Clan of Xymox « The RingMaster Review

Grabbing ears straightaway is not the easiest thing to achieve as numerous music fans can testify but to truly and swiftly catch the imagination is a rare success but something Brit goth rockers The Devil In Faust have done with their debut EP, Come Apart. It is not necessarily the most unique encounter though its web of enterprise and temptation is certainly individual to the Shrewsbury hailing trio, but it has open freshness to its creative drama and virulent adventure which just clicked with our ears and appetites.

Formed late 2014 by old school friends in vocalist/guitarist Al Pritchard and drummer Ben Codd, The Devil In Faust soon made a strong impression on their local live scene whilst their debut video single, Dark Places, found potent online success. Subsequent sharing of stages with the likes of Dani Filth’s Devilment and Sinnergod only furthered their growing reputation as too following singles, all a spark to the band receiving an invitation to record in Aarhus, Denmark with Tue Madsen (Moonspell, Meshuggah, Sick of it All) where they demoed twelve tracks then whittled down to the four making up band’s first EP. With a stable line-up now in place with the addition of bassist Jess Lomas, the trio are ready to impose on bigger spotlights with Come Apart leading the way.

The EP opens with the outstanding Cross Your Heart, a slice of virulent temptation working away at ears and imagination from its first breath. Swiftly, there is a familiarity to the band’s sound yet as suggested earlier, it is woven into a boldness of invention belonging to The Devil In Faust. Like a blend of Flesh For Lulu and Clan of Xymox with a touch of Southern Death Cult and 1919, the track strolls in with a seductive shimmer around rhythmic incitement. Pritchard’s potent voice is soon in the midst of the compelling bait, directing the virulence with his distinctive tones as his guitar spins a web of chords and hooks. Quickly infectious and increasingly virulent, the track has attention in its creative palms in no time, physical participation enticed soon after.

The excellent start is backed by the equally alluring presence of Soulmate. Dark melancholic strings and gothic keys caress the imagination initially; from within their theatre a tenacious dance of energy and infection simmers and boils sparking a rousing rock ‘n’ roll stroll part Psychedelic Furs, part The Lords of the New Church, and just a little Alice In Chains but again boisterously The Devil In Faust in nature and devilment. Its fluid flow through lively and mellower moments comes drenched in catchy contagion, the calmer passages emulated and expanded in next up In My Eyes, an acoustic led slice of captivating balladry cast in a hug of emotive shadows which soon has the body rocking and passions entangled in its inventive landscape. There is a whiff of The Only Ones to the song and not for the first time a thought arises that if The Devil In Faust had arisen three or so decades back their success would be guaranteed.

Those dark shadows cloak next up Seed, its instinctive growl lining another increasingly contagious escapade coloured with sultry psychedelic rock hues. Adding essences not too far removed from a fusion of The Doors and The Birthday Party, the song simply and swiftly beguiles ears with again familiarity and new enterprise entangling for a thoroughly gripping adventure.

If The Devil In Faust never realises the potential rich within Come Apart, more of the same will go down a treat next time around but growth there will be and that is something we are eagerly anticipating; something hard to imagine we will be alone in.

Come Apart is out now on all major platforms.