Goth isn’t dead, it’s just resting, or undead, if you will. Goth pioneers such as The Cure, Bauhaus and The Mission are still major draws but some other newer bands are also keeping the undead spirit alive.
Glasgow act Bela and the Lugosis are doing just that, along with more electronic acts such as West Lothian duo Gravelle.
BM is certainly partial to a bit of goth and this album is a confident and enjoyable release, with a total of 12 tracks.
The vibe is actually more like garage goth, with some very raw sounds and pretty much no electronica in evidence. Lead vocals do recall a bit of Bowie, Eldritch and the rest but the tunes are catchy, with some great harmonics and a pounding backline of bass and drums.
Highlights for BM are probably “Like A Hurricane” (which would be a good single), the rasping ‘Patricia Villas’ (a tribute to Patricia Morrison maybe?) which actually sounds more glam than goth, and the Velvet Underground-esque ‘All The Love’.
This is well worth checking out and is not a niche goth release – it could have a far wider appeal and although they are a bit pigeonholed by their Bauhaus-referencing band name, there may be an audience out there who doesn’t even know the goth history and may just think these are very good tunes… BM would be interested to catch them live as well, not aware of any forthcoming gigs, but shall have to wait and see…