The Bleak Assembly debuts with We Become Strangers
Sometimes, you hear the first minute of a new band and you know you’re going to like them… like in the case of The Bleak Assembly, from Denver (USA).
Their debut release, the EP We Become Strangers, is striking for its balanced darkwave/gothic rock approach: nothing is out of place or detracts from the rest of the elements. Voice, guitar, bass, percussions… Everything takes you to the 90’s gothic rock terrain with an ethereal/psychedelic touch. And supported by a female voice with Kimberly’s warmth, it’s inevitable to feel like you’re going back to that room where you’ve listened to Solemn Novena, Inkubus Sukkubus, The Eden House or Mephisto Walz’s albums with Christianna on the microphone.
Of course, there is an explanation for this brilliance in a debut: Michael Smith and Kimberly Kornmeier have a musical career that dates back to 1991 in Michael’s case and 2003 in Kimberly’s case. Interestingly, both careers have not been focused on guitar-driven gothic rock. Kimberly has been part of Bow Ever Down (EBM/darkwave) and Sonik Foundry (EBM/industrial), and Michael has previously worked in Creeping Eruption (EBM/industrial) and Fiction 8 (industrial/darkwave).
On We Become Strangers you will find the guitars enhanced with flanger effects, chorus and company, providing that dreamy touch, along with both a bass and a persistent drum machine. The overall tone of the four tracks is calm, mid-tempo, without giving up the dance on the edge of what invites you to move on the dancefloor. In this sense, Wash It Away stands out as the most upbeat, followed closely by Slow Down Time. Fragile Like Glass and Lost And Vacant are more for intimate dancing, or simply to enjoy listening to them.
The four tracks are not enough to get to know the full breadth of the band, and although this is a very good introduction, I would love to see The Bleak Assembly explore their potential with more varied tracks that surprise us and maintain the quality of this We Become Strangers.
Thanks to Moon Coil Media for bringing this proposal to our attention!
Links of interest
The Bleak Assembly on Bandcamp.
The Bleak Assembly on Facebook.