(no subject)
DER HIMMEL ÜBER BERLIN
MEMORIES NEVER FADE
Swiss Dark Nights
Another punishingly good recording from Swiss Dark Nights, of a band I am unfamiliar with so I know only that they’re an exciting live band with proactive Goth, deep thoughts and high ambitions.
‘Donau Ruf’ starts with the embers of Davide Simeon’s guitar fanned by the flame of Paoli Rossi’s drums (since replaced by Riccardo Zamolo?), stoked by the bass fuel wielded by Stefano Bradaschia and deeply sonorous singing starts from Teeno Vesper, so within a minute you know we have a serious unit here, all equally distinctive. This is Goth which can’t stand still and does more than subtly twitch. The rhythm attack is BIG too, which is always nice.
‘A Sad Boy’ has more engaging bass and the space to display it, the drums and guitar friskier and bouncing, the vocal a little less full on, the guitar effort escalating over the relentlessly propelling drums. ‘Night Moans’ delivers more examples of how slickly they revolve around each other, the guitar offering elegant whispers as the drums are instil crisp authority, never creating any cloudy merging but a subtle intoxicating whirl of activity.
‘We Dreamt To Be Happy’ jiggles as it jingles, and unless I’m demented there’s floaty synth in the background but nothing credited, so maybe that’s just me. They’re using some taped effect at the star of the beautiful ‘Birch Forest’ so I guess they do have electronic input. Here they’re limber and using the choppiness to infuse extra energy with the looming bass to resonate moodily. Out of the atmospheric fog low vocals groan. Guitar and drums again cut through and away, leading to a swift, emphatic close.
‘Blue Scarecrow’ is calmer, with cheekier stomping drums and flicked guitar behind the happily moping vocals. ‘Strawberry Lipstick ’is equally relaxed, positively romantic, soppy vocals and sweetly curving bass. ‘Varena’ is in similarly serene territory but with some lovely guitar touches. This all reminds me a beaming version of House Of Usher. Then the mood switches with a solemn drum beat and drizzling guitar intro for ‘Eaten Up’, the bass lifting them and marshalling a dignified sound as they tread water thoughtfully with some neatly catchy bumpy bits. ‘Sweet Dancing Butterfly’ has more sweet guitar flourishes and bobbling bass, the vocals quite dainty here which is good because he needs to watch that tendency to drone he has. With a voice that has an interesting tone he ought to shell out for singing lessons because it would help bring added confidence and enable him to project more.
They end with the glumly glorious ‘Allumette Lucifer’, beautifully downcast guitar moving up the sullen bass staircase at the top of which wilting vocals are draped and the variety comes from the drums, and there’s not many bands you can say that about, but then this band has a rich appeal.
To feel distinctly unusual while not seeming to do anything different shows they have class.
(Valerio has informed me Memories Never Fade was the previous lineup, Paolo Rossi singer as well as drummer.)
http://www.reverbnation.com/derhimmelüberberlin
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Der-Himmel-über-Berlin/152787191416864
http://swissdarknights.bandcamp.com/album/memories-never-fade
https://www.facebook.com/SwissDarkNights
MEMORIES NEVER FADE
Swiss Dark Nights
Another punishingly good recording from Swiss Dark Nights, of a band I am unfamiliar with so I know only that they’re an exciting live band with proactive Goth, deep thoughts and high ambitions.
‘Donau Ruf’ starts with the embers of Davide Simeon’s guitar fanned by the flame of Paoli Rossi’s drums (since replaced by Riccardo Zamolo?), stoked by the bass fuel wielded by Stefano Bradaschia and deeply sonorous singing starts from Teeno Vesper, so within a minute you know we have a serious unit here, all equally distinctive. This is Goth which can’t stand still and does more than subtly twitch. The rhythm attack is BIG too, which is always nice.
‘A Sad Boy’ has more engaging bass and the space to display it, the drums and guitar friskier and bouncing, the vocal a little less full on, the guitar effort escalating over the relentlessly propelling drums. ‘Night Moans’ delivers more examples of how slickly they revolve around each other, the guitar offering elegant whispers as the drums are instil crisp authority, never creating any cloudy merging but a subtle intoxicating whirl of activity.
‘We Dreamt To Be Happy’ jiggles as it jingles, and unless I’m demented there’s floaty synth in the background but nothing credited, so maybe that’s just me. They’re using some taped effect at the star of the beautiful ‘Birch Forest’ so I guess they do have electronic input. Here they’re limber and using the choppiness to infuse extra energy with the looming bass to resonate moodily. Out of the atmospheric fog low vocals groan. Guitar and drums again cut through and away, leading to a swift, emphatic close.
‘Blue Scarecrow’ is calmer, with cheekier stomping drums and flicked guitar behind the happily moping vocals. ‘Strawberry Lipstick ’is equally relaxed, positively romantic, soppy vocals and sweetly curving bass. ‘Varena’ is in similarly serene territory but with some lovely guitar touches. This all reminds me a beaming version of House Of Usher. Then the mood switches with a solemn drum beat and drizzling guitar intro for ‘Eaten Up’, the bass lifting them and marshalling a dignified sound as they tread water thoughtfully with some neatly catchy bumpy bits. ‘Sweet Dancing Butterfly’ has more sweet guitar flourishes and bobbling bass, the vocals quite dainty here which is good because he needs to watch that tendency to drone he has. With a voice that has an interesting tone he ought to shell out for singing lessons because it would help bring added confidence and enable him to project more.
They end with the glumly glorious ‘Allumette Lucifer’, beautifully downcast guitar moving up the sullen bass staircase at the top of which wilting vocals are draped and the variety comes from the drums, and there’s not many bands you can say that about, but then this band has a rich appeal.
To feel distinctly unusual while not seeming to do anything different shows they have class.
(Valerio has informed me Memories Never Fade was the previous lineup, Paolo Rossi singer as well as drummer.)
http://www.reverbnation.com/derhimmelüberberlin
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Der-Himmel-über-Berlin/152787191416864
http://swissdarknights.bandcamp.com/album/memories-never-fade
https://www.facebook.com/SwissDarkNights