Review by Rachel Jablonski
Granted, I am getting older and with each passing year I move further and further away from the youthful mindsets that often place extreme importance on making a severe social statement through dress. Though I have never been a fan of trendy clothing as seen by the collection of timeless fashion hanging in my closets, I have found myself wondering in alarm. Despite a plethora of Hot Topics in which to shop, I do not see quite as many kids getting dressed up for concerts. So I wonder, where have all the Goths gone?
I have to look no further than South Florida’s Deadstar Assembly to become reacquainted with the Goth look. Band members referred to by stage names, glam dress galore, Deadstar Assembly is industrially inclined with their sophomore album Unsaved.
Heavy guitar riffs alongside melodic synths make for a perfect combination in the first two tracks of the album. “Unsaved Pt. 1,” a dark instrumental, is an alluring intro. “Unsaved Pt. 2” then jumps in heavy, electronic, and quick in tempo matching the intensity and appeal of the first track. The style of the album is completely hard rock/industrial, reminiscent of bands like Orgy, Marilyn Manson, or Dope. Though the first two tracks show promise with their dark aura and heavy crunch, soon after the album becomes a letdown.
“Killing Myself Again,” the first single from Unsaved, begins with likable electronics and guitar, but becomes a rather bland track. The rhythms are typical and the vocal melodies are an upbeat turn off that distracts from the rest of the song. Similarly, “Darker Now” begins with promise, but opposing what the title suggests, the song transitions to an annoying, upbeat chorus that simply does not work. Disappointingly, the album follows this trend throughout.
Deadstar Assembly has made an album that begins with potential and evolves into a release with very similar tracks in sound and style. They may have satisfied my curiosity as to where the Goths have gone, but Unsaved is not a rebirth of solid electronic music.