| Deep Red Chimera |
Some have said that Gothic Rock is dead -- killed by Synthpop, or by EBM, or maybe Andrew Eldritch. Miami trio Deep Red must not be reading the obituaries. Their latest release "Chimera" is a tasty piece of modern Gothic Rock, and if it's dead, it is one beautiful corpse. Combining the elegaic grandeur of vintage Bauhaus with the catchy rhythms of modern dance music, "Chimera" proves the naysayers wrong. Bela Lugosi may be dead... but a quick listen to this CD will prove that Gothic rock is still alive, well and relevant. How do they do it? For starters, they have a Real Live Person behind the drumkit, not just a beatbox. Mario Soto is a superb percussionist. His steady hand underpins Martha Arce's ethereal vocals on "Moments" and cuts through the keyboard haze on "Blue in Heaven." Not content to rest on his drumming laurels, he also adds a tasty bass lines on "Starless" and the X-Vortex remix of "Sin to Sin." He's got rhythm, he's got music, he's got good tunes -- who could ask for anything more? (Well, maybe Cole Porter could ask yr. humble reviewer for an apology... ) DC Astro's keyboard stylings are also enormously important to the Deep Red sound. Thankfully, he avoids the New Cliches: the whooshy, wispy chords which are part and parcel of most modern synthpop only make brief appearances in "Chimera II." His smooth, rhythmic progressions alternately evoke Giorgio Morodor or Kraftwerk, but never overwhelm Martha Arce's vocals or become tedious or tiresome. Deep Red uses keyboards as an instrument, not as an end in themselves. Astro is also the man behind the slick production and mixing: if he ever tires of playing in a band, he's definitely got a potential career in the studio. And last, but certainly not least, there are the vocals and lyrics of Martha Arce. Arce is a skilled singer, but also (thankfully) refreshingly free of ego. She's able to work with the band, not as the leader so much as another part of the equation. She's able to sing with the band and support the music... a rare talent in singers. Her throaty, sexy vocals give "Books of Fate" real single(and dancefloor) potential, while her multilayered harmonies on "Nothing's Ever Enough" are more than enough for rock and roll. Once upon a time, New Wave gave the lumbering beast which was Arena Rock a swift kick in the tush. Today dance culture has done the same with Gothic Rock. This isn't synthpop, but it has definitely been influenced by synthpop and by electronica. Avoiding the "hand stapled to forehead" cliches of Goth Rock and the "cue the whooshing synth/cue the drum machine/cue the baritone vocal" cliches of Synthpop, this release has both brains and a beat, and should please Gothic purists and synthkiddies alike. Highly recommended. 1) The Etruscan Kills Again DC Astro: Keyboards, Drums, Programming, Sound Design Official Deep Red webpage |