Buy This CD at Darkcell Digital Music

In a world of overplayed synthpop; it takes a lot to impress me these days. I suppose I'm getting old and jaded. Nothing quite seems to measure up to the joys found discovering the magic sounds of bands like Wolfsheim so many years ago now. I have recently been stubbornly dismissing anything that calls itself synthpop in nature, expecting the same old same old. Until now. Enter a Swedish band bound to take the US club scene by storm:  the Morticians. 

Mike Ventarola, a StarVox staff writer and creator of Hidden Sanctuary, sent me a link to this band's music and I immediately feel in love with it and wrote to them inquiring. They were very gracious and sent over a press kit and CDr which hasn't strayed far from my CD player since it's arrival. 

Founded by Andreas Rimheden in 1991, Morticians started out as a harsher, industrial band but has, over the years, morphed and grew into what he says is "a mix of soft melodic electronic music like synthpop and a cold hard EBM-inspired sound." Musically speaking, the beats are good and varied (not this dull thump thump thump we've been hearing a lot in clubs) and the melodies are are brilliantly simple and irresistibly catchy. The lyrics are wonderfully sarcastic, dark and morbid at times. Quite a punch packed into an innocent sounding lullaby. As if the music alone wasn't enough,  Andreas - whose vocals are smooth and quiet, yet masculine;  brought in Marie Hagelquist to do backing vocals on this CD. Perfect point and counterpoint -- I don't think you could have asked for a better combination. 

Upon hearing the first track, "Alive", I knew this CD was going to be wonderful. A solid yet complex set of percussive rhythms plays against keyboard melodies before Andreas vocals come gliding over the top singing quiet freely,  "Life is just a lie, just a terrible way to die." 

I suspect the songs "Goodbye" and "Aware" will be a huge favorite on the dance floor with their harsher EBM beats, (early) Depeche Mode-like melodies, and again, lovely bitter lyrics sung so innocently, "Is the meaning of love, to say goodbye?" 

"Last Dance" is my absolute favorite song on this CD in melody and sentiment.  There is a certain peaceful comfort that wells up in my eyes when he sings, "The end is near, I can feel it closing in now, I've lived with fear, I'd really love to rest now, so long my friends, this is my last dance." Wonderfully danceable and dreamy; I believe I could keep this song on repeat for hours. 

"Wonderland" is a nice change with the sound of acoustic guitar pluckings initiating the tempo as an electronic melody builds up behind it.  I don't think even Robert Smith got as gloomy as this on his best days: "Wishes never ever come true; but nightmares do..." 

"To Heaven" is a *beautiful* ballad where Marie's vocals are wonderfully showcased in this duet with Andreas. The melody speaks of simpler times, and reminds me of favorite singer/songwriters that I used to love when I was little like Cat Stevens. 

     It's a long walk to heaven yet 
     Quite a way 
     Don't think I'll reach it on Saturday 
     One step forward and two steps back 
     Life keeps dragging me off my track 
     I will build an aeroplane of dreams of lost 
     And I will fly beyond the world where living costs 
     A million miles from heaven still but moving on 
     Fantasies will be for real 
     The day I'm gone 
     Hear me whisper in the wind 
     Empty words that never had a meaning 
     Every time you try to understand 
     I'm in heaven

Definitely a skilled musician with quite an knack for keeping things interesting yet minimal, I think there's something for every one with the Morticians whether you're into club hits, or melodies, or lyrics or even ballads. Its out there for free on the internet so do yourself a favor and check it out. I guarantee you'll find a favorite new song. I'm looking forward to hearing some of this in clubs... 

Tracks 
1. Alive 
2. Stereotyped 
3. Goodbye 
4. Last Dance 
5. Wonderland 
6. Sustaining Waves 
7. To Heaven 
8. Aware 
9. Bedlam 
10. Reincarnation 
11. Distant 
12. In My Head 
13. Electric I 
  

Official Website: 
http://www.morticiansmusic.com