As OG She Wants Revenge fans (Read: since the songs/EP before the debut LP and venturing to TT The Bear’s for their first MA visit just for a support slot set) we have been highly skeptical of what’s come in the lead up to vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Justin Warfield’s Deathrock Devotionals full-length. Not that any of the singles that have preceded it have been bad per se but more that She Wants Revenge holds a special place in our black hearts and if that long rumored/gestating 4th LP ain’t coming anytime soon then we’d like to take some comfort that what’s here now at least lives up to the branched off legacy that Warfield along with Adam Bravin started.
That said, it’s a nice feeling today to be able to say that not only was comfort achieved but also that context is everything. But beyond being the voice of SWR as a starting point, WARFIELD (Rounded out by Delano Duran, Thomas Froggatt, Mr. Pharmacist and Spencer Rollins) mostly finds its’ footing in areas not too often explored by that Darkwave/Electro Rawk outfit choosing to really soak up the Goth Post-Punk atmosphere in the vein of The Cure, Killing Joke, The Cramps and more across Deathrock Devotionals.
“Fades” eases SWR fans in nicely with a similar enough track that’s still a little more indicative of the latter half of that Darkwave duo’s oeuvre with those Post-Punk vibes very prevalent to start but if there was any lingering question that DD would just be a SWR retread at all then “All The Fun (Kiss, Kiss, Kiss)” will easily squash that argument with a Punky little number filled with fun vocal cadences out of Warfield and a kickass chorus that’s sure to become a staple sing-a-long in a live setting (If it isn’t already).
“Jet Plane” starts with a staccato burst of drumming before these glistening guitar lines slide right in there, transplanting the track into a wholly different genre almost while “If The World Starts Crashing Down Tonight” has some twang and bouncy bass and is one of the more interesting sonic diversions on DD to give glimpses of the aural array that Warfield and co. are wielding. Giving off all the Goth/Horror Punk vibes the second the hypnotic hum starts swirling is “No Party” with Warfield’s vibrato-laced main vocal lines echoing legends like The Cramps at times and then it’s time for a 180 as “Get Away/Far Away” sets an ethereal tone with Warfield’s signature monotone delivery acting as a guide before the track opens up into a Goth Rawk anthem.
Not enough Post-Punk goodness for ya? Well! “Distraction” is a rumbling modern Post-Punk classic with an effervescent chorus, “See The Distance, See The Truth” is hyper and low end heavy hearkening back to the real early daze of Post-Punk and “Only Shadows” is Post-Punk incarnate in the way that Bauhaus used to do amidst an eerie air. “Whispers For The Dead” hits that sweet spot when She Wants Revenge arrived on the modern Goth Rawk scene alongside acts like I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness and Ritual Howls a little later propelled by a speedy, busy beat with spectral guitar lines topped by a haunting Warfield vocal performance that’s a little bit like “Send Me An Angel” levels of lush when paired with the shimmering synths. And you can’t leave a memorable album such as Deathrock Devotionals without a proper send off so it makes sense that “A Love So Bold” with its’ epic in the way that Disintegration still is vibe was the one to do it here.
Deathrock Devotionals is out on November 28th through Cleopatra Records with pre-orders up now and available to be got by heading here or here for digital and here for physical editions. For more from Warfield, including the latest on upcoming live dates and more, hit up the socials across the interwebs when you click here, here or here.