Gothtober- Skeletal Family : "Light From the Dark"

 

This album came out back in April, so I am glad to have found it.  These guys are an old-school goth band from the 80s who reformed with a new singer. They came out shortly after Siouxsie so it's not like these guys are a new band trying for a retro sound that is just how it's going to come out,.  Anneka Latta employs a broader range of influences. The end result still does not sit far outside the zip of what Siouxsie did. But it is different enough that it does not feel like I am hearing the same band over and over. There is the organic feel of a band playing actual instruments, and playing them well  You can hear traces of 10000 Maniacs in "Brewing Up a Storm".  The first two songs were darker, this one is more Autumn than Halloween. In fact on "What Are You Waiting For" there is more of a Blondie feel as it's more upbeat, and flirting with the line between a disco beat and punk rock. 

The band might have tagged themselves with the death rock sub-genre, but I am not getting any of the sleazy drugged out in a Hollywood cemetery feel that death rock invokes. When her voice drops down in a more emotive plea on "Beautiful Disaster". The chorus is rather anthemic, and it's the best song so far on the album. "New Horizon" does not quite go full-on Pat Benatar, but it's beginning to move in that direction. Impressive in their ability to capture this song, it is just not my sort of thing. "All the Same to Me" gets things back on track in a darker direction. Her vocal melody in the verses carries more of a purr. 

"Glorious" combines post-punk with 80's FM rock anthems in a pretty effective manner. Perhaps they do this even better on "Enough is Enough" which has a more Gary Numan-like groove to it. The reverb on the guitar that weaves the opening strains of "My Own Redemption" gets things back in the spookier mood I prefer. Her vocals do not seek to compliment this in an overwrought contrived manner, but feels like she is singing as her true self. I will give this album a 9, I rounded it down as 9.5 feels like an album I have to download today, this one I will be happy to find it though unsure how much play time this will get, but conceded to the fact it is a wonderfully written album that touches so many sonic colors I enjoy.