A new band introduces itself with the album “My Only Shelter”. They call themselves "Darkhouse“, Make music with five people and deliver timeless Modern Rock, which is partly provided with electronic encores. So much electronics in your blood would you have with Gary Meskil, the founder of the US hardcore troupe "Pro-pain“, Not suspected at all. With "Darkhouse”The bassist lets off steam in synth rock. Rupert Keplinger is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, comes from Hamburg, plays bass with "Eisbrecher”And has worked on various publications, including Peter Maffays Tabaluga, worked with Stephan Weidner or was involved in the last“ Oomph ”album. The vocals take over at "Darkhouse”The hitherto unknown singer from Scotland Kenny Hanton. Musically, the formation creates what many try but fail: an interesting arc of tension between very electronic sounds and heavy guitars.
All in all, an international quintet has come together that comes from the USA, Scotland, Germany and Austria and their origins are as different as the music is differentiated. An ocean can separate or connect - in the case of “Darkhaus” clearly the latter. There is actually a lot of water between the band members, but it is this ocean of ideas, creativity and love to set out on new shores that connects everyone. “Darkhaus” may be new, but they are already timeless, so clear in their will to overcome genre boundaries that they have already created their own category. Together they make sure that “Darkhaus” is simply everything: One moment the steam engine with the feeling for the radio-compatible melodies, the next moment the glue that holds together a fragile structure of the song with a lot of feeling. And then, a tiny moment later, the high-speed rotating disco ball, which fills the dance floors with a powerful groove. The style as synth-rock is a bit too pop-heavy for me personally, but even after listening to it several times, there is no boredom.
The total of 16 (!) Songs to be heard shine not only because of their size, but above all because of their class, right down to the last note. Every track immediately grabs the listener, stays in the ear for a long time and fascinates with wonderfully catchy melodies and craftsmanship. Kenny Hanton's voice is a bit reminiscent of hard rock bands at first, but it quickly becomes clear that the palette is much richer. Musically, Darkhaus is difficult to classify. Rock, Darkwave and sometimes some borrowings from Metal can be seen. In short, the listener is presented with a very successful mix. The opener “Life Worth Living” starts with dark electronics, but soon shows where the musical journey is going. Track 2 “Grace Divine” follows on from the previous one and here too Kenny's voice conveys pure singing joy. “Ghost” is the third number on the album and is a little quieter. The song was released as a single on October 23 and has since been available as an official video clip. In the video, the band makes music in front of the idyllic backdrop in the garden of an American country house and the clip is about the serious loss of a loved one. “Ghost” is characterized by an emotional and powerful interpretation in Kenny's voice.
Powerful with many extended riffs, “Break Down The Walls” continues. It's rock music that goes straight into your blood, but also convinces with solo elements. The following track “Our Time” shows great dynamism, from calm passages to a catchy, powerfully conveyed refrain. Soft electric tones open up “Don't Close Your Eyes”. But the powerful chorus and the catchy rhythm quickly predominate in this song as well. Sometimes a bit ballad-like, but also very varied, sounds “Breaking The Silence”. Here Kenny Halan's voice, which can always be changed, is impressive. Romance and driving guitars, the song “Hour Of Need” combines both. A catchy song and a chorus that gets under your skin and moves mind and soul. Catchy hooks and melodies run through the entire album. Simple, but appropriate and understandable texts ensure recognition value. According to his own statement, perfect for fans of emotionally stimulating songwriting a la “HIM”, “Depeche Mode” and “Rammstein”. But I only agree with that to a certain extent, as the band and the album have a certain uniqueness.
The ballad “Apostle” provides a musical resting point on the album. No song is like the other, with every song there is something new to discover musically. So also the very disco-suitable “Son Of A Gun” or “Drive”, a song that combines hard riffs with a very melodic vocal part. “Angelina” ultimately proves that Darkhaus are right in the dark music scene. It's a dark rock song that should inspire visitors to the next Subway-to-Sally concerts. “Darkhaus” will support the tour of the headliner band around frontman Eric Fish next spring. Eisbrecher co-founder Jochen 'Noel Pix' Seibert has his fingers in the game with the song “Breaking The Silence” and gives it the “Eisbrecher Club Cut”, in which the electronic side is emphasized and the beats harshly invite you to dance. Breaks and twists on the border to the Dub Step round off the resulting version of the title. As an encore, Kinky took on the opener “Life Worth Living” and created a dark dance version from it. Across all genres, the five-man team makes use of elements that turn conventional titles into catchy tunes, some of which are both club-friendly and also show the potential for classics.
The new and simultaneous debut album “My Only Shelter” captivates with catchy melodies and a bunch of rocking guitars. The groove runs like a red thread through the album. The mix of styles mentioned above provide variety, but also the various moods that are created. Sometimes the songs seem emotional, then again epic or snotty and ballad-like moments like in “Apostle” are not missing. The different speeds of the compositions also contribute to the fact that “My Only Shelter” comes across as entertaining. Only the moments of surprise are missing and a touch more independence would look good on “Darkhaus”. At this point it is worth mentioning the fun factor of this disc, which can certainly outweigh the downsides. Darkhaus is not just any new band in the growing music market. They stand out from the crowd with a lot of creativity and the mixture of rock, melancholy, dynamism and unbridled joy in playing and singing makes “My Only Shelter” a recommendation for friends of well-made rock music and across the genre.
Track list:
- Life Worth Living
- Grace Divine
- Ghost
- Break Down The Walls
- Our Time
- Don't close your eyes
- Breaking the Silence
- Hour of Need
- Looks Like Rain
- Apostle
- Son Of A Gun
- Drive
- angelina
- Hurts Like Hell
- Breaking The Silence (Eisbrecher ”Club Cut”) By Noel Pix
- Life Worth Living (Kinky J Mix) By Kinky J
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