Music: Billy Morrison: Stimulator

Our Take

Billy Morrison impressed many listeners last year with his new act Circus Diablo. But what a lot of people might not know is that this former bassist for The Cult had a band known as Stimulator back in 1998. However, due to a label merge the band’s full length debut was recorded but never released to the public. Nearly ten years later, Morrison has decided to release that debut as a solo release, intended to tide fans over until his new solo album comes out (due out later this year). And though it was recorded over ten years ago, the music on Stimulator still feels fresh and is sure to please.

The instrumentals on Stimulator are a cross between hard rock and industrial, reminiscent slightly of what Stabbing Westward was doing around this time. However, it is worth mentioning that Billy Morrison’s material stands out as it features the programmed elements as a background entity rather than at the forefront of the sound. Even though this music is from nearly ten years ago the songs are still very addictive and feel like they could’ve come from a current group, making it clear just how strong this material truly was when it was recorded. I dare say that I might like it a little more than what Morrison did with Circus Diablo last year, but in that group’s defense they still have plenty of time left ahead of them.

Morrison sounds great throughout the course of Stimulator, offering up plenty of rough singing and attitude to go along with the heavier instrumentals. The lyrics are often angry and sometimes violent, and it fits extremely well with the other styles that are established throughout each and every song. If Christopher Hall and Stabbing Westward’s music at the time represented hopelessness and despair, Billy Morrison and Stimulator’s represented anger and in your face violence. It still stands out today, and clearly has gone on to influence Morrison’s other projects.

Stimulator may have originally been planned to come out ten years ago, but even today it stands as a strong piece of work that is better than much of what is on commercial radio right now. It will take listeners back to a time when this style of music dominated the scene, and had it been released in 1998 would’ve been a hit. But now released as a Billy Morrison solo release, it finally has its chance to shine and will hopefully prove to be an inspiration on his upcoming solo work later in the year.

http://www.billymorrison.net

Chris Dahlberg
June 28, 2008