You can support Terra Relicta by donating! Please, do so, and thank you!
Band: AlterRed
Album title: DollsTown
Release date: 4 May 2012
Label: AF-music
DollsTown is a part two of the trilogy that is planned to be released by this London based outfit. Lyrically is based on the twisted figure of Dr. AlterRed and this idea born in the mind of their mastermind MikEy works well so far and this album which follows last year released Mind Forged Manacles is keeping everything themed up on the first album as it should be, but, yet adding a lot of character into the sole music. Somehow ironic and symbolic tale full of lunacy, love and lust points out a view at the society that is expressed through ten songs that musically pay homage to many styles in a gifted mix of analogue and synthesised vintage kind of sounds.
Their musical approach is not based only on sounds, but also on visual performance, so we could easily describe them, like it was stated many times before, as electro dark cabaret. The sounds performed mostly by the synthesizers with some piano additions and guitars are melodic and catchy all the way. DollsTown starts with addictive piano touches and dramatic vocal approach inside the title track which happened to be one of most picturesque tracks up here, slowly growing into the final state of climax it's like watching a stage play. Then some 80's kind of pop/new wave and more modern synthpop inductions that build up in "And We Disappear" or in "In Recovery" among others are kind of stability in their music. Mechanized drum beat sounds bring even some industrial kind of form in "Rebuild Rewire" and dark wave or ambient influence is recognized in beautiful "Eve". The absolute winner, if you ask me, is "A Different Face" with it's groove and at moments distorted guitar riffs combined with piano and other synthesised sounds. In this one we can hear also some female vocals in the speech at the end of it and it works out really dynamic. "Torn & Tied" is more than six minutes long energetic and hypnotic, almost epic stage kind of play transformed into music, here we can witness nice vocal experimentations that are missed in other songs up here. Ballad kind of last song "As She Circles The Drain" is the right conclusion, offering us to gently leave the theater, meanwhile the piano and subtle voice are approaching their final state and render an invitation for next one. Somehow enjoyable, but also a difficult release to get fully into it. It certainly needs a lot of listens, if you are adventureous enough to explore everything that is hidden in here. Although it offers a collage of many sounds put up together in an unit that it's intention it's not to be revolutionary in any aspect, still it is from a special kind of view. Here and there DollsTown loses it's pace, because of lack of energetic moments that could lift everything one level up, but soon regains it with elaborate compositions.
Fans of Depeche Mode, David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails and also 80's era of pop kind ala Duran Duran should check this one. Ironic album cover picture will certainly bring curiosity of many who search for something different, though this is not to be found in the sole music, but in overall presentation and composition that is even well produced.
Review written by: T.V.
Rating: 8/10
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
