Artist: The Spiritual Bat
Title: Mosaic
Genre: Gothic Rock
Release Date: 28th March 2014
Label: Danse Macabre
Album Review
Italy’s THE SPIRITUAL BAT flapped valiantly into the light with the release of 2011’s ‘The Cruel Machine’. Although the band have been in existence, with various line-up changes, for quite some time, it was this brooding, broiling set of gothic-rock mini-epics that caused quite a stir in a scene too used to standing still. And live, the band whip up a storm, the SIOUXSIE meets JOY DIVISION tribal whump belying a modern and highly individual approach. THE SPIRITUAL BAT own their sound absolutely, and to enter their world is an all-consuming, disconcerting, immersive joy. Long in gestation, the follow up to ‘The Cruel Machine’ has a lot riding on it. An eclectic list of collaborators and guests have helped create everything from the impressive artwork, to the overall sound, although this is still clearly the work of the core members, chief bat Dario Passamonti, and Rosetta Garri. Thankfully, everything that made the last album so special is still solidly in place. The difference here is the expansion of ideas, textures and scope to create something truly epic.
There’s no easing into this album. ‘Mosaic’ blasts its staccato drums and swirling spook-synths from the off, post-punk guitar and the menacing vocal giving this a sense of foreboding and subtle dread. It’s claustrophobic, and a perfect example of what THE SPIRITUAL BAT do best, enticing you in and then forcing you to stay, only releasing you once the song has ended. A thrilling new direction can be heard on ‘Of Breath and Veils (Battlefield)’ slinking seductively over a sparse eastern-influenced backdrop. Rosetta puts in the vocal performance of her life on this, the power and emotion palpable. It succeeds in being brave, dangerous and erotic all at once, and is an obvious highpoint in the bands career so far. Elsewhere there’s the driving power-pop of ‘We Are Born We Live We Die’, the elegantly sung ‘So Proud’, with its almost folky chorus, and the furious intensity of ‘Linfo’. ‘Hypnotic’ is no slouch either, pure gothic dynamics creating an all-pervading sense of gloom.
‘If I Were A Flower (The Journey)’ waltzes darkly by, and there’s no doubting a black rose would be the flower of choice here. Another confident and strident vocal from Rosetta nails this song passionately through the heart. ‘Blown Away’ sounds almost pretty in comparison, but like early SKELETAL FAMILY, there’s a rattling of bones and a chill wind never too far away, and it soon reveals its drama and pain. ‘Death March’ closes the album, and it’s a busy and strange cauldron of ideas, and fabulously bleak. “I’m so tired” pleads Rosetta in her best scary-child’s voice, before her witchy vocal is swept away again on a tide of ALIEN SEX FIEND synths and a sinister guitar throb. If this doesn’t have you reaching for the absinthe, nothing will. And so it is done. Taking a deep breath and extricating yourself from this wonderful, scary, violently beautiful world is all that remains. You won’t want to, that’s a promise.
Tracklist
01. Mosaic
02. Of Breath And Veils (Battlefield)
03. We Are Born We Live We Die
04. So Proud
05. Linfo
06. Hypnotic
07. If I Were A Flower (The Journey)
08. Blown Away
09. Death March
Line-up
Dario Passamonti – Original Music, Guitar, Bass, Synths
Rosetta Garri – Vocals, Lyrics, Programming, Additional Percussion, Synths
Guest Musicians – Alessio Santoni, Ashkelon Sain, Greg Scott Cruz, Tyves Oben
Website
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Spiritual-Bat/128593959630
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 9
Total: 9 / 10
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