Beneath the Skin is the debut studio album by Collide, released in January 1996 by Re-Constriction Records in the USA and by Nightshade Productions in Germany, each with a different bonus track.

Reception Aiding & Abetting praised Beneath the Skin and said "the music and vocals build slowly around a pulsating beat, culminating with a orgy of sonic delights" and "the title track really show off Statik's talent for crafting a massively attractive sound." Alternative Press commended the band for being unique to Re-Constriction Records' roster and was especially praising of the track "Falling Up", which the critic claimed weaves "kaRIN's threads through a quilt of distant voices, submerged electric guitar chords, Laibachian ghosts and a Banshee beat." very atypical for the Re-Constriction label, breaking away from its traditional industrio-guitar sound." Jennifer Barnes of Black Monday "there's a lot that can be done with those contrasts, and I’m not sure they use noise to fullest potential" and "the music is put together almost flawlessly and is a little too perfect for my taste." Sonic Boom commended the writing of founding member Statik, saying he "is able to compose music which completely compliments kaRIN's voice without always having to resort to slow drawn out ballads and other conventional roles that female vocalists have been pigeon holed by popular music." A critic at Lollipop Magazine compared the band favorably to Cocteau Twins and Front Line Assembly "Collide creates a sound that is at once mysterious and obvious."

Track listing

Personnel Adapted from the Beneath the Skin liner notes.

Collide Statik – programming, noises, production, engineering, mixing, mastering, sonic matrix assembly kaRIN – vocals, poetry

Additional performers Danny Borsheid – Guitar (2) Marko Fox – Guitar, Bass (3) / Guitar (6) Chris Candelaria – Guitar, Bass (4) J. Gordon – Additional guitar (4)

Production and design Susan Jennings – cover photography Steve West – inside photography Jack Pedota – portrait avantography Durmel DeLeon – kaRIN insert photo Noiseplus Productions – Layout and design

Release history Region Date Label Format Catalog United States 1996 Re-Constriction CD REC-020 Germany Nightshade N-01, SPV 085-43152 United States 2005 Noiseplus DL 808458400027 2007 CD Noise 004 2018 DL

References

External links Beneath the Skin at collide.net

Beneath the Skin at Bandcamp Beneath the Skin at iTunes