Kill Shelter & Antipole – A Haunted Place (Album – Manic Depression)
Genre/Influences: Dark-Wave, Post-Punk.
Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.
Background/Info: This album resulted from the common efforts between Pete Burns (Scotland) and Karl Morten Dahl (Norway). Their respective projects Kill Shelter and Antipole both released an album each on Unknown Pleasures Records. They now joined hands together to achieve eight songs inspired by personal themes like loss, addiction, isolation and remorse.
Content: Kill Shelter reminded me of The Sisters Of Mercy while Antipole is more connected with The Cure. Both artists together achieved a pure Dark-Wave production featuring slower, melancholic pieces at one side and a few harder cuts at the other side. Pete Burns is singing with an expression of sorrow, but still passion. The guitar play brings us back to the darkest hours of the 80s.
+ + + : I’m often skeptical about collaborations, which often result in one shots and poorly inspired songs. “A Haunted Place” doesn’t sound like an occasional collaboration, but reveals a mature production resulting in a few great songs. It reminds me more of Kill Shelter than Antidote and especially the last part of the album is worthy of examination. The dark sphere supporting “The Edge Of Reason” and “Every Walking Hour” will give you goosebumps. And there also is the great and more passionate “Of Roses And Thorns” carried by cool, mewing guitar play reminiscent of the 80s.
– – – : The first part of the album is less convincing, the slower “Into The Fire” sounding less inspired in comparison with the great final part.
Conclusion: “A Haunted Place” is a fully accomplished, dark work, which will appeal for lovers of Dark-Wave and Post-Punk. I hope this duo will renew their collaboration.
Best songs: “Of Roses And Thorns”, “The Edge Of Reason”, “Every Walking Hour”, “Raise The Skies”.
Rate: 8.
Artists: www.facebook.com/killshelterofficial / www.facebook.com/antipoleband
Label: www.manicdepressionrecords.com / www.facebook.com/manicdepressionrecords
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