In Rotation, September 2005
Kit McAllister, Andrew Fenner and Kim Traub
Serious Suicide – Off With Your Head
Track Listing: Schizophrenic Junkies, Hail the Queen, Off With Your Head, Take It, Burn Me At the Stake, To Sir With Love.
Imagine the legendary punk band X “On the tweak,” with a generous dash of
Pee Wee Herman and you get the idea. Serious Suicide is not so much as dark,
as they are daffy. Founder Sammy Serious (yeah, you read that right) can’t
quite strike that queasy balance between the shocking and the absurd. We’re
talking more Bozo the clown than John “Pogo” Wayne Gacy. Vocalist Psyche
Suicide is fixated on phallic metaphors and exhausts them pretty much by the
end of this disc. Is it really that bad? Well, not exactly. The group can
play, but the arrangements aren’t anything you haven’t heard before. Maybe
that’s the problem. It’s like that party crasher with the whoopee cushion;
you might find yourself chuckling the first time, but sooner rather than
later, ”Chuckles” finds himself ejected from festivities. Keep moving folks,
there’s nothing happening here you haven’t seen before. (reviewed by KM)
Cruciform Injection – Epilogue
Track Listing: Reducer, 120 Over 80, Dark House, Vacant Bodies, Paralysis, In Silence, First Survey, Comatose, Sacrilege, Black Gold, Reducer (Haujobb Remix), Comatose (Pzychobitch Remix), Let it Die (E-Craft Remix), Significant Refuse (Neuroactive Remix), Vacant Bodies (Filament 38 Resurrection Remix).
Industrial trance electronica that is concurrently pounding and breakable; sort of like e.e. cummings “intense fragility”. This group is a big night noise in Chicago as of late, and “Epilogue” will give you an inside view on why this is so. Gothish male vocals (the chick in this band plays “keyboards and face-stomping”, ha ha) range from trancy incanations to, well... trancy chanting. Actually there are some rather distorted melodies that weave their way through from time to time, as well as some hell screams here and there. This stuff has a fast growth rate, like moss on steroids: on the first listen, I’m like “meh, not too shabby”, second listen I am digging it, third listen I’m hooked. (reviewed by AF)
Nuuk – Cold Kissed Eyes
Track Listing: Flood, Harmless Death, It’s Always You, Drowned, Why, Stoke, Flesh, Consolation, Cold.
This is the second full album from this Swiss group and even more engaging. These lads are an intriguing lot. They’re named after the capitol of
Greenland (no explanation given) and have managed to cull the flavour of the 80’s that we still venerate today. Guitarist Michael Sele loves his pedal
effects and uses them artfully and never to excess. Vocalist “The Snake” (how 80’s is that?) propels his voice through each song. His moods cover the full spectrum of angst-filled passion, to downcast introspection. Never at any point though are their influences blatantly obvious and they
have succeeded in transcending the nostalgic cliché by being very much in the present. No mean feat to be sure and this just adds to their mystique. I
think it’s that enigmatic Swiss reserve coming into play here. Either way, you won’t be disappointed. Nuuk has effectively delved into that romantic
exploration of the senses with a restraint that reveals their experience, yet intrigues you even more. You won’t be disappointed. (reviewed by KM)
Dvar – Rakhilim
Track Listing: Rakhilim, Ieroh, Ieroh 2, Yar Yar, Ir Rakhilim, Leriil, Naakhiil, Ya Raii Ta Hirrih, Hanaar, Nadrah, Schekhirail, Yalaraa T'kiin, Tavirim, Amaas Takhi, Kamharim, Schraii, Vo Rakhilim, Arraheem, Ieroh 3, Nehadaim.
I don’t really know what to do with this band. They are Russian gothic darkwave, that have been referred to as “cartoon gothic” and “lightwave” in attempts to describe what they do. The vocals sound like electronically generated children’s choruses a lot of the time, with odd, female, breathlike insertions on some tracks. Heavily layered electronica forms the instrumental side, which is deftly woven with the vocals; these kiddie chorus vocals sometimes take on the most malevolent and sinister overtones by the actuation of even the slightest snarl. It is like audio anime (the oriental influence is obvious) and so pseudo-sunny that even a little clouding is death and darkness by contrast. I can’t fathom whether there is any actual evil intent in all this. “Dvar” is a Jewish form that is sort of evangelical Torah. What a puzzle. I think this group is already becoming something of a guilty pleasure to me, though. They are really outre. (reviewed by AF)
x_Arcane_x – Arcane Elitism
Track Listing: Arcane Elitism, Mesmerism Of The Temptress’s Sirens, Vacchia
Dryades Of Selene, Arcanum, Ambience Of The Moon, Summoning The Muse, Acarnanian.
Fans of Death In June and Midnight Syndicate will enjoy this little opus. x_Arcane_x is primarily Greek recording artist: Pandelis (late of xIkonx and
the neo-folk group Daemonia Nymphe) who has constructed some dynamic instrumental tracks here. Wait a minute! Death In June? Neo-folk? I can just
hear Mick Mercer growling an admonishment about the seduction of innocents at the hands Neo-fascists. I’ll admit the publicity photo of Akanex has him
cloaked and hooded, sporting a death mask (not unlike DIJ) does give one pause and yes, the gravitas of music would make it ideal for theatrical
propaganda.
