Whitehouse

Great White Death, the last Whitehouse effort for Come Organisation, differs greatly from some of their earlier albums. The instrumental parts of the songs are not played on such extreme levels as before; however, the vocals of William Bennett are unusually dynamic and intense. Songs such as "We've Got the Power," "I'm Coming up Your Ass," and "You Don't Have to Say Please," for example, have a low bass drone in the background, while Bennett stretches his voice from quiet whispering to high-pitched feedback screaming. Some might consider this an old and exhausting example of polarization, but as is usual for Whitehouse, William Bennett has such a strong sense of dynamics that his vocals still sound fresh and honest. And even though the songs mentioned before might be the only standout tracks of the album, Great White Death is still very strong as a whole. Because of its nature (emphasis on vocals), it can't be recommended as an introduction to Whitehouse's music, but it sure is a treat for their old fans. [This is a reissue of Great White Death on the Susan Lawly label.]