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Rock music has been more than just a genre—it has been a powerful cultural force that has shaped societies and generations. Since its emergence in the 1950s, rock music has influenced modern culture through its unique combination of energy, rebellion, and deep emotional expression. This article delves into the multifaceted impact rock music has had on society, from challenging social norms to inspiring fashion and political movements.
The Birth of Rebellion: Rock Music as a Voice for Change
Rock music emerged at a time when the world was poised for cultural shifts. It provided a soundtrack for movements that questioned established norms and pushed for freedom and self-expression.
Rock as a Tool for Social Change
During the 1960s and 1970s, rock music became synonymous with social revolution. Bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Who addressed topics that resonated with the youth, such as peace, love, and anti-establishment sentiment. These themes were especially prominent during the Vietnam War era, where music played a crucial role in uniting people against war and promoting peace.
The music of this era was often seen as a catalyst for change, inspiring individuals to think critically about the world around them. Songs like Bob Dylan’s Blowin’ in the Wind became anthems for social justice, encapsulating the spirit of the time and mobilising young people to take action.
Amplifying the Voice of the Marginalised
Rock music has also provided a voice for marginalised communities. Punk rock, which rose to prominence in the 1970s, was a response to societal frustrations and economic challenges. Bands like The Clash and The Sex Pistols used raw, aggressive sound and confrontational lyrics to highlight issues such as unemployment, inequality, and political corruption. The punk movement encouraged listeners to question authority and advocate for change, influencing the socio-political landscape of the time.
The Fashion Revolution Brought by Rock Music
Beyond the sound, rock music has significantly influenced fashion, setting trends that defied conventional standards and embraced individuality.
From Leather Jackets to Band T-Shirts
The fashion statements of rock icons have had a lasting impact on how people dress. Elvis Presley’s hip-shaking style, with his bold suits and slicked-back hair, challenged the conservative norms of the 1950s and opened the door for fashion experimentation. Later, bands like Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones popularised more relaxed, bohemian looks that embodied the freedom and rebellion associated with rock.
The punk movement further revolutionised fashion by introducing ripped jeans, leather jackets, and DIY aesthetics. This look became a symbol of defiance and individuality, traits that resonated with those disenchanted by mainstream culture. Even today, items such as band t-shirts and leather jackets remain staples of modern fashion, a testament to rock’s enduring influence.
Rock Fashion and the Mainstream
Rock music’s influence on fashion didn’t just stay within the subcultures. Designers and fashion houses have repeatedly drawn inspiration from rock’s iconic looks. The fusion of rock music and fashion can be seen in high-profile runway shows, collaborations between rock artists and brands, and the continued presence of rock-inspired collections in mainstream fashion.
Rock Music’s Influence on Youth Culture
Rock music has long been a defining aspect of youth culture, creating a space for young people to express their identities, frustrations, and aspirations.
Creating a Sense of Belonging
For decades, rock music has provided a sense of belonging for young people. Whether through attending concerts, joining fan clubs, or forming garage bands, rock created a community for like-minded individuals. It encouraged self-expression and offered a way for teenagers to navigate the challenges of adolescence.
Songs that captured themes of love, rebellion, and freedom resonated deeply with the youth, creating soundtracks for pivotal moments in their lives. Artists like Nirvana, with their raw and unfiltered approach, spoke to a generation grappling with issues of identity and purpose.
Inspiring Modern Music and Genres
The legacy of rock music continues to influence modern genres and artists. Alternative rock, grunge, and indie rock owe their existence to the pioneers of classic rock and punk. Even pop and electronic music incorporate elements of rock, blending guitar riffs and vocal styles that maintain the essence of the genre.
The Role of