Portion Control have gone pop. Not in the sense that thirty years into their career they've suddenly decided to pander to a mainstream palate. But they haven't been this close to producing conventional electronic dance music since the release of "Step Forward" in 1984: "Violently Alive" is their most cohesive, coherent, consistent, and most easily consumed recording to date… (More: http://writatlarge.blogspot.com/2010/04/violently-alive.html )

Portion Control are menace defined. Outside the comfortable spectrum of a program director's play list, well removed from the bought and paid for merry go round of the underground and it's nascent love of pop music. It is perhaps telling the disparaging statements being made about this album, as the band are only becoming more enigmatic and deliberately unconventional. They will do what they do regardless of trends or expectations. Anyone who doesn't like it can fuck right off.The emphasis on technology overreaching itself, the ruthless efficiency of their entire process; I don't know how this pair continue to define electronics so viscerally but bless them. If you have been along on this wild ride for as long as I, you will clearly see the parallels between 'Violently Alive' and 'Psycho Bod Saves the World'.It becomes abundantly clear that they may be going away, the mission having been completed... whatever that may have been. I myself am just awed at the run they have done since re-forming in 2002. For all the idiotic nattering about too much directness in the compositions, plenty of the grit from 'Slug' has been brought along. Piavanni is in fine form, growling and stalking his way through it all. Whybrew deserves unmitigated praise for the incredible synthetic scenes he creates. All done in software, all done utilizing the same tools so many imbeciles use as a crutch to emulate what sells.Portion Control remain uncompromising, they will not give a nanometer to popular convention. People seem so intent on being entertained these days instead of confronted, well here's porcupine quill in your eye.