Artist: Principe Valiente
Title: Principe Valiente
Genre: Indie, Shoegaze
Release Date: 21st October 2011 (reissue)
Label: afmusic
Album Review
The debut eponymous album of Swedish band PRINCIPE VALIENTE justifies the confidence set on the project and satisfies the fans’ boldest expectations. The formation became well-known thanks to their live performances and their experiments with “dark pop” carrying on the tradition of THE SISTERS OF MERCY but in a lighter vein. Their sonic minimalism skilfully combines a number of post punk elements supplemented with the musicians’ desire to explore new music dimensions and to use modern technology where it’s possible. As a result, it’s rather hard to define the genre of PRINCIPE VALIENTE’s album. However on the debut work one can notice not only the influence of THE SISTERS OF MERCY and post punk pioneers but also the echoes of early gothic rock typical for THE CURE and FIELD OF THE NEPHILIM.
Rather dirty sound, monotonous toy-like drums and low tremulous vocals return listeners to the beginning of the 80s, the gloomy times of Batcave. Despite all that the voice of the singer doesn’t seem to be too expressive, maybe because of exaggeratedly damped recording and the guitars don’t strike with diversity of effects. Actually the whole range of instruments looks quite pallid. Alas, there’s nothing good to say about the album anymore. The audience described by the word “fans” was mentioned at the very beginning of the review, and I guess those fans were gained by the formation at the concerts. Perhaps, live shows of PRINCIPE VALIENTE sound much better, yet now why not to listen to good old THE CURE and more multi-faceted THE SISTERS OF MERCY?
Tracklist
01. Intro – 1:33
02. Before You Knew Me – 3:43
03. One More Time – 4:14
04. In My Arms – 4:26
05. New Life – 5:59
06. Solitary Man – 1:34
07. Stay – 6:01
08. Afraid – 5:16
09. 150 Years – 5:22
10. The Night – 4:43
11. Dance like There’s no Tomorrow – 4:11
Line-up
Fernando Honorato
Alexander Chlot
Joakim Janthe
Website
http://www.principevaliente.com / http://www.myspace.com/principevaliente
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 5
Sound: 5
Extras: -
Total: 5 / 10
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