The Black Veils – Gaslight (Digital/CD/Vinyl Album – Icy Cold Records)
It has already been four years since The Black Veils delivered the excellent album Carnage in 2021. The Italian band, formed in 2014, now returns with its fourth album and second release on Icy Cold Records.
The songs remain firmly rooted in classic 80s influences, which will undoubtedly appeal to fans of bands such as Killing Joke and The Smiths. I hesitate to draw direct comparisons with those names, but it is in the finer details—subtle guitar lines, vocal nuances, and overall atmosphere—that this album truly comes alive. The tracks sound powerful and are enriched with tasteful synth arrangements. Unfortunately, the album offers only ten tracks, most of them relatively short. Still, with the exception of a few minor moments, the compositions are consistently strong. The latter part of the album, in particular, reveals several highlights, striking a beautiful balance between guitar-driven Dark-Wave and electronic elements.
While I personally found “Carnage” to be slightly stronger and darker, The Black Veils once again deliver a release that upholds their reputation for quality Dark-Wave. (Rating:8).
Listen to “Piggies”:
https://icycoldrecords.bandcamp.com/track/piggies
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
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