CD Review: Crüxshadows, The - As the Dark Against my Halo

Written by Ray Dunkle Thursday, 28 February 2013 15:43

Artist: The Crüxshadows
Title: As the Dark Against my Halo
Genre: Dark / Goth / Electro / Synthpop
Release Date: 7th August 2012
Label: Wishfire Records

Album Review

It’s been 5 years since the release of CXS’s previous album. On the outset you may think that the band has returned eager to make a step forward, to re-affirm its status, to expand, or at least not to lose ground. If so, then this album will be an utter disappointment on all fronts. To start with what is dominant and in abundance is the lack of any imagination. Call it as you wish but I prefer to call it imagery of Prussian bureaucrats suffering from insomnia. The band doesn’t even come close in the form of repetition of its past glory. Tired, to the point of sounding exhausted the band looks like it is in a constant struggle to subjugate their material. Forget as well what used to be the band’s stronghold; a sense of dark pop that guaranteed memorable tunes and fun on the dance-floors. What you have is a downward spiral where even album’s two good moments, which are ‘Valkyrie’ and ‘Quicksilver’, are squeezed by the overall mediocre characteristics that have engulfed the band in her latest effort. The album has 12 songs too many and even as a single it wouldn’t manage to stir much of an impression in anyone but the hard-core fans.


Tracklist

01. And I Believe
02. Valkyrie
03. Halo
04. Burning
05. Sleepless
06. Quicksilver
07. The Infinite Tear
08. Indivisible
09. Porcelain
10. Angelus Everlasting
11. Sentinel
12. Matchstick Girl
13. Dark Matter
14. Africanus


Line-up

Rogue – lead vocals, violin, programming, songwriting
Mike Perez – guitar
Jen "Pyromantic" Jawidzik – live synths, backing vocals
JoHanna Moresco – violin
David Russell Wood – violin, backing vocals.
Stacia Marian Hamilton – dancer, backing vocals.
Ally Knight – dancer, backing vocals.
Jessica Lackey - percussion, backing vocals


Websites

https://www.facebook.com/cruxshadows / http://www.thecruxshadows.com


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 3
Sound: 7
Total: 5 / 10