Stockholm-based goth rockers Then Comes Silence have unleashed their fourth long play album Blood via Nuclear Blast. Their first since g to the label earlier this year, Blood is promised to “unabashedly flirt with death and suffering and force a grin from the grim reaper himself in the shadows of the atomic collapse. Who would’ve thought the apocalypse could be so darn sexy?”
Living next to a graveyard has heavily influenced Svenson’s (vocals, bass, synth) writing and he its he has always been drawn to the darkness since his childhood. Losing his father midway through writing the album pushed the realms between life and death and added to the creativity of the songs which helped him cope with the loss.
Blood had me immediately reaching for my black eyeliner and lace; reminiscent of an 80s post punk era this album is beautifully grim. Eerie synth waves overlap a frenetic cadence of drum beats and distorted industrial guitar sounds. An underlying saturation of morose bass tones give it that classic goth feel and act as the perfect backdrop for Svenson’s haunting lyrics; “The Dead Cry For No One” being the perfect opener and example of this.
But don’t get me wrong, it’s not all doom and gloom, many of the tracks are upbeat musically and toe-tappingly pleasing – “Warm Like Blood” for instance; its morbid lyrical theme is bashed into submission with crunching riffs provided by Kapadia and Karnstedt and an almost disco beat from Fransson. It’s like a surreal pre-apocalyptic party and we’re all invited.
“Good Friday” touches on life and death experiences and opens a little window into Svenson’s soul. He opens up about his father’s death and how he meets him in his dreams. It’s a powerful track, emotionally stirring and harrowing musically. Influences can be heard from many 80s goth rock bands from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds to The Cure and Joy Division throughout as well as Killing Joke; one of Svenson’s favourites. Fans of this era will love this album.
Final track “Mercury” is probably the darkest sounding and slowest track on the album. Opening like a funeral march it gradually builds layers of atmospheric rock, spooky synth sounds and ominous drums. Embracing death and extinction as inevitable rather than something to be afraid of, it’s thought provoking stuff and quite liberating in all honesty.
Eleven tracks in all, Blood is an intense and bold example of darkwave rock. With nods to the 80s greats, it divulges into life and death, mourning and ecstasy. Very much creating their own take on this era, Then Comes Silence deliver their own bitter/sweet, post-punk stamp on the world. Definitely one for your goth rock collection.
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