American Beast is the fifth studio album by LUXT, released on January 14, 2003, by Blackliner Records.[1][2] Vocalist Anna Christine considers the album to be the band's best recording. LUXT disbanded in 2005 after the album's release due to divergent opinions in artistic direction, with vocalist Anna Christine wanting to become mainstream and the rest of the band preferring to remain in the underground scene.[3]
Allmusic critic Brian O'Neill said "American Beast comes off like Shirley Manson fronting Marilyn Manson: moody and with gothic overtones, but also quite metallic and loaded with Rammstein-inspired industrial-strength electronics as well." O'Neill also praised Anna Christine's vocals, saying "her voice is sultry and completely muliebral, whether singing about blow jobs (or not, since "Suck It Down" is probably a metaphor for something) or the pangs of anguish that one feels just trying to make it through the day."[4] While agreeing on Christine's vocal prowess Exclaim! was also more mixed in its reception towards the music, saying "the guitars are average at best with their repetitive insipid cries" and "he samples are palatable and personable but not overly groundbreaking."[5] Patrick Schabe of PopMatters welcomed the band's diverse musical palette and praised the integration of goth and techno elements in their compositions.[6]
^NINa Górnisiewicz, Katarzyna; Gariboldi, Marco (December 4, 2009). "LUXT – Interview". Fabryka Industrial Rock & Metal Encyclopedia. Fabryka Music Magazine. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
^ abSciarretto, Amy (February 17, 2003). "Loud Rock". CMJ New Music Monthly. Vol. 74, no. 802. CMJ Network, Inc. pp. 21–22. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
^R. Weingarten, Christopher (February 3, 2003). "Under the Radar". CMJ New Music Monthly. Vol. 74, no. 799. CMJ Network, Inc. pp. 31–32. Retrieved August 3, 2020.