BLACK ANGEL is an English goth rock band that came onto the scene in 2018 with their debut album The Widow. It was well received and inspired them to get back into the studio for 2020, working on their follow-up record, Kiss of Death.
As mentioned in their biography, the band wanted to capture the essence and sound of the 80’s goth style, but to not sound outdated or like a carbon copy of the bands that were most popular in the scene back then.
I believe they have done just that, bringing everything fundamentally goth and refining it in this album.
Black Angel’s music has been a recommended listening for fans of The Sisters of mercy and Bauhaus, after listening to the new album I can completely agree but also suggest this style of goth rock to be very suitable for listeners who like a deep, echoey and melancholic sound
to their music, so I personally recommend this album for fans of Clan of Xymox too, as just one example out of many I could put here.
Review
The title track ‘kiss of death’ pulled me in straight away and made me want to dance. Immediately you hear all the key components that make up the gothic sound, deep and gloomy, clear bass, guitar melodies that echo with lyrical content focused on passion.
I could definitely see this track working it’s way into the essential DJ playlists of the UK's most popular goth clubs.
The same can be said for the second track ‘Animal’, both have a fantastic moderate dance beat and complement each other perfectly.
The album then takes us somewhere different. It hops from the echoed melancholy sound of Xymox to the fast and aggressive Sisters, then to a baseline dominated Bauhaus sound.
Tracks 3 and 5 - ‘Alchemy’and‘Hurricane’ show clear influence from The Sisters of Mercy and Bauhaus; Staying true to what they claim by indicating a huge understanding of what great goth music sounds like. The guitars become more aggressive, the bass is a faster more dominant element, and the overall sound & structure just screams classic 1980s goth rock.
Strong female backing vocals are present in tracks 4 and 6 -‘Call the night’/‘want for more', very recommendable to anyone who was a fan of the sisters 1990 album ‘Vision thing’.
The rest of the album continues in this wonderful way, jumping between recognisable sounds and influences of these great goth bands.
Tracklist
Animal
Alchemy Call The Night Hurricane Want for More Put Your Lips On Me She Said Prisoner Black Angel
Conclusion
Every single track is enjoyable in its own, and overall I found it to be an absolute treasure. This is an album I can honestly say I will be listening to for a long time and is sure to be a fantastic addition to the music libraries of individuals young and old who adore gothic music that stays true to its origins.
Scores
Technicality: 8/10
Dance factor: 8/10
Energy: 6.5/10
Vocals: 6.5/10
Re-playability: 9/10
Overall score: 7.6 / 10
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