The third full-length release from this Charlottesville, VA, band continues its exploration of a unique industrial-synth punk-darkwave fusion that allows it to fit fairly well within the industrial mainstream while still pushing the stylistic envelope sufficiently to interest listeners from outside that scene. Although the band's name (along with song titles like "Living Dead" and "Regret") might lead one to expect brooding and death-obsessed lyrics,
Bella Morte actually offers an impressive range of moods and lyrical themes here -- though granted, they all fall within a generally dark-to-darker mood spectrum. "Regret" juxtaposes a by the numbers industrial growl with faintly funky rhythms, whereas "Logic" finds the guitars moving further into metal territory as the vocals clear up and become more straightforwardly rockish. "Hope Again" harks back pleasantly to
the Cure, circa Disintegration, and the album's title track is actually quite contemplative and builds intensity in a highly artful manner. Perhaps most surprising is "Whispers," a tender love song (as opposed to "Christina," which is a distinctly aggressive love song). Lest you think these guys are wussies, though, "Living Dead" explodes with an old-school punk attack. Relatively few bands of this general type are capable of this kind of stylistic variety;
Quiet promises good things in
Bella Morte's future. ~ Rick Anderson