CLXIX. Various Artists | The Passion Of Covers - A Tribute To Bauhaus

VARIOUS ARTISTS

The Passion Of Covers - A Tribute To Bauhaus

©Cleopatra. US, 1996.

‟This one would've been hard to screw up. Who's not gonna jump in on a Bauhaus tribute CD? They have (mostly) good bands doing all the hits.

The Electric Hellfire Club's cover of "Bela" stays close to the original, as do several other tracks. Faith and The Muse's "Hollow Hills" is a reminder that any good comp sparks interest in the featured bands. Fahrenheit 451 and Eva O take "The Three Shadows (Part II)" in a fresh direction. (Now that Brendan Perry is pretty much retired, Athan Maroulis is neck-and-neck with Peter Murphy for Best Male Voice in dark music.) Black Atmosphere's "Muscle In Plastic" and Wreckage's "Largartija Nick" are the strongest reminders of the role punk played in early goth.

Two Witches' cover of "King Volcano" isn't as bad as others have claimed; it's a goofy song to begin with. The only real problem is that the singer sounds like he just had a novocaine shot. Makes you appreciate This Ascension's "In The Flat Field" that much more. "She's In Parties" continues Ikon's homage to Ian Curtis. Blade Fetish provides a perfect closing with "All We Ever Wanted Was Everything."

The "Multi-Image" cover is nifty, and the bands bring enough new flavor to merit the compilation. I'd give it five stars if it had Faith and The Muse covering "Silent Hedges".‟ 

Scott Sweet

CXIX. Faith And The Muse | Elyria

FAITH AND THE MUSE

Elyria

©Tess. US, 1994.

‟Faith and the Muse found me at a very good time, a time i was searching for something new to listen to, something i could really latch on to - the 'next big thing'. And they fit the bill perfectly. 'Annwyn, Beneath the Waves', their second, was actually the one to reach me first, but it was only a matter of time from there that i delved into the rest of their catalogue, including Elyria, their debut.

Very diverse band, tying in lots of gothic, Celtic, and even tribal influences... and i love tribal influences. Dark, atmospheric, moody, heavy, they run pretty much the whole Gauntlet of Goth. Vocalist/instrumentalist Monica Richards, formerly of Strange Boutique, has a wonderful, vaguely-Siouxsie Sioux-ish voice, and while she may be a little 'pitchy', the studio finds her at her best, and former-Christian Death/Mephisto Walz instrumentalist William Faith is simply incredible. And Elyria was a beautiful starting point for this highly-recommended band.‟

Drakkar

CXII. Various Artists | Darkwave: Music Of The Shadows V2

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Darkwave: Music Of The Shadows Vol.2

©K-Tel International. US, 2000.

‟Within the realms of Darkwave, you can chart three basic eras, all featured on this CD. The groundbreaking artists appeared in the early '80s and have stayed active (in one form or another) up to the present day. Europeans of this era include Cocteau Twins and The Legendary Pink Dots; while Rozz Williams, Controlled Bleeding and Black Tape For A Blue Girl represent a section of the American front. The second generation, drawing inspiration from the former, came onto the scene in the early '90s. These include Lycia, Love Spiral Downwards, Miranda Sex Garden, Lustmord, Roach/Rich, and Faith & The Muse. Finally, you have young up-starts like Rhea's Obsession and The Crüxshadows, who appeared in the late '90s and reintroduced a beat to the Darkwave sound.

Whether you are contemplatively listening to music alone by candle light, submerged in mid-winter finals with a dark soundtrack slowly churning in the background, or watching that sexy thing you've had your eye on dancing at the local club, chances are this CD wiil serve as the perfect soundtrack to your experience; that effervescent and seemingly unobtainable mystery which awaits you when you walk through the portal...‟

Sam Rosenthal