Kontravoid : "Detachment"

 To be a clique for non-conformists, it takes a great deal of conformity to break big as an artist in the goth scene.  This is coming from someone who has been called one of the gatekeepers of the scene. I don't see such a label as negative. Though I think this artist already had all the elements in play that were needed to be admitted, this album feels like it is an almost overcompensating step forward, and too mindful of what DJs at Goth clubs would want to play. I do not think the point of goth should be what is good to dance so, just a "goth nite" can be little more than a fashion show where the music adheres too slavishly to the same two dozen bands and the bands who want to sound like them. 

This conclusion comes after weighing the direction of this album against what this project has previously done. This finds some of the industrial elements sacrificed to make things more dancey. Nuovo Testemento singer Chelsey Crowley lends her voice to the song "Losing Game" and it works really well, even if they worship the 80s heavily here, with a more new wave feel. The songs are pretty good so in some respects it is hard to complain, but it makes me wonder why have things not always sounded like this and listen for the more familiar elements. It is driving and bound to cause booty shaking which are the lowest common denominator elements firing off most effectively. 

Synth wave, EBM, and dark wave are all genre labels depending on what song you are hearing, and what part of the said song you are hearing. "Death Shot" highlights the fact his vocals are the weak spot for this project. By the time we get to "Sin Walker" the songs are beginning to follow more of a formula that begins to make them sound the same. "How It Ends" might be propelled by a more rapid-fire bpm, but sonically is not too far removed from the previous songs. This is a trend that does not change. So with that in mind, I will give this album an 8, if you are looking for something synth-driven and dancey for your weekend cocaine excursions then this is the album for you. Out on Artoffact Records.

pst220