When
the Black Queen delivered their debut LP in 2016, it was welcomed with enthusiastic furor and also proved a pleasant surprise for fans of the members' mainstay projects. The trio, consisting of ex-
Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist
Greg Puciato,
Telefon Tel Aviv/ex-
Nine Inch Nails touring member Joshua Eustis, and
Nine Inch Nails/
Dillinger tour technician Stephen Alexander, had spent a number of years meticulously crafting a sleek and crystalline synth pop album that lyrically explored love, loss, and strength.
Their sophomore effort,
Infinite Games, continues this sonic exploration while never falling prey to the "repetitive bag of tricks" syndrome. Lead single "Thrown Into the Dark" delivers electronic bass and snare cushioned with synthesized percussion and sparkling synth that gives way to huge and powerful choruses. "No Accusations" is composed of a pulsating
Nine Inch Nails "Closer"-esque beat with an industrialized bass pattern that recalls some of
Alec Empire's work on
the Golden Foretaste of Heaven, while
Puciato's crooning falsetto carries the song verse to verse. It's no secret that
Puciato's vocal range is nothing short of phenomenal. His flawless delivery and ability to transcend several octaves in just a breath more than lends itself effectively to both
Dillinger's harder and softer tracks and it's a testament to his strengths in that the same skill can be applied so effectively to
the Black Queen's sound palette, which is starkly different. Where one of the band's strengths lies in detailed and busy -- but never overdone -- production, "Your Move" is an example of the group's belief that less can certainly be more. Chilling ambience swirls throughout the track while
Puciato's pained voice echoes through crisp reverb atop a thudding filtered beat. Album-closer "One Edge of Two" is undoubtedly one of the best tracks on the record; R&B-esque verses consisting of rumbling staccato bass and sharp electronic hi-hats segue into a blinding chorus in which
Puciato bellows "Climbing up to the edge of two worlds, holding love for me felt so still, face to face against my own will."
Infinite Games is another fine example of
the Black Queen's unwavering work ethic when it comes to crafting enticing, detailed, and layered pop music. The album never ends up as something that pays homage to a sound with nostalgic precision, but rather professes its love for innovation by taking it to new heights. ~ Rob Wacey