Hard-Wired Gothic Rock Review
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'When I'm walking alone in the dark...' is a great opening line, to the wonderfully-titled 'The London Fog'. It's delivered deadpan by Peter Murphy sound-a-like Chris. A creepy, yet strangely funky, church organ adds to the atmosphere. Then singer Dany adds Danielle Dax-style strident female vocals. This, Ladies and Gentlemen, is Italy's The Stompcrash, who have prepared an album of post-punk, 80s-influenced alternative rock for your delight. 'Like a Noise' blends Cure guitars and New Order synths, with female vocals to the fore. The Stompcrash have the feel of a real band who play together nicely. There's an organic feel to their songs that never feels lo-fi, while at the same time never sounding polished to exclusion of its joie-de-vivre, or should that be joie-de-mort? The mix of FX-driven guitars and doomy synths is a classic one, but it is a style of which I'll never tire.
'Watching Me Fall' brings to mind The Chameleons, with its shimmering guitar which builds to a satisfying climax. The curiously-titled '99 Cats' has a wonderful lolloping rhythm. Dany presents us with a story which starts with the intriguing line: 'She tried to escape in a long white robe'. It's easy to imagine that this is one of the band's songs which take inspiration from the gothic stories by writers such as HP Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe, and Philip K. Dick. Investigating further one discovers that The Stompcrash's lyrical style is a cruel and unusual one, but this perverse twist to the words adds to the quality of the band's music as a whole. Using a girl's name as inspiration for a song title has become a cliche, so full marks to The Stompcrash, for Dorian, named after the titular character in Oscar Wilde's 'The Picture of Dorian Gray.' This song is mid-paced, which is no less exciting for its languor. 'Modern Slaves' blends the riffing guitars and walls of synthesisers perfectly. There's a feeling of the intensity of The Bolshoi, though the spiky female vocals are very different from those of Trevor Tanner. 'I Will Kill Myself' drops the pace to almost ambient speed. Male and female vocals entwine over subtle use of keyboards and guitar. The pace picks up towards the end, preventing from the atmosphere becoming dull. 'Moscow' sounds like a Cure b-side, with radio reports about the titular city. Thankfully there is proper singing too - few things irritate me more than songs with samples of speech rather than real vocals. Once again the keyboards and guitars work well together. 'Wake Up In A Grave' is another fast-paced alternative rock song, enlivened by siren sounds. 'Bloody Rain' and 'The Wind That Moves the Flowers' are more of the same. They are enjoyable, but don't stretch The Stompcrash template. The Lovecraft inspired 'Mountains of Madness' brings things to a close. The bass and echo-laden guitars give a Fields of the Nephilim vibe in the quieter moments of the song. There are even icy wind effects to add to the spooky atmosphere. I almost wish that this song had been twice the length allowing it to really take the listener on a mystical journey. The Stompcrash have taken certain 80s elements and brought their own spin to the sound. The use of male and female vocals, sometimes together sometimes apart, keeps things interesting. There's an organic feel to their songs. They are never predictable, but never avant-garde either. If you want a band that takes the best of The Cure, New Order and The Chameleons and fashions something new then The Stompcrash are for you. |
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