Alien Sex Fiend

Recorded pretty much as a Mr. and Mrs. Fiend duo this time out, and produced by them as well, Another Planet shows the band still interested in pursuing what is right -- as long as what is right is also deeply wrong. Humor, creepiness, echo, and mania all thoroughly intact, the result is a pretty solid selection of songs, which finds the duo happily refusing to fade out. Another great Fiend anthem leads things off -- an instrumental take on "Bun-Ho!," combining stiff beats, murky noise and strange samples -- before sliding into the slightly more straightforward "Everybody's Dream." Once one hears Rik's usual cackle and snarl, everything is off to the races once again. Flecks of the slightly more sober industrial/dub-touched side surface more than once; "Radiant City" is a fine example, with a shuddering, hollow beat, buried rumbles, and noises backing Rik's disembodied voice. Then again, the Fiend wouldn't be the Fiend without a song like "Sample My Sausage" -- and it's not just the innuendo, but the brilliant use of a sample from the outrageous Blackadder TV series which makes it all work so well. Things get a bit draggy in the middle, starting with the overly long "Instant Karma Sutra," which doesn't turn out as well as the title promises, and the similarly sleepy "Alien." By the time the bizarro fake ad "Wild Green Fiendy Liquid" comes around, followed by the fantastic blast of "Nightmare Zone," it's more Fiend-ish delights as it goes. Add in the full version of "Bun-Ho!" towards the end, plus takes on Hawkwind's space rock classic "Silver Machine" and, of all things, a weird and wigged version of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction," and fans will not be disappointed. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide