Diva X Machina - Diva X Machine Compilation / Various - Amazon.com Music

Not a bad idea for a compilation--a collection of songs from industrial bands fronted by female vocalists. If, as many critics claim, male-dominated industrial dance music is just so much posturing, this disc just might be the antidote, a riot-grrrl equivalent for the latex-and-fishnets crowd. And even thoughDiva X Machinagoes for quantity over quality, there are some gems to be mined here, at least once you get past the heavy-metal-isms of the first few tracks. Hexedene, a collaborative project between New Mind's Jonathan Sharp and vocalist Katie Helsby, contribute "Turn," a dance-friendly cut made atmospheric by Helsby's voice; Collide contribute a mix of "Beneath the Skin," an ethereal composition interspersed with bursts of guitar; Regenerator offer up "Rush," one of the stronger songs from theirSoulseekeralbum; and the always-brilliant Attrition remix their mid-'80s hit (well, as close to a hit as they were going to get, anyway) "I Am" with a trip-hop sensibility and add mournful strings. Still, in the end, althoughDiva X Machinamay be conceptually great, check out thesecond volumefor a slightly better execution.--Steve Landau