The Tilt – Bloodspring
Similar artists: The Cure, Echo & the Bunnymen, Nine Inch Nails, Bauhaus
Genre: Gothic / Dark Wave
Statistically speaking, it’s likely that great things will happen once rock bands decide they no longer want to be liked. Frankly, the need to be beloved dramatically decreases the potential to create truly great, groundbreaking work. But giving up on these things is not easy. What artist doesn’t harbour a secret desire that they’ll finally be understood and appreciated by the world?
The Tilt don’t sound like they have this problem. In fact, they belong to a tradition of artists who get as much joy out of upsetting people as others do from pleasing their audiences. Like Christian Death, Throbbing Gristle or Diamanda Galas, these are musicians that will simply not go home satisfied knowing you danced the night away and felt a sense of calm and peace while listening to their tunes.
The Tilt’s “Bloodspring” is provocative, lo-fi goth rock. It’s music designed to rile you up. Oh, yes, there is an almost teenage-like desire to wind you up and a total distrust of the world. And, yes, the music sounds as if it was captured by a nature documentary while exploring a cave. Still, there’s power and belief in this macabre piece and a total disregard for this review or anyone else’s opinion. This makes The Tilt members of a very exclusive club.
BIFTER – Acropalypse
Similar artists: Clutch, The Sword, Kadavar, Black Sabbath
Genre: Stoner Rock
Grizzled, old metalheads wince and weaponise their keyboards every time that they are distracted by the image of a celebrity wearing a metalhead t-shirt. Why, in their day, the only people who could boast of liking heavy metal were serial killers, people who worked down at the power plant, and singers who enjoyed biting the heads off bats. But these people might well enjoy BIFTER.
There’s a certain etiquette when it comes to enjoying metal as a modern man. First of all, you have to do it with a bit of self-irony. After all, you don’t think your D&D sessions are real, and this ain’t much different from that.
Secondly, you have to adhere to a strict set of influences. You have to learn the music of those artists and manage to sound like them without copying them. If you fail, you’ll get a horde of angry, old metalheads banging on your online door.
BIFTER’s “Acropalypse” manages to sound mean and fun at the same time. The band sounds as if it is working on the soundtrack to an adult cartoon show. The riffs recall the original stoner bands, and the vocals are rowdy, but there’s the feeling that they’re not willing to take themselves to seriously. It’s heroic and comedic at the same time, and above everything, it’s a great, big sound with which the Australians are working here.
