This, the second single from the Steampunk band Ghostfire, following their ‘Drunk Lullabies’ EP is a meaty slice of Steampunk with Gothic overtones, that could come straight from the slums of Victorian England.
‘The Last Steampunk Waltz’ as the band’s blurb states is ‘about the sword Excalibur and her inexorable link to the earth and forces of nature, as discussed in the legends of King Arthur. As the title states, the musical format is a waltz, with exceedingly well-crafted lyrics, sung in a style not too far removed from either Nick Cave, or even Dave Vanian circa ‘Phantasmagoria’:
“Stay with her, lay with her, carry her high. Swear an allegiance to things you can't hide/ She will find us again. She will bind us again. Lies won't blind us again/ Heavens bow to her reign, once again.”
I found this track immediately likeable, and found that it stood up well after several plays.
The second track ‘Hand of Glory’ recounts the tale of a long dead robber who was betrayed by his companions, hanged, and then left to rot in a gibbet, an unsavoury practice that was actually abolished in 1832. This track takes a far more up to date rock sound, which is instantly catchy. Once again the lyrics are extremely strong and evocative: -
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“In this iron cage, the weather taunts me. Bleaches my bones/ Eternal rage, it still blows through me. My heart a ruined and empty stone”
And: -
“You took the best from me, you took the breath from me/ This hellish symphony shall guide you well/ You stole the life from me, the trial the tragedy/ This hell's cacophony shall guide you well.”
All in all, an excellent single. This is an exciting band with some really original ideas. Can’t wait to hear more from them!
Ghostfire on Myspace
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