Goth is not dead! British pop-rock act Dyonisis teach us that lesson on their debut album Intoxicated which is a neat ten-track package of sophisticated dark gothic pop-rock, complete with piano, synths and operatic vocals.
While the guitar is features prominently, often in the form of melancholic clean figures and melodies - although distorted power chords also pop up in very appropriate places, the album is primarily a vocals driven one, and the instrumentation seems to serve mainly as a backdrop for the vocals. The drums appear to be programmed, which - along with the synth effects - adds a feel of electro-pop to the album. I must admit that I think that the drums do end up sounding a bit mechanical and they are probably just the to be there; to provide a backbeat and that is it.
The band makes use of two types of vocals as more pop/rock oriented female vocals are combined with more operatic female vocals. And I really like the way that the two vocal styles complement each other, often following different melodies, then kicking into the same melodic pattern in harmony. This makes for an interesting listening experience and doubles the expressive value of the music.
And, despite the somewhat annoyingly mechanical drums, I find that Intoxicated is a quite expressive album which appeals to the darker and more melancholic aspects of the human emotional spectrum. Actually, the atmosphere that the music on this release generates is akin to that associated with Depeche Mode, although we are dealing with two very different types of music here (that is, some of the vocal melodies on Intoxicated do seem a bit inspired by Depeche Mode).
This release is recommended to fans of gothic pop-rock who are on the look out for music that is interesting in terms of vocals and sophistication.
Tracklisting:
1. We Are...
2. Of the Fear
3. Inside Out
4. Arachne's Song
5. Eve's Spng
6. Smart Mouth
7. Flown
8. Dead to Me
9. Ashes
10. Lunatic
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