Neon Funeral – Banned From The Goth Club (EP – Cleopatra Records)
Genre/Influences: Dark-Wave, Post-Punk.
Format: Digital, Cassette.
Background/Info: This must be the second EP by American formation Neon Funeral. The title of the work is inspired by the band’s sound which is ‘hard to label’ and not Goth enough for Goth clubs but too Goth for Rock addicts.
Content: The sound indeed isn’t typically Goth or Industrial or Rock but simply bringing different influences together; a perfect fusion between guitar and electronics with harsh vocals on top.
+ + + : The least I can say is that this band strives for a very own sound identity. It doesn’t sound new but is a cool offspring between different, related, influences. I especially like both debut cuts for their power and balance between guitar and electronics.
– – – : I regret the work is only featuring 4 songs. The vocals are very harsh and maybe a bit too saturated. The last cut is more dreamy and melodic which doesn’t sound like the band’s best side.
Conclusion: Hard to label but easy to enjoy!
Best songs: “Avolition”, “High Tech Low Life”.
Rate: 7.
Artist: www.facebook.com/neonfuneralband
Label: www.cleopatrarecords.com / www.facebook.com/CleopatraRecords Read the news on ‘Banned From The Goth Club’.
About Neon Funeral
Neon Funeral is a New Jersey-based darkwave/post-punk band known for pairing dance-driven, guitar-and-electronics instrumentals with hardcore screamo vocals, a combination the band has described as “an angst-driven Ian Curtis.”
The band released the single “A Void” in 2022, followed by the EP “Banned From The Goth Club,” reviewed here, in 2023 via Cleopatra Records. The EP closes with a cover of Eddie Murphy’s “Party All The Time.”
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