AGENTS OF OBLIVION (s/t) CD
Although this album is from 2000 I like to present this dark and melancholic album from this New Orleans based band. Fronted by the formerly Acid Bath singer Dax, who's a real underrated vocalist his new band is in some moments not far away from Acid Bath, but instead of all the grind and sludgy elements the Agents are closer to Joy Division or Bauhaus and they have a piano player in the line-up. The whole album sounds like a logical step after the second Acid Bath album, that was more mellow than the debut and the first Wave/Gothic elements appeared in the music. There are a lot of soft moments and tragic parts, but they have also a few heavy riffs as in "Paroled In '54" or "Slave Riot".
Dax Riggs sings in a clean melodic way in all songs and there are so much different influences from Glam to Blues and modern heavy Rock, that are building this mournful album. There´s a dark heavy twisted atmosphere over all thirteen tracks , together with interesting metaphorical lyrics about love, life and death. A good soundtrack when you're alone with a broken heart or you're together with your loved one. Here you find also a very good new version of the Acid Bath track "Dead Girl" and a nice cover version of the Bolan classic "Cosmic Dancer". I really like this emotional album and it must appeal to every one who likes sad tunes and maybe all those that are into early David Bowie stuff. AGENTS OF OBLIVION are proving once more that New Orleans is still a place of very unique bands. This album has beenreleased on Rotten Records.
(KK)