Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Cold Cave, Heartworm Press 2021.
Here’s one for the Goths. Cold Cave is Wesley Eisold, an electro/darkwave master from LA California, who has teamed up with Amy Lee to release Fate In Seven Lessons which is considered his heaviest and most romantic release yet.
The album is dominated by brooding synths, psychedelic swirling dream inducing sounds, and romantic poetical lyricism.
The seven-track album is completely hypnotic from the opening cutPrayer From Nowhere to the closing number the super impressive Promised Land.
‘There’s no rest for the wicked
So imagine how tied I feel.’
The atmosphere developed by the synth driven soundscapes is dark and enveloping but not in any way sinister.
Every track is a gem, combining light and dark, and they blend perfectly together to create a unified work.
The album stands apart from most other goth releases in the poeticism of its imagery laden lyrics, with their biblical references, and the dream like quality of its music.
Even the more up-tempo tracks such as Night Light blend seamlessly into the overall feel of the disc.
While listening to the album I was searching my memory for another artist to compare Cold Cave to.
New Order came to mind and maybe The Cure.
I eventually arrived at the conclusion that they are an electric offspring of a cross between Cousteau and The Church.
Wesley Eisold has a voice that is not dissimilar to Steve Kilbey in its limited range and drone like quality.
This is not meant as a criticism, Kilbey is one of my favourite artists.
And Eisold’s lyrics have a similar heavy romanticism to Liam McKahey’s work for Cousteau.
Let me say that McKahey is the master of dark and brooding (although Nick Cave would also be a strong candidate) but Eisold is also very good.
Cold Cave shows what can be done with synths, two chords, and a vision – of course it helps if you’re a talented songwriter and musician.
Fate In Seven Seconds proves that goth is more than just dark and gloomy.
It can be blissful and insightful too.
