The “deluxe” version of Rosetta Stone’s Adrenaline is purportedly a re-issue of a “classic” album, but I’m not so sure that is an accurate claim.  I could be wrong, but I am under the impression that Adrenaline wasn’t a proper album per se, but a collection of tracks culled from other sources for the US market.  Even so, this two disc set is full of cracking good tracks that offer a remarkable view of the sonic shape of middle-period gothic rock.  The sound is instantly recognizable: a Sisters of Mercy-inspired drum machine thump, big bass lines, chorused guitar licks, and deep, pensive male vocals…and yet for all its legibility, it’s a sound that isn’t stale in the least.  There are at least five dance floor gems here–”Adrenaline,” “An Eye for the Main Chance,” “Chapter and Verse,” “Cimmerian,” and “If Only and Sometimes”–yet the rest of the songs are equally worth your attention.  With repeated listens, some of the tracks prove to be under-rated classics in their own right; “Summer” should be getting massive play at trad goth nights around the world.  There are enough quality songs, remixes, and live cuts to keep any fan sated.  Don’t mistake this for a nostalgia piece, this is the real thing.

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