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Angels of Liberty
Gothic Music Records
Stroblelight Records
Swiss Dark Nights
Buy It
With little to no marketing, word has spread about the Angels of Liberty, making it a classic in Goth venues and sessions, and generating a considerable fan base. I knew that. What I didn’t know, was that listening for the first time to Angels of Liberty for any Gothic Rock lover is no insignificant act. Take the release of Gothic Music Records, “Angels of Liberty”, a 2-CD collector set freshly out of the press, for instance: How does it affect your average Goth? Here is my experience.
This release includes the 2 first EPs of the band: “Monster in Me” and “The Black Madonna”, both originally released in 2011. It has a great design, it’s a real collector set, and beyond a doubt you can tell efforts have been put on the look and packaging. The mysterious being on the sleeve made my curiosity and impatience rise one more step. From the first listen, I could tell it was something big. Angels of Liberty’s music caught me, thrilled me, and left me with a poisonous addiction (they’re vampires aren't they?). This is real Gothic music from the old days made today. Intense, passionate, theatrical music “homemade” by two Gothic Rock lovers for Gothic Rock lovers. It’s terribly groovy, “unashamedly Goth” -as they say themselves-, and most of all it is DARK and filled with drama. No wonder it is one of the big revelations of the past two years. Tracks like “The Black Madonna”, “Weaving Spiders” or “Shadows Come from the Light ” gave me the urge to frenetically move my body. Almost all the songs on both EPs are authentic dancefloor fillers. “Mars & Minerva” is less danceable, but not less dramatic with heavy drums, amazing guitar effects, and hypnotic keys and vocals. “The Hermit”, the intro of the “Monster in Me” EP, reminded me of Tim Burton movies, like a childish yet gloomy music box.
Overall I got the feeling I was listening to a band contemporary of the early Rosetta Stone and Nosferatu, that is, a band of the late 80’s to mid-90’s. Theatrical, tongue-in-cheek imagery suggests a Glam Rock influence. I have been deeply impressed by this release. It feels like a breath of fresh air, and at the same time it feels like old school Goth Rock. So beware, fellow Gothic Music lovers, as you might get addicted very soon like me to Angels of Liberty’s intoxicating hooks. You’ll then wonder where the hell have these guys been before, and why it took you so long to get to know about them. Don’t miss it this time or you’ll regret it later! Check it out our interview with Angels of Liberty here.
Guillaume Renard
