for Black Tape: Actually, I'd start with the BT tribute album Of These Reminders, which will give you a wide, wide range of Projekt bands and let you decide what works for you lyrically from BT's catalog (as well, you get Lycia's version of "Across a Thousand Blades," so when you hear BT's version, you don't immediately shun it for life; Lycia does it fantastically, and without the... overeagerness, for lack of a better term... BT imparts). Human Drama! Attrition! Faith & Disease! Unquiet Void! And more, more, good god so much more!, as the Onion says. From there, find the relevant tracks on BT albums, and away you go.



My own experience with BT, ironically, is spottier than it is with just about every other band on the label. This is probably because I was a fan of so many of them before Projekt picked them up...

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for Lycia: Ionia is absolutely the place to start. Not a note out of place on that disc. (Trivia: I've been trying, sporadically, to pull Lycia out of retirement for one reunion show for... six years? seven? now, as the Vans live about ten miles from me. No luck yet, though.)