David Galas – The Nihilist (Digital/CD Album – These Hands Melt)
David Galas, who rose to prominence through his involvement with Lycia, and was also active in Bleak and Snowblind, has since built a substantial solo career. After a long series of self-released albums, he released this new album in December 2025 on the Italian label These Hands Melt.
The album features no fewer than 15 tracks, mostly short, that transport listeners into a Dark-Wave and Post-Punk universe. The opening track is somewhat atypical compared to the rest, as it comes across as particularly intense. The remaining tracks are more resigned, enveloped in a dense, dark atmosphere. Echoes of bands like The Sisters Of Mercy, Fields Of The Nephilim, and even Joy Division linger subtly throughout. The guitar work creates a unique, obscure ambiance, occasionally complemented by atmospheric synths. Sparse shoegaze elements appear here and there, adding further variety. David Galas’s deep voice, at times almost half-spoken, perfectly suits the album’s requiem-like atmosphere.
“The Nihilist” is a thoroughly compelling work that will surely convince many Dark-Wave enthusiasts. (Rating:8).
Listen to “Peeling Skin”:
Read the news on ‘The Nihilist’.
About David Galas
David Galas is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Michigan, and a contributing member of the darkwave band Lycia alongside Mike VanPortfleet and Tara VanFlower.
He began issuing solo work with “The Cataclysm” (Vendlus Records, 2006), followed by “The Happiest Days of My Life” (2009), “The Ghosts of California” (2011), “A Long Hard Road to Nowhere” (2018), “October Rising” (2022), and “Rituals of the Dead” (2023). In 2024, These Hands Melt reissued “The Cataclysm” as a two-CD remaster. “The Nihilist” follows in December 2025.
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