department, but not much else.
No real European influence to be found across the album’s eight cuts, for Children of Technology (or COT) ramble on like crossover titans Corrosion of Conformity and Discharge did during their nascent period. There’s equal punk rebel yell and metal treble to be found on the opening title track or “Hold Up Your Fuel,” a song that has the most persuasion in the bunch. Here, the band is able to momentarily break out of the routine and/or predictable riff depot punk bands usually find themselves in, ending up with a zippy Motorhead-like jam. Further attempts at interesting guitar action come via “Eaten Dust Overload” and “Under the Ripping Storm,” where rudiments of early Bay Area thrash bands get their time in.
It bears repeating that punk (unlike metal) is a truly limited form of music, particularly in the guitar department. So when bands such as Children of Technology hitch their wagon to a style such as this, they’re almost forced to remain boxed-in, or boxed-out, rather. Future Decay can dish it out, though, if you’re in need of eight relatively light, brain-free songs of Italian cyber-punk…”Fear the Mohawk Reaper” says it all, doesn’t it?