From the Mass Media, April 7th, 1992

Course of Empire
Course of Empire
Carpe Diem/Zoo Entertainment
**

The self-titled debut from Course of Empire has a few good cuts, but is 
unimpressive for the most part.  I'll start with the good, though, and work
up to the bad.  To begin with, I have to give these guys credit for at 
least playing what they want to play.  There are fast industrial songs, 
medium-speed Church-like songs, and then a song or two that would get them
signed to Windham Hill.  They certainly don't compromise themselves in 
order to please a narrow audience.  The production is consistent and of
high quality, as is the musicianship.

Now, the bad.  Unfortunately, all these fast, medium, and slow songs of
consistent production quality don't go anywhere.  They drone on and on
with little change.  The faster songs, such as "Ptah" and "Coming of the
Century," remind me of Ministry, in that they never deviate until you hit
the "next track" button on the CD player.

Another problem I have with this band is that they try too damn hard to be
intellectual.  it comes off sounding too pretentious and, in fact, makes 
Bono look like a self-conscious, quivering fourteen-year-old girl.  Quotes
such as "Vegetarianism is just a symptom of a thought process we all share"
make me say to myself, "Oh no!  Not another Consolidated!"

By all means, this is not a terrible album.  With a bit of change within
the songs, and a toning-down of the holier-than-thou attitude, it might be
fun to listen to, and not the tedious, religious, intellectual experience
it is.  After all, I deal with that crap all day.

-Brian Reisinger