Labels: React With Protest
Review by: Oli Saunders
I just wrote a review about Sinaloa remarking on how long they have been together and now I see that Danse Macabre also started life in 2001. Nine years is also an eon in the relative life expectancy of a screamo band. However, I also just read that the band are soon calling it a day. They will play two more gigs, first in Hamburg on the 26th of June and then their final performance will be on the 26th at Cry Me A River. Expect chaos to reign supreme.
This record came out at the end of last year but has gone seemingly unoticed in the UK even amongst the handful of screamo enthusiasts. Finally I got my hands on some copies, though you should already know what to expect. Danse Macabre have played intense chaotic emo violence from the start, with octave chords all over the place, pummeling drums and punishing vocals. Not a completely essential euro band of this type but really enjoyable nonetheless. And some really great tracks along the way, I have been blown away at times. In all honesty, however, I don’t think this is their best work. Someone else described it as being progressive, darker and epic, with more metal added to the guitars and rougher vocals. I’d go along with it being darker but I’m not sure about the rest. It just seems to lack some of the awesome riffs from the 12” they put out and is generally lacking in excitement. I mean, I still like it but there are other bands of this type putting out records at the moment who I would guide you towards instead.
Overall, if you like screamo then definitely give this a listen. It is a little sad that this is the end of the band but they have had a good run and hopefully they will get involved in new projects of interest. I managed to catch them in Germany last year which made me happy. RIP.
1st May 2010