F.I.V.E. is the latest album by Abruzzo Italy's goth legends Christine Plays Viola whose current line-up is Fabrizio Giampietro, Massimo Ciampani, Gianluca Orsini and Marco Di Lanni, the album was self- produced by the band and Recorded, mixed and mastered by Salvatore Carducci. The band will be touring Europe from July to October.
The album opens with Sprout Of Disharmony while the family chatters and argues on the perfect amount of time to boil, parboil, saute sprouts for, imperious goth guitars come in, classic floor filler goth in a Mission meets Gene Loves Jezebel vein, the lyrics aren't about food, but about the slow collapse of unity and harmony and the descent into chaos and despair.
My Redemption will come through a classic EBM drum beat and soaring guitars, an early killing Joke feel, for this walk through all the reasons you need to be redeemed, is it possible, when you know just how badly you behaved, is there still enough time to make up for everything.
You Don't Fool Me takes splintering guitars and the deep vocals into poppy 69 Eyes territory, while being perfect for some Skinny body bopping, while making clear you won't play your games anymore, while the cymbals rise in the mix, accusations fly.
Desolate Moments strips things back a touch with a funereal marching drumbeat, and dark hued synths and guitars, explaining all the sins you committed, all the reasons they have not to forgive you, they want to watch you fall forever into that pit of desolation.
Confession takes them into that box to spill their guts and say 10 hail Mary's for how familiar this goth tune sounds, they clearly understand that the passion of lovers is for death and Confessions can only come after the deed has been done.
There's No Going Back has fuzzy guitar intro with slow keyboard steps and effects demonstrating how far from being able to resolve your differences you really are, not even Billy idol can keep you together, or make you feel you have any control over your life anymore.
Black Noise certainly has plenty of noise, but this is controlled and used to great effect, never forgetting to be danceable, stealing a cool cartoon chase guitar part, the sax follows you around the room too.
The Crypt Of Misery has crackling fizzing amps, distended keyboards taking us down into the crypt of a capuchin church, with an ossuary and piles of bones, the remains of an ancient monk or two, stripping away to the demonic vocal cries of despair, they have seen the implements on the wall, afraid the torture is about to begin, scarification and self-mutilation shout through the misery feeling like you've never lived.
Jackie's Curse has a full on Head Of David motorik riff and bassline, with Jackie's Curse seeming to be, she knows all the words to Zodiac Mindwarp's first three albums and can't stop singing them, thinking they are really Ministry's greatest hits, colossal wall of guitars make sure you want to help Jackie find a cure.
Blood Calls Blood going all AB Negative on us, Goth biker rock with a proper hands in the air chorus to sway along with them too, if they ever emerge from the dry ice.
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