That being said however there’s more of the romantic in these tracks than some scheming subversive. That’s romantic with a capital “R.” With lush layers of keyboards with treated atmospherics and sparse sonorous vocals echoing in the background; you can easily imagine, the dark passages of
Daedalus’ labyrinth, or Leonidas leading the warriors of Lakonia off to war. This is a great tonic for those of you who were tortured with the Greek
classics. Revisit the ancient aeons (dressed in black of course!) courtesy of x_Arcane_x. (reviewed by KM)
Rosemary’s Babies – Talking To The Dead
Track Listing: What I Hate, Talking to the Dead, Sex Maniac, One Dead Low-life, I Vote Yes, Happy Song, Attack of the 50ft Cowboy, Sounds of Death, I’m Gonna Be Sick, You Just Don’t Rate, Alice in Murderland, That’s Alright That’s OK, Let’s Molest, Fake Babies, Dead Zone, Small Minds Think Small, Becky Bondage, Inferior, Blood Lust, The Green Hornet Theme, Fake Babies (live), Alice in Murderland (live), Talking to the Dead (live), That’s Alright That’s OK (live), Small Minds Think Small (live).
A series of blazing punk miniatures, many amounting to heated antiwar diatribe. A lot of them are so condensed they only present what amounts to a first verse/chorus segment, then end abruptly... sort of a “you get the idea, why belabor it” state of mind. Eerie Von, whose album we reviewed last month, played drums with this band; a band whose heyday was in the very early 80s when punk was still furious in the face of society and the music industry. This CD amounts to a Ghastly Records remastering of the whole Rosemary’s Babies catalogue. They were never very significant or famous back in the day, but it is refreshing to visit the early days of hardcore punk, and much of the material sounds better now than it did then. Perhaps it’s that antidote-to-EMO aspect that the early hardcore bands have to offer. (reviewed by AF)
Lucan Wolf – Night World
Track Listing: The Vampire, Night World, Bitten by Love, Along the Edge of Time, The Spell, Haunted, Legends, The Countess is Here, Kindred, Night World (Club Vampire Remix).
Lucan Wolf is not the rock star Lestat that I was expecting. With a name like Lucan Wolf, it’s hard for long-time Goths to take this album seriously, so I went into this review thinking I would find something camp. Unfortunately, this self proclaimed “Lord of the Night” has nothing to offer to anyone wanting to hear authentic Goth music. Those submerged in the dark world of vampires may already be familiar with Lucan Wolf’s music featured in the film soundtrack of “Countess Dracula’s Orgy Of Blood” from Frontline Films. All the lyrics here are vampire oriented and border on the hackneyed and romantic side of the nocturnal lore. “Passion in the moonlight, seduction in the dark” in “Bitten by Love” expresses the stereotypical longing of a pre-teen enamored by vampires. “Along the Edge of Time” is slightly more hypnotic, but that doesn’t make up for terribly produced, bad 80s tracks like “Haunted” or “Legends”. “Spell” takes time to explore another Halloween favorite, witches, with even more simplistic words. His attempt at a deep, dangerous bass vocal in “Kindred” leaves me pining for truly spooky Bauhaus over Bowie and Deneuve hunting for prey... now that’s genuinely sexy vampirism!
The songs with dark, driving dance/rock rhythms would definitely find a home in any coffin and the vocals are only appealing when distorted into twisted growls, like the gloom of “Catastrophic Error” or “The Death Of Truth.” There is a lot of silly Gothic music out there, but that is only attractive when the musician(s) are being campy on purpose. I don’t think that is the case here. Don’t take this collection of romantic vamp tunes too seriously and it can be a novel exploration of vampire music. (reviewed by KT)
Vittorio Vandelli – A Day of Warm Rain in Heaven
Track Listing: Farewell Farewell Thou Wedding-Guest, Beneath the Lighting and the Moon, My Heart as Dry as Dust, The Ocean Green, A Sadder and A Wiser Man, The Bay is White in Silent Light, The Curse in a Dead Man’s Eye, A Day of Warm Rain in Heaven, Whispers o’er the Sea, The Death-fire Danced at Night, I Killed the Albatross, For the Sky and the Sea and the Sea and the Sky!, The Moment I Could Pray, Singeth a Quiet Tune, Sails in the Sun.
“This heart within me burns. I pass, like night, from land to land...” – S. T. Coleridge
Lovers of Dead Can Dance and Project Darkwave will adore this release from Vittorio Vandelli, a member of the equally gorgeous Italian trio, Ataraxia. Deep vocals by Ataraxia’s Francesca Nicoli give the neoclassical/medieval compositions a haunting, Gothic edge. The thematic basis of this CD is based on The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner by S. T. Coleridge and it takes the listener on an equally epic journey. After the frantic opening track, the music descends into the rain soaked atmospheres of “Beneath The Lighting And The Moon.” Oceans of classical guitars and traditional, operatic melancholy on “The Ocean Green” explore the depths of an emotional abyss. “The Bay Is White In Silent Night” further illustrates the spiritual and lyrical beauty of Vandelli’s epic creation.
As the listener travels with the music as brooding songs release into the sparkling waves of “A Day Of Warm Rain In Heaven” or “The Moment I Could Pray”. The musical conclusion is aptly titled “Sails in the Sun” and the journey fades away gently. Every song title evokes the feeling of the music. The instrumentation is more acoustic than keyboard driven, and Vandelli uses his most famous guitar talents in rich, textural ways, most notably in “I Killed the Albatross.” The influences are worldly and widely varied, and the production quality is superb. This album works as a delicious whole, and has enough quality and profundity to to be savored again and again to discover its many layers. (reviewed by KT)
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