What's in the Confession Box?

Everyone knows the gothic rock sound, even if they don't know they do. Everyone knows the alternative/gothic-rock sound pioneered by groups like The Cure and Husker Du, and the alternative-metal/gothic-rock sound that made Evanescence a household name. Some might even associate Marilyn Manson with gothic rock, though personally I think he's just an amazing alternative-metal musician who's shock-rock tactics are brilliant.

But all those people who thought that gothic-rock was ridden out, stretched as far as it could go, and finished by 2006 are in for a shock, and a treat. What's that treat? Confession Box, a hard-rock duo out of Sydney, Australia. Gothic rock has been married to many things in the past, but these are the first people I've ever heard of to really marry the gothic/hard-rock sound to techno and synth.

Composed simply of Alexis Logan (lead vocals and acoustic guitar) and Stephen Harris (guitars, bass, and sampling), Confession Box has that hard rock guitar screech of Evanescence coupled with the cold feel of Gary Numan's synth style.

Confession Box has just recently released their debut album, Tangled Web We Weave, and I gotta say, I've listened to just three tracks from this album, and I gotta hear the rest. Recorded on Harris's home recorder, I'm struck by the first track, "Trust No One." The track is slow in the first few seconds, but picks up immediately with a hard-edged guitar riff, and then Harris goes to town, layering guitar upon guitar, and creating a complex background for Logan's chilling, almost machine-esque vocals. Her voice, though, meshes so well with the guitar and sampling it sounds as natural as if they were all one; a well-oiled machine of melody and grit. The keyboards particularly, provided by Harris, remind of of such tracks as The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" and Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This);" chilling, yet incredibly melodic. And then, as I'm riding out the synth and guitar progressions the way I do with a Doors song, it's over, and all I know is I want more.

And that's what I get, right from the crash of the crash, Con Box launches into "Foolish Games" a sick, rendition of the modern alternative/synth-goth song. I especially love Logan's double-tracked vocals here: they give the track a much-enjoyed haunting tone that reminds me vaguely of the way Layne Staley's and Jerry Cantrell's vocals mingle in Alice in Chains. Harris, here too, is on his mark with his guitars and bass, providing a strong, pulse-pounding beat while at the same time belting out a riff that would make the Scorpions salivate. 

Riding out the last bits of the reverb, I'm pulled into the last track I listen to, "Who the Hell Are You." This one is slightly more techno than the other two so if you like anything Sounds or Shiny Toy Guns, this track will make you go "HELL YES." It's cold, it's creepy, it's catchy, it's brilliant. Logan and Harris really pull it together on this one, barking up the techno-tree while at the same time dragging you through a valley of synthed-out guitar riffs and melodic vocals. A must-hear song on a must-hear album. If their other songs are anything like these, then Confession Box has nothing to worry about, and can look forward to a long and prosperous career in the alternative/goth-rock community. 

Sounds Like: Shiny Toy Guns, Evanescence, The Sounds, The Cure, Savage Garden

Key Tracks from Tangled Web We Weave: "Trust No One," "Foolish Games," "Who the Hell Are You"

Check out Confession Box more at: http://www.myspace.com/confessionboxmusic and http://www.unsigned.com/confessionbox    

Dies Mali...Cursed Days

Out of Chicago I present to you Gothic rock's answer to Fall Out Boy and pop-punk. Dies Mali are an alternative, gothic-metal band that will have you spilling your guts in cult ceremonies before you know it. Now that sounds very bad, I admit, until you listen to these guys, and realize that they're not trying to convert you religiously, they're just going to convert you musically. If you've never listened to a Gothic-rock group before, these guys will be your first, and trust me, you could do way worse.

Composed of Zoran (lead vocals and synths), Bane (guitar and vocals), S.L.A.V.E. (bass), and Mark (drums), Dies Mali cut the veins of the traditional 3 minute rock song and make it bleed with new creativity and emotion. Holloween's fast approaching, and there is no better group to decorate the sounds of your haunted house with than these guys. Seriously, I don't know whether to band my head sing along in the demonic choruses or go hide in my closet. 

The first song I listen to from their album Mourning Portraits, is "Hocus Pocus." An incredible mix of traditional hard rock and creepy synth, this song has me freaking out and loving every part of it. It starts with a massive drum beat by Mark, and a heart-choking bass line by S.L.A.V.E., then falls victim to Bane's wall of monstrous guitar riffs, and Zoran's creeped out synths and hypnotic vocals. If Holloween had a soundtrack, this would be track one. Fucking amazing song. Like the chorus of this bombastic demonic tune, I feel so paralyzed I couldn't turn this off if I wanted to. It's a good thing I don't want to. 

After the sick pick-slides at the end of "Hocus Pocus," I'm launched on Bane's sick guitar riffs, Mark's gut-wrenching base-drum beats, and S.L.A.V.E.'s pulse-pounding bass chords into "Tear Down." What else can I say about this tune other than Zoran's synths are freaky, and his vocals just hypnotize me. In fact, when I listen to what he's saying, it's actually one of the best lyrically written songs I've heard in a while. With a bombastic chorus that you can punch your fist to, this is one song to play at any sort of protest rally. I can't even get past how sick S.L.A.V.E.'s bass lines on this one are. Cliff Burton, Mike Dirnt, Lemmy, you guys better watch out, this guy is out for some recognition he clearly deserves.

The last song I listen to is the longer "Control Freak," which starts out on a creepy synth laid down by Zoran, then launches into a Marilyn Manson-like guitar riff by Bane. Manson you better show these guys the respect they deserve, or they're likely to put you out of a job. What else can I say about this track other than that it's got the anthemic, anger-filled chorus, the magnetic bass pull, the spleen-busting drums, the mangled guitar riffs Manson would be jealous of, and the synths and freaky vocals that would make Gary Numan shiver. 

If you haven't heard these guys, first I pity you, and second I order you to listen to them. It'll be the best order you've ever taken.

Sounds Like: Marilyn Manson, AFI, HIM

Key Tracks from Mourning Portraits: "Tear Down," "Hocus Pocus," "Control Freak"

Check out Dies Mali more at: http://www.myspace.com/diesmali and http://www.unsigned.com/diesmali   

What Is Human Shame??

I came across these guys while surfing music from other countries. Rising from Toulouse, France, Human Shame are a mix of groups like Pink Floyd, The Cure, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, and so many other off-the-wall experimental groups that the only way I can possibly describe their sound is as "mental alternative;" menternative.

Comprising Artess (synths and vocals), Sarg (guitar), Nemo (guitar), and Sha (drums, synths and programming), Human Shame is a not-so-subtle smack to the senses with their weird sound. Weird is definitely the right word, but that doesn't mean bad. These guys just march to the beat of a different synth, and it just works well. In fact, during some of the tracks I had chills running up my spine because it sounds eerily similar to something Marilyn Manson might write.

The first track I listen to is "The Runner," a synth-inspired song with a trance-like, industrial feel to it. For those of you who like anything trance, industrial, house, or ambient, this is a great track to start with. However, I warn you, you must also have a liking for the gothic sounds, because this is not a happy sounding song. And I love it. It's hideously dark like Marilyn Manson or HIM, yet as ambient as Pink Floyd or NIN.

Three minutes later I move on to "Human Shame," the title track of the groups album. Starting with a synth-like intro, the guys move into distorted guitar-driven chorus-ish thing. In fact, the way the guitar distorts reminds me a little of the way Mudhoney sounds, or even Malfunkshun, so in essence, I guess it sounds like Marilyn Manson married to Pink Floyd, with Malfunkshun as their step-child.

The third track, "New War," reminds me most of an NIN song, because listening to this, I definitely think this is something Trent Reznor might write. It's just creepy as hell, and that's why I love it. Sometimes music should be just vague enough to creep you out and make you look over your shoulder at night. Now that I think about it, this would definitely be a great track for like a horror movie theme song. Ambient, trance-like, perfect. Love it. 

Sounds Like: Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, The Cure, Malfunkshun, Pink Floyd

Key Tracks from Human Shame: "The Runner," "Human Shame," "New War," "Eat the Liar"

Check out Human Shame more at: http://www.myspace.com/humanshamemusic and http://www.unsigned.com/humanshame  

Shadows Lie

What would it sound like to hear the sirens of myth that sang to Odysseus on his quest home? I don't know but listening to Shadows Lie, with its siren-like lead vocalist is probably as close as we're ever gonna get. That doesn't bother me too much though, since she's got an amazing voice, and it sounds like sirens meet HIM and AFI.

Rising from the New York City underground, Shadows Lie, made up of Kira Leigh (lead vocals), Frank Grullon (guitar), CT (bass), and Marco Britti (drums), introduces a new take on hard-rock, inspired by (it would seem to me) such diverse tastes as Evanescence, Staind, HIM, AFI, and Incubus.

The first song I hear off their album Echoes is "Dead End," a surreal number almost in the vein of Alice in Chains, but with its own, off-the-chain siren-like vocals that just amaze. I didn't even know there were notes that high, but Leigh finds a way to reach them, and in her banshee-like shriek, delivers a song that draws upon the Pixies-pioneered dynamic of quiet-loud, coupled with the breathy vocals of Evanescence and Flyleaf.

Then it moves on to the next one, which I think is my personal favorite, "Everything." Starting off with a Cure-like Gothic guitar riff by Grullon, Leigh jumps into the vocals, singing with an interesting meter, making me think of such groups as Eve 6 and AFI. The Britti takes it easy on the drums during this one, opting for a beat based in the snare and toms (and the high-hats a little bit too), rather than going to town on the crash. CT's bass keeps time just right, and the song slows to a stop a couple minutes later, among 'la,la,la's' from Leigh.

"Keep Falling Down" opens with a interesting, I'd like to say Gothic, but not so much, guitar progression from Grullon, and Leigh steps in on vocals, like something so shiny and new, my ears couldn't stop listening if they wanted to. "Keep Falling Down" sounds very different from the previous two, but that works in SL's benefit; it just adds more to their already-innovative sound. And the chorus on it? Oh my god, just a beautiful chorus all around. Amazing guitar and bass, thumping drums, and a sky-rocketing voice that just shatters any intention of ignoring it.

I don't know what I could call these guys (and girl). Hard-rock? Alternative? Post-grunge? I have no idea, you do that yourselves. All I know is that they sounds fucking amazing, and if I were you, I'd get my ass in gear and go grab one of their CD's and give it a listen. It'll blow your mind.

Sounds Like: Evanescence, HIM, Flyleaf, AFI

Key Tracks from Echoes: "Everything," Keep Falling Down," "Dead End," "Blank"

Check out Shadows Lie more at: http://www.myspace.com/wheretheshadowslie and http://www.unsigned.com/shadowslie

Our Funeral Forgotten

A shot of clarity. That's what the first of their songs I listened to was called. And it was. It's all there: a driving crash and high-hat cymbal beat, a thumping bass, sheer and sharp guitar riffs, and clear, lucid, hard vocals. This Colorado-based quintet take their cues from groups like HIM, My Chemical Romance, and (+44), and they do it with a clean, sharp shock to the senses. Commissioned by Mike Andrews (vocals), Ryan Apadaca (guitar), Steve Zamora (guitar), Jeff Orcutt (bass), and Kevin Greene (drums), Our Funeral Forgotten blends the dark, yet romantic melodies of groups like HIM and My Chem with the lucid and descriptive lyrics of groups like (+44) and 3 Doors Down.

From the very first chords of "A Shot of Clarity (Take Me Away)," I couldn't have stopped listening if I wanted to. But that's how you know something's special. It's like the first time I heard Metallica's "Master of Puppets," or Kansas's "Carry on Wayward Son;" you don't want to fast-forward, and you can't bare to rewind. You just want to sit and lose yourself in the music. If the first track isn't enough to grab you (and if it isn't, then you're crazy), try the next one of for size. "Reality Hit Me with a Ton of Bricks (Children Who Let Go)" is as amazing from start to finish as is "Helena" by MCR or "Wings of a Butterfly" by HIM. In fact, for all you U2 fans out there, the beginning sounds like something Bono and The Edge would cook up for a U2 album. On top of layered guitars, a chilled-out beat, and a time-keeping bass, Andrews' vocals soar high overhead, and carry the song into domains that few reach with their first few tries at songwriting. And if those two weren't enough, then listen to "On the Twilight Road" and you'll surely then be converted. This one focuses a little more on distorted guitars than the first two, but no one ever said that that was a bad thing. You know what they say: if it ain't broke, then don't fix it. These guys have had significant success in their home state of Colorado, but I'm waiting for them to go national, because when they do, I'll be among the ten people that isn't surprised one bit. Check out their debut album I Am Gone, You Are Dreaming Me. You won't regret it.

Sounds Like: HIM, My Chemical Romance, (+44), Angels & Airwaves, U2

Key Tracks from I Am Gone, You Are Dreaming Me: "A Shot of Clarity (Take Me Away)," "Reality Hit Me with a Ton of Bricks (Children Who Let Go)," "On the Twilight Road," "Beware the Kiss"

Check out Our Forgotten Funeral more at: http://www.unsigned.com/ourfuneralforgotten, http://www.myspace.com/ourfuneralforgotten  and http://www.ourfuneralforgotten.com/Our_Funeral_Forgotten/Welcome.html