Altar De Fey – Original Sin (Album – Other Voices Records)
Genre/Influences: Post-Punk, death-rock.
Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl, Box (CD + LP).
Background/Info: Originally from San Francisco (USA) Altar De Fey saw the light of day in the early 80s. “Original Sin” is meant as an anthology of the band’s early years featuring live- and rehearsal songs. Originally released in 2015 on cassette by Wondervogel Records (Russia) the album has been re-released late 2019 by Other Voices Records.
Content: The work features 11 songs that have all been recorded and/or performed in 1985 and 1986. I wasn’t at all familiar with Altar De Rey and discovered a typical early 80s post-punk sound recorded with rudimentary equipment. Some songs remain instrumental edits while the live takes vaguely bring the stage spirit to life.
+ + + : I think it’s cool for the fans of the band to get this album now available on CD and vinyl. The guitar and global song structures are definitely 80s like and will appeal to punk lovers.
– – – : I’m not convinced at all by this recording. Sometimes it’s cool and even great to discover some forgotten little treasures from the past, but this recording is really too bad to be true. It’s not only about the poor sound quality from the mix and recording, but the songs can’t convince me at any single moment. They simply sound poorly inspired and unaccomplished.
Conclusion: This is an album for the die-hard fans or some 80s collectors, but absolutely not essential to me!
Best songs: “She’s Fun”.
Rate: (3).
Artist: www.facebook.com/AltarDeFey
Label: www.othervoicesrecords.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Other–Voices–Records/196767663702999
About Altar De Fey
Altar De Fey formed in San Francisco in the early 1980s as part of the city’s deathrock scene, sharing bills with Christian Death and 45 Grave at venues including Mabuhay Gardens. The band’s catalogue includes the “1986 Demos” and “I See Demons” compilations (2013), “1975” and “Echoes In The Corridor” (2016), a self-titled album (2017), “The Insatiable Desire…For More” (2019) and “And May Love Conquer All” (2020).
In April 2021, Side-Line reported a vinyl release for the same anthology recordings covered by “Original Sin”.
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