SUBROSA (Strega) CD
I already mentioned that most of the bands, who have been signed by I Hate Records own something very special. Mostly it's an unique sound or the talent to write real good songs, and some of this groups have the ability to melt both together. SUBROSA belong to third category and 'Strega' is their second album, after their self-released debut 'The Worm Has Turned'. 'Strega' is drenched in melancholy and it sounds as if it has been recorded in a complete darkness. The musical mixture isn't easy to describe; ultra-heavy riffing collides with female vocals, while an electric violin is responsible for some lysergic undertones. Even when the songs start to groove they never loose their mysterious and desperate atmosphere, but 'Strega' is not an album that is lost in an emotion of self-pity. I wish I could read some of the lyrics, because I'm really interested in what Rebecca Vernon is singing about. The song-structures are mostly straightforward and deeply rooted in the tradition of rock, but due to the overall sound and its execution SUBROSA aren't your typical heavy rock band. 'Go Down Moses' could've been taken from a Dead Can Dance record, while the folk-influenced 'Isaac' sounds as if early Clannad have abandoned all light out of their songs. 'Crucible' is the band's own musical version of doom and it's a merciless sonic downward spiral. Maybe this is the future of alternative rock, because SUBROSA never wimp out for a single second. 'Strega' is always powerful and inspiring, though it's important to give it a lot of spins just because the included 9 songs will grow with every further listening sessions. Well done, ladies!
(KK)
www.myspace.com/subrosatheatre
www.ihate.se