The Stompcrash - Requiem Rosa
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What are your associations with gothic music? Depressive mood full of melancholy, nostalgia or yearning is the first thing which crosses your mind, next to the lyrics of martyrdom, death, loneliness and traits of primeval legends. The most important part is that it should be dusky and sullen, placed in embittered and decadent setting. However, it is not always the same because in the end the exception to the rule must be found. And here it comes The Stompcrash…
After 5 years of playing together, in 2007 Italians released the first long-playing album ‘Requiem Rosa" which presents slightly different colour of gothic rock. Certainly, it is stirring and atmospheric, as befits to the genre, but their music carries along some kind of joy and positive energy. Most of the tracks are very dynamic, with help of two singers the entirety is more varied and exotic. It is worth mentioning that in Stompcrash sings keyboardist Dany as well as guitarist Chris. What is important – vocal of the girl is neither gloomy as it is by Stefanie Duschene from Flowing Tears nor anguished as by Anneke van Giersbergen from The Gathering who constantly tortures herself with something. Exactly, this warm voice enriches their output with colouring which turns their proposition into simply saying joyful gothic. As for Chris, I could compare him to Rouge form The Cruxshadows – because of the low, but not to the excess, vocal.
Time to impression confession... What I have extraordinarily noticed is the fact that there are no pauses between following tracks – the transition from end to beginning is very smooth which makes the album more compatible. I admit it sounds nice. As for me, this music is more electronic, even more industrial than rock but it’s not an offence. This is the way it should be and that’s it! "The London fog", "Like a noise", "Walk up in grave" and ‘Bloody rain" have the most rock riffs but they are not the most important here. They are only an emphasis which underlines the playing character. As for the stylistics, I can see lots of analogies to the output of such bands as: Depeche Mode ("Modern slaves"), I AM X ("The London fog") or even to The Cruxshadows or The Dresden Dolls. And this is by all means OK because everyone who promotes legacy of the best is worth people’s notice.
The prevailing stereotype is that the first track on the CD speaks for the whole album as some kind of representation. Well, somebody may agree with it or not, but in case of "Requiem Rosa’ this rule is definitely true. The opening record which was mentioned before is called ‘The London fog". No wonder, because it is one of the best songs on the album with defiant, specific, and vampiric sound of keyboard where in the verse sings Chris and in the chorus participates Danny. Another, worth listening song is a composition of a unique title "99 cats". It is maintained in slightly psychedelic stylistics with Danny’s crafty manner which is similar to Kate Holmes’s vocal (Horror of horrors – do not confuse with actress Katie Holmes!) from the band Client, famous for the song "Pornography". Without a doubt, the fairly grotesque character of the album makes it more spicy.
I would like to pay attention to the song ‘Wake up in a grave" which is characteristic of the fast rate and muted female vocal. The chorus is outstanding because it is shouted and enhanced by vibrating solo guitar, expressive bass and riffs a’la Moonspell, but in milder version. These factors create well-invented integrity with heavy, rock claw which is what tiggers do the best...
To avoid being out of breath, The Stompcrash has in its’ repertoire few calmer fragments. There are songs sang mainly by Chris: "Watching me fall" or "Dorian". The most interesting song of all is beautiful and full of magic, simply shivergenous "I will kill myself" sang by Danny accompanied by male choirs in chorus. Alongside appears the echo motive and the romantic climate picks up speed when around the second minute into the action enters drums. The convention of this song is not only from the vocal side but also from instrumental side slightly close to the achievement of Swedish duet The Knife with ingenious Karin Dreijer Andersson on vocal. Ear, heart and soul are pleased.
As to the weak points of the album, I enjoy the track "Moscow’ the least because in the beginning as well as in the end the excerpts from some kind of speech about situation in Russia are used. This song has got a bland chorus and is in no possible way winning. "Bloody rain" in turn, despite the fanciful verses, fell in value also in chorus. Too bad…
Shortly speaking, The Stompcrash is band which has potential and skills. It is not an obstacle that Danny’s voice is not unique because ‘Requiem Rosa’ is full of different values which present the band in favorable light. Without a doubt, finessed electronic background, vivid and free bass line which alongside with drums leads in all tracks belong to these advantages. This quartet form Italy deserves another plus because they do not copy anybody but derive inspiration from their idols. Then I have a hope that from now on Italian gothic scene will not be associated only with Lacuna Coil, which really palls on me or with Vald in Tears, being a Nightwish xerox in male vocal version.
Tracklist:
01 The London Fog
02 Like a Noise
03 Watching Me Fall
04 99 Cats
05 Dorian
06 Modern Slaves
07 I Will Kill Myself
08 Moscow
09 Wake Up In My Grave
10 Bloody Rain
11 The Wind that Moves the Flowers
12 Mountains of Madness
Other articles:
After 5 years of playing together, in 2007 Italians released the first long-playing album ‘Requiem Rosa" which presents slightly different colour of gothic rock. Certainly, it is stirring and atmospheric, as befits to the genre, but their music carries along some kind of joy and positive energy. Most of the tracks are very dynamic, with help of two singers the entirety is more varied and exotic. It is worth mentioning that in Stompcrash sings keyboardist Dany as well as guitarist Chris. What is important – vocal of the girl is neither gloomy as it is by Stefanie Duschene from Flowing Tears nor anguished as by Anneke van Giersbergen from The Gathering who constantly tortures herself with something. Exactly, this warm voice enriches their output with colouring which turns their proposition into simply saying joyful gothic. As for Chris, I could compare him to Rouge form The Cruxshadows – because of the low, but not to the excess, vocal.
Time to impression confession... What I have extraordinarily noticed is the fact that there are no pauses between following tracks – the transition from end to beginning is very smooth which makes the album more compatible. I admit it sounds nice. As for me, this music is more electronic, even more industrial than rock but it’s not an offence. This is the way it should be and that’s it! "The London fog", "Like a noise", "Walk up in grave" and ‘Bloody rain" have the most rock riffs but they are not the most important here. They are only an emphasis which underlines the playing character. As for the stylistics, I can see lots of analogies to the output of such bands as: Depeche Mode ("Modern slaves"), I AM X ("The London fog") or even to The Cruxshadows or The Dresden Dolls. And this is by all means OK because everyone who promotes legacy of the best is worth people’s notice.
The prevailing stereotype is that the first track on the CD speaks for the whole album as some kind of representation. Well, somebody may agree with it or not, but in case of "Requiem Rosa’ this rule is definitely true. The opening record which was mentioned before is called ‘The London fog". No wonder, because it is one of the best songs on the album with defiant, specific, and vampiric sound of keyboard where in the verse sings Chris and in the chorus participates Danny. Another, worth listening song is a composition of a unique title "99 cats". It is maintained in slightly psychedelic stylistics with Danny’s crafty manner which is similar to Kate Holmes’s vocal (Horror of horrors – do not confuse with actress Katie Holmes!) from the band Client, famous for the song "Pornography". Without a doubt, the fairly grotesque character of the album makes it more spicy.
I would like to pay attention to the song ‘Wake up in a grave" which is characteristic of the fast rate and muted female vocal. The chorus is outstanding because it is shouted and enhanced by vibrating solo guitar, expressive bass and riffs a’la Moonspell, but in milder version. These factors create well-invented integrity with heavy, rock claw which is what tiggers do the best...
To avoid being out of breath, The Stompcrash has in its’ repertoire few calmer fragments. There are songs sang mainly by Chris: "Watching me fall" or "Dorian". The most interesting song of all is beautiful and full of magic, simply shivergenous "I will kill myself" sang by Danny accompanied by male choirs in chorus. Alongside appears the echo motive and the romantic climate picks up speed when around the second minute into the action enters drums. The convention of this song is not only from the vocal side but also from instrumental side slightly close to the achievement of Swedish duet The Knife with ingenious Karin Dreijer Andersson on vocal. Ear, heart and soul are pleased.
As to the weak points of the album, I enjoy the track "Moscow’ the least because in the beginning as well as in the end the excerpts from some kind of speech about situation in Russia are used. This song has got a bland chorus and is in no possible way winning. "Bloody rain" in turn, despite the fanciful verses, fell in value also in chorus. Too bad…
Shortly speaking, The Stompcrash is band which has potential and skills. It is not an obstacle that Danny’s voice is not unique because ‘Requiem Rosa’ is full of different values which present the band in favorable light. Without a doubt, finessed electronic background, vivid and free bass line which alongside with drums leads in all tracks belong to these advantages. This quartet form Italy deserves another plus because they do not copy anybody but derive inspiration from their idols. Then I have a hope that from now on Italian gothic scene will not be associated only with Lacuna Coil, which really palls on me or with Vald in Tears, being a Nightwish xerox in male vocal version.
Tracklist:
01 The London Fog
02 Like a Noise
03 Watching Me Fall
04 99 Cats
05 Dorian
06 Modern Slaves
07 I Will Kill Myself
08 Moscow
09 Wake Up In My Grave
10 Bloody Rain
11 The Wind that Moves the Flowers
12 Mountains of Madness
Other articles:
- The Stompcrash - Directions - 2013-03-25 (Music reviews)
