Artist: The Hiram Key
Title: Amerikafka
Genre: Gothic / New Wave / Rock
Release Date: 7th October 2011
Label: Echozone
Album Review
THE HIRAM KEY took their name by Christopher Knight’s and Robert Loma’s homonymous book. It is another conspirational book which tries to trace the origins of Masonic rituals back in the pharaoh’s era. According to them, those secrets passed through Moses to Salomon and Hiram Abiff (the alleged architect of Salomon’s Temple) and continued through Jesus till the modern era. Did the authors have any proofs for all that? What should you need the proofs when you have a wild imagination? The pseudo-historic aspect of the book somehow befits the band. In order to be more accurate the pseudo part fits there quite nicely. Half of its members are from the CUREHEADS a band formed to play - what else but - THE CURE songs. And the band for most of this, their debut CD, struggles hard to prove that they are not mere imitators of their idols.
‘Amerikafka’, inspired by Franz Kafka’s ‘America’ is a striking song that builds its atmosphere, gradually and effortlessly and the oriental aspects of the song contribute in making it one of the best songs released this year in the genre. After that only chaos follows. Even when they have a good song you have the feeling that Robert Smith has jumped into it and it ruins the whole feeling. Another nice moment of this album is ‘Susanna In The Street’ which despite its CURE influence manages to hold some charm. There’s also ‘Forever’ with its more emphatic straight forward Goth rock aspect and ‘The Nature Theatre Train’ with a more progressive/ psychedelic tone; both of them are rather refreshing songs which indicate the potentials of the band. That is if they are CUREd at last.
Tracklist
01. Amerikafka – 6:06
02. What Kind Of... – 5:43
03. Arzu In The Mirror – 3:11
04. Suzanna In The Street – 5:06
05. Death Of An Angel – 4:57
06. The Lift Boy – 3:25
07. Karl’s Song – 6:50
08. Happy Man? – 4:04
09. Solomon’s Tears – 3:26
10. 1+1=3 2U – 3:39
11. I Couldn’t Help It – 3:02
12. Forever – 4:52
13. The Nature Theatre Train – 4:30
Line-up
Gary Clarke - Vocals
Darren Bottrill - Guitar
Belle Star - Drums
Irish Dave - Bass
Websites
http://www.thehiramkey.co.uk / https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gary-Ash-The-Hiram-Key/141720812515158
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 6
Sound: 8
Total: 7 / 10
