Stephen Cooper- Stephen Cooper

Released in 2003, Venezuela-based Stephen Cooper's debut solo EP blends industrial, goth rock, and metal influences into a rhythmic blend with obvious underpinning hints of Rob Zombie and, perhaps, Marilyn Manson. From the rhythmic distorted guitar riffing and growled/screamed metal vocals of "Slave To His Own Creation" to the mellow, bleak balladry of "Cradle of Pain", Cooper's 20-minute, 5-song outing runs a relatively diverse path.

The aforementioned "Cradle of Pain", lazily weaving a moody goth rock web, and the more electronics-centric, club-oriented "Beautiful Disease" are the real highlights here. The energetic, guitar/drum-driven "Hives Factory" is the most Rob Zombie-esque offering on display, while the steady percussion and brooding synths of "Misanthrope" offer up a sparse retro goth atmosphere.

Overall, Stephen Cooper's debut EP, while a little under-produced, is a decent, albeit sometimes derivative, goth/metal/industrial hybrid that showcases fair songwriting and a sound likely to have both mainstream and underground appeal. Hopefully foreshadowing stronger things to come, fans of the aforementioned artists from which Cooper derives much of his sound may find a trip to his myspace site for a listen worthwhile.