Review on album 'Dancing'

This is gothic Rock, make no mistake about that, because while they have their little modern touches and a suitably synthy skein of shading, they leave you in no doubt they’re laden with guitars and want to lurch around a lot. They also sing in English and are easily the most conventional of the Russian bands I have heard.

‘Leaves’ allows the modest guitar to nibble at the piano opening, with its synth petticoat, and you know roughly where you are; the bass starts to get busy, the guitar kneels, casually dispensing riffs as vocals flutter. It’s more 90’s Goth than anything, rather than breathing new life into 80’s histrionics, but it goes lightly poppy in its delivery as well, which opens things up. ‘Looser’ gets very cocky, with a ‘c’mon!’ but they have the little piano notes alongside the lightly razored guitar so it’s sweet, with professorial gunslinging vocals. Very Gawf delivery, full of growly tension, but very polite.

‘Killing Machine’ is similar in feel, low and loose with a curly chorus. ’10 Years’ is even more relaxed and serious, despite greater lyrical depth, and there’s a clear elegance within its patient percussion and fidgeting guitar, creating a beautifully big sound. This is opulent rock, and although our impassioned vocal host has a mild presence overall, he has an attractive sounding voice, rolling the words out casually, providing allpurpose Goth! ‘Pain Of Feelings’ provides some haughty drama, until the lopsided guitar comes out fighting with a pleasing ringing tone weaving around. That guitar rings out again over solemn, craftily articulated bass during ‘Angel Song’ and this is powerful, if anaemic, music, all scooped out and mazy, glowing with vague emotional pomp, and done in a lovely way. ‘Dancing Goodbye’ is a bit piddley, wittering on with more piano and delicate guitar, and ‘Bloody Solution’ has some horrible, jaunty europop thing going on initially before returning to their usual state, that of a soppy Mission. ‘City Of Sin’ has flossy synth and lightly chugging guitar chords beneath some weird vocals, lots of guitar bendiness and jolly crooning, which sets a minipattern as ‘Slavery Moon’ is slower, synthier, with a doomier voice, and the more subtle, sonic pebble-dashing is interesting in this perfumed emotional firestorm. ‘Winters Misery’ closes and it’s a wheezing bleepy remix by Requiem For FM who we will meet in a few days.

DoppelgangeR have too much lightweight content here, as if trying too hard to please, so I hope they toughen up next time, but it’s Goth, it rocks, and it is wholly accessible, which will please any traditionalists out there. They have been going a long time, and have a proud statement which reads, ‘We can imagine Gothic Rock without us, but we can’t imagine ourselves without Gothic Rock’ and hear hear to that.

Author Mick Mercer
www.mickmercer.com