Laibach

For two decades now, Laibach has been creating propulsive music as a sardonic response to the turmoil in its Slovenian homeland. On WAT, the band's first release in seven years, the fearless foursome evokes memories of a once-bleak landscape, this time with almost effortless electronic purity. It's political techno-rock.

The opener, "B Mashina," sounds off like a death march, paving the way for the electro-industrial indulgence that follows. Though not as aggressive as previous outings, WAT still symbolizes the band's viewpoint -- attacking fascism, political correctness, and right-wing politics, with tongue tucked in cheek for good measure. The uninitiated will find a few similarities to the fetish pyros of Rammstein, if only in voice, but Laibach's music harbors far more thought-provoking overtones, especially in the bludgeoning beatfests "Achtung!" and "Tanz mit Laibach."

With lyrics that contemplate the bridges between life and death, and art and commerce, Laibach remains an anomaly in a genre that was buried alive by the electronica wave of the mid-'90s. Regardless, WAT is an updated if not groundbreaking return to form by a band that really needs to get something off its chest. You've been warned.