July 17 2006
All Gone Dead – Fallen & Forgotten
The problem with most deathrock bands is that they are painfully derivative and have nothing much to offer the listener. Not so with All Gone Dead. Sure, their influences are recognizable–a bass line reminiscent of The Cure here, punk-influenced vocals there–but Fallen & Forgotten is a much needed breath of fresh air into the old crypt. The songs are amazingly tight constructions of guitar, bass, keyboards, programmed beats, and vocals; catchy as hell. I’m especially impressed that they didn’t keep their lyrical content confined to the tired clichés of bats and cobwebs; instead, All Gone Dead offer insights that are more personal and often political. That kind of lyrical connection to the real world is almost unheard of in this genre, but it gives the music–and the people behind it–a sense of true genuineness. And there’s even a goth love ballad at the end….awww.Just when I had given up on hearing a new goth band worth the trouble, Fallen & Forgotten appeared…faith restored!
