DARK ROMANIA webzine

THE LAST DAYS OF JESUS - Alien Road
CD | Strobelight | 2004 | Gothic Rock

TRACKS

Welcome To Earth (Intro)
Everyday Is Halloween
Guns'n'Drums'n'March'n'Fun (Alien Edit)
Fear, Gunshot… Then The Bliss
Life In Line
Looter Do-Gooder
Merry-Go-Round
Death Song
Connected Or Infected
Paranoid Humanoid
Communication (Between The Red Walls)
Alien Domestic Humanoid Sick

REVIEW

Strobelight Records created a real program in bringing out on the European market of some American deathrock bands as Frank The Baptist or Screams For Tina. The compilations edited by them, and I especially refer to “New Dark Age Vol.1”, leave out in the open other intentions too, by including in these compilations of some European bands pertaining to the same music style. This aspect is as more important as many times has been stated/said that the European scene will be but a pastiche of the American scene (for example, many reproaches being addressed to some bands as Chants Of Maldoror or Blood, Dead & Sexy to sound like a clone of Christian Death & Rozz Williams related). Referring to the last year single TLDJ, I was a little bit skeptical, I can say that I was not impressed. “Gun’s’n’Drums’n’March’n’Fun” seems to me as a song easily like by everybody, slightly easy. One of the songs on the new album, “Connected Or Infected”, is present on the second compilation of “New Dark Age”. So my curiosity was higher. Now the first impression has somehow withered away! In any case, one cannot reproach their lack of originality and the monotony. The general line is one of new-deathrock with influenced of batcave and gothic-rock from‘80s. One can notice influences from Bauhaus (see the sax from “Everyday Is Halloween”), Sex Gang Children and... Current’93 (vpe “Mary-Go-Round”). I can say that the songs vary pretty much, aspect easily seen if you listen to “Fear, Gunshot... Then the Bliss” and then you pass to the cadent rhythms of “Life In Line”, in which the voice and the lyrics also remind of what nowadays is called gothabilly, and then “Lootoer Do-Gooder” looks really joyful, as a clown on the verge of committing suicide. BTW, if you want to see an explication for the band’s name you must listen very carefully “Paranoid Humanoid”! I will stop here because I’m listening to the album continuously and I am thinking of thinks about every song. I know that I can’t listen to all the good music ever made, but this album is of the albums I wouldn’t want to miss. Many have said that they deserve to be seen live, but if you think that now they are performing with Antiworld, I have to agree with that!
Mark: 10/10
Internet: http://www.lastdays.host.sk/
http://www.strobelights-records.com/

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