The Hiram Key - Escape From Tzolk’in (2013)

The Hiram Key

Escape From Tzolk’in

Facebook

Buy 

Gary Ash is the front man at the official The Cure’s tribute band: The Cureheads. He is also in The Hiram Key , the other members are involved in such bands like Nosferatu & Killing Miranda (Belle Star), and Sean Flude is on bass guitar. Their sound is so radiant, with lots of melody and positive energy. It will make you think in the album “The Cure” from 2004, and “Wish”(1992) both by The Cure (of course). This will happen in the first moments; but other influences will come to your mind with subsequent tracks: You will think in David Bowie, Peter Murphy, etc., etc. As they say in their facebook page, The Hiram Key is:  Goth/ Dark-Indie/ Pop wave/ Guitar Wave/ New Wave. This is a wide and rich mixture; and the result is a quite enjoyable experience with great musicality.

This is a concept album about the Mayan apocalypse and space travels, and has very interesting collaborations from various talented musicians. With “Zero Gravity” we are literally propelled to the musical universe of The Hiram Key, the song explodes with wonderful energy: Belle Star’s creates some great rhythm, with a fast and overwhelming assault to the drum kit. The bass lines are pounding, and the guitar –voice combination is stunning. This song is really pure energy! “The dark” comes with great emotion and the appropriate dose melody; it embraces you with this warm felling, which is totally Cure-esque. “Anything” has this mixture of energetic Cure sound and alternative rock. It made think immediately in the album “The Cure” (2004). “Breathing ice is wonderful organic sound all in all: They have mixed electric and acoustic guitars, male and female voices… The result is a wonderful song. Don’t miss”Dizzy Christmas”; it sounds like a special collaboration of David Bowie and The Cure (“Wish” era) this is so catchy.”Electrostar” has good melody, and some slightly Heavy guitar sound. The approach is more Alternative in this one, and it has great chorus. “No more snow for Sean” will take you to another place with the hypnotic sound. You will feel like floating in the space; just like the astronaut of the album cover. “The lie” is a mixture of Alternative Rock sound, and The Cure. This one has really good rhythm.”Sensation” is very into 90’s alternative sound, mixed with electronic music. “Return to Oz” is a cascade of rhythm and Cure influence, very colorful and melodic.

I’m really glad to know about The Hiram Key, it has been such a good surprise to me. Give this a try and you will be captivated, this one really is best quality stuff.

Daniel Olvera

Tweet

Nosferatu - Wonderland (2011)

Nosferatu
Wonderland
Dark Fortune Records 

The Return Of The Vampire King…

The legendary band Nosferatu is perhaps the mayor Icon in the Gothic Rock scene from the 90’s; definitely they marked that era with the vampiric imagery, and their classic songs included in cult releases like: “Rise”, “Legend”, “The Prophecy”, ”Prince Of Darkness” and ” Lord Of The Flies” . They were the definitive Gothic Rock band of their time, and gained loyal legion of followers. In all of these years the band has been through various line-up changes, Damien DeVille has been the only original member, and he has maintained the flame alive. The band has been active, but their previous full-length release; “Lord of the flies” is from 1998. The following album “Revamped” was some kind of remake of tracks from the previous records, plus some new songs. For some years we only had some few new tracks from them, and they appeared in some singles, compilation albums, and different anthologies. In this millennium they have been playing live shows (including important festivals, like M’era Luna), the line-up is stable, and they released this “Wonderland” in 2011. And what a great come-back album it is.

The current line-up is: Founder member Damien de Ville (guitar), Belle (drums), Stefan Diablo(bass),and the return of the voice from such classic albums as  “Rise” ,and the releases chronicled in ”Legend”; Louis DeWray. Since the beginning of the album you can feel that the band is back in all of its glory: “Horror holyday” has everything to be a mayor single for this record; great energy, very dynamic rhythm, and the elegance of their sound combined with the best Gothic Rock, like only Nosferatu can do it. “Wonderland” is a beautiful song with stylized sadness and nostalgia. The voice is accompanied by deep and slow bass lines, the drums provide a smooth rhythm, and the guitar and piano came with sublime chords; and they are creating the emphasis for the mood of this song. “Silver” is strong passion with romance, the melody is highly captivating, and the rhythm has strength. This song is exquisite and it has moments of great emotion. In “Bombers”, the powerful bass lines, and the fast rhythm provided by Belle; are pure adrenaline. It has a hallucinating combination of acoustic and electric sounds on the guitars…Long live Gothic Rock! “Entwined” is a perfect balance of all things that Nosferatu has shown in this record: passion, strong rhythm, and elegance. This is a consummated Gothic Rock track done by masters. “Black Hole” has lots of energy and it reaches some frenetic moments. Another powerful track; and is refreshing because it shows another angle of the sound of Nosferatu. And talking about different angles in their sound; here’s a really good surprise: “Somebody put something in my drink”, is a cover version of the classic song by The Ramones (included in the “Animal Boy” album) I don’t need to explain what happens when a classic band makes a cover version of a great song, done by one of the most beloved bands around. “Monument” is quite melodic and fascinates you with their acoustic sound, later it transforms into something with more intensity, and it has exalted passion. Some few of the tracks have appeared in previous singles, some years later they started from zero, and they have recorded again those songs along with the new ones. The result is the album from Nosferatu that we have been expecting for too many years. They have returned in a masterly manner; and “Wonderland” is at the height of their classic releases. This is an album worthy of such a legend. ¡Thanks for the good music!

Daniel Olvera

Tweet

THIS IS GOTHIC ROCK episode 24

LISTEN HERE 
THIS IS GOTHIC ROCK 24

• Godless Procession - Nosferatu
• Godless Procession - Mil Noches
• Dreamtime - Escape
• Salvation - She in the Rain
• The Beautiful Dead - She Moved Belong
• The River Knows - The Void
• The Eden House - Neversea
• Rhombus - Timeless and Elegant
• Monica Richards - Pride
• The Beauty of Gemina - Haddon Hall
• Scofferlane - On Predators
• Date at Midnight - Inside
• The Mescaline Babies - Distorted Youth
• The Spiritual Bat - Sacrament
• Place4tears - Yearning
• Hyena Motorcade - Shadows
• Nosferatu - Silver
• Ahrayeph - Memories
• Ikon - Before the Dawn
• Merciful Nuns - Enlightenment

Tweet