Punk Statik Paranoia

Y’know, when we first heard Orgy back in 1998 grinding out a passable industrial-rock cover of New Order’s “Blue Monday,” we just figured they were dedicated followers of fashion. As soon as Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson were no longer the taste du jour, we were certain the guys from Orgy would pack up their tent and head for greener pastures (or at least reinvent themselves as garage rockers). Well, they deserve credit for sticking to their guns. Punk Statik Paranoia finds them sans major label or any real buzz, but still pushing their middling electro-gloom punk. There are some well-crafted melodies pulsing beneath “The Obvious” and “Inside My Head,” but unfortunately few new ideas. Hooks are harder to find amid the shards of jagged guitar and robotic rhythms on “Vogue” and “Ashamed,” and with frontman Jay Gordon squealing and mumbling a little more than usual, they can’t help but sound a lot like Korn. Ultimately, Punk Statik Paranoia is far from incompetent, but even further from inspiring.