Going by the theme "The Disco Party Was Fun, But Now It's Time To Rock," Canada's "Monster Voodoo Machine" desires a "Direct Reaction Now!" with their latest full-length recording - and damned if they don't deserve one. With a name such as theirs, it's highly likely you've heard of them before, but not too probable you've been able to place them with anything overly popular.

Getting their start around 1991, the band's early off and on experiments into re-mixed techno, telekinetic hard-core, and a number of industrial/electronic elements, gave them enough flash to get the ball rolling and establish credibility in their work with others, but never defining much of a name for themselves. It wasn't until their first LP, "Suffersystem," earned them the coveted Canadian Juno Award a few years ago, that the band first struck anyone's attention as a full-scale musical force.

Now, a number of major tours, lineup changes, and further experiments later, MVM has come full circle and are determined to stand out among that underachieving class of rock and rollers still confused about what their roles should be. And thus, "Direct Reaction Now!" comes across as a loud comeback, full of intense buzz-saw, noise-administered guitar domination that is, without question, a real shot in the arm to the hard rock community. Already landing a spot on last summer's "Ozz Fest" tour, and performing with the likes of Motorhead and Sepultura this fall, MVM is focused and ready to launch a new career with an album of ground breaking magnitude.

Everything about this new release should elicit one "reaction" or another, and it seems to matter little what direction that reaction goes in as long as it's something. They're making their pitch to get noticed again, and enter their name in the drawing at a time when the stakes have never been higher. So back to the "conditioned response" approach, whether it be from the album cover art that looks as though it could've been lifted right off the arm of a freshly tattooed muscle man, to the heart of the song lyrics contained inside, there will be an expression. But the most outward expression will doubtlessly come after hearing the loud and ruthless mutation that crashes through the speakers.

When I first heard this record, I couldn't help but draw a comparison to the latest Monster Magnet release. Not that this one is at all similar to theirs on a song for song level, it's the whole attitude about the band and the impact they expected to make here that drew me to parallel the two. MVM, purposefully veering away from the past, produced something that's new and exciting, which seems to be their obvious intent. After a quick earful of "Stealth M.F.," "Dragon Style," "Gimme A Riot" and "I Have Seen The Rise" to name a few, you'll see what I mean.

I'll go as far as to say that were it not for Monster Magnet's latest release, "Powertrip," (which many of us knew would be huge) beating MVM to the punch, "Direct Response Now!" might well have had the same breakthrough effect as theirs. Not to minimize what MVM has done, however. Their music speaks volumes in that it holds the same honest hard rock rationale of the latter. For "Monster Voodoo Machine," there exists a strong likelihood that with a still marketable name, a little luck, and well deserved recognition, a positive "reaction" is not a far cry away.