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cox_darkesthour
Artist: Clan of Xymox
Title: Darkest Hour
Genre: Darkwave
Release Date: 20th May 2011
Label: Trisol


Album Review

Over the 30 years of its existence, CLAN OF XYMOX always had the misfortune to be compared either with other bands or with its own past. The fact that they’ve played a down-to-earth Darkwave, at times humorous in its lyrics or the music approach of the themes seemed to go away unnoticed. I wouldn’t be surprised if these patterns and quarrels follow them in the ‘Darkest Hour’, their latest CD. If one is so eager to find resemblances he’ll find them for sure; as usual from THE CURE to the LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT. After listening to the CD many times, the overall feeling I had is that the band is settling its accounts with its own past and all those references.

The very characteristic aspect of this CD is a rather melancholic Goth journey to the past. In the opening song ‘My Reality’ from the sound samples the band moves into a form of music based on synths that will bring you back to early 80’s. The “hit” of the album comes next and it is without a doubt ‘Delete’, with an intro which stands as a humorous reflection on ‘Muscoviet Mosquito’, and with a very catchy refrain. Some others songs that were very distinctive were ‘Deep Down I Died’ (and here it goes the reference to LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT’s ‘Demon’) and ‘Darkest Hour’ (another music reference to CURRENT 93). Both of these songs have a superb Goth feeling attached to them and Mooring’s voice fills them with emotion. CLAN OF XYMOX’ Darkwave music is Darkwave for real people and not for ethereal mourning caricatures usually found in second rate paintings and novels. And the analogies are given here to describe a feeling for those who haven’t heard the album yet, not to say that CLAN OF XYMOX has developed a copy-paste attitude to these songs and bands.

To cut my long speech short, this down-to-earth attitude of the band which prevents them from the usual exaggerations of the genre is dominant here, both musically and lyrically. And the quarrels among the fans will continue; which is their best album or their best period. CLAN OF XYMOX has proven that they don’t live either in their previous albums or in other bands. I think that this album is a step forward for the band. They look back to their past with affection but they move to the future.


Tracklist

01. My Reality – 5.12
02. Delete – 5.21
03. My Chicane – 4.13
04. Dream Of Fools – 5.45
05. Deep Down I Died – 4.43
06. In Your Arms Again – 7.23
07. She Did Not Answer – 5.07
08. Tears Ago – 4.07
09. The Darkest Hour – 4.47
10. Wake Up My Darling – 5.00


Line-up

Ronny Moorings - Vocals, guitar
Live band mates:
Mojca Zugna
Mario Usai
Yvonne de Ray


Websites

http://www.clanofxymox.com/ / www.myspace.com/clanofxymox / http://www.clanofxymox.org/


Cover Picture

cox_darkesthour


Rating

Music: 9
Sound: 9
Total: 9 / 10


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