This double cd of international industrial, techno, and otherwise machine wielding artists is obviously an ambitious project, with a cast of hundreds and who knows how many thousands of circuit boards bubbling, boiling, roaring and purring within it's myriad of pulsing grooves. The discs are divided by element- "Fire" and "Ice". One would quickly draw the conclusion that the flame-named disc would be rife with Skinny Puppy influenced cyber Satan bands, and the second disc would cool things down with that breezy Euro-trash robot disco music. That's not what happens, though. I've listened to both discs several times now, and I can certainly tell the difference between them, but I'm not sure how they correlate with their titles. "Ice" is actually the more abrasive disc of the two, albeit in a deceptively dark and blurry way, featuring outfits that blend goth atmosphere and hissing vocals with eerie ambience and clanging dissonance. Tracks of note include Fatal Blast Whip's "Fade Away", which starts off with a lonely piano caught in an endless loop, and slowly builds into what sounds like Chrome attempting seductive cyborg lounge muzak. Then there's the floating in space, watching Earth melt with a self-satisfied grin dreamscape of Eskimo's "Oliptus", and the maddening, slumberous drone turned monolithic synth growl of Pyschokinetic Disrupter's "Spine". The "Fire" disc sticks to more familiar, though no less eccentric, formulas of vocal samples, bleeps and blips, and fascistic dance beats. Highlights include the Catholic indoctrination through snaky disco of opener "One of these mornings" by Attrition, the Ministry-influenced post-industrial punch of Deadjump's "Joke", and the downright evil "Retrograde" by Drugmurdersexorgy. Really, though, you could put both of Black Planet's discs in you disc changer, hit 'random,' and hear new strange sounds every time. There's not a hint of rock and roll to be found anywhere on this 'Planet', but for a veritable orgy of mutating sonics, this one will take you on a seriously narcotic ride.