This is undoubtedly the group's creepiest release, opening with the scary "Hollow Man," which is 1981's "Ghost of the Heart" played backward with overdubbed haunting lyrics ("Where have the eyes gone?/One finds no eyes here/In this empire of dying suns"). This almost-sinister theme carries through virtually the entire record, with songs like "Mall (All Over the World)" decrying an evangelism of Westerm culture in lieu of an evangelism of Christ. The more positive-sounding songs tend toward searing satire, notably on "Angels Tuck You In," commenting on the attitude that a life as a Christian is free of discomfort or the need to think. This record marks a beginning to the real artistry of primary songwriter
Terry Taylor's lyrics. Even ¡Alarma!, with its mysterious themes, still deviates little from descriptions of bad behavior and exhortations on how to live. The songs on
Doppelganger work on many levels: as illustrative of the ¡Alarma! Chronicles text, as a piece of the album itself, and as songs in their own right. The listener is free to make his or her own interpretation of the songs rather than being beat on the head with a simplistic message. And the songs here also resonate on many levels with the theme of "the double." "Distance and Direction" lists diad after diad of perspectives on the human condition. "Here I Am, There You Are" tells of another double: the artist in his celebrity as opposed to his personal life. "I Didn't Build It for Me" contrasts someone's words with their intentions. Songs are primarily guitar-driven. A fantastic album and a landmark for the genre. The CD version contains live tracks from the Doppelganger tour, which show the power and energy this little group could generate. ~ Mark W. B. Allender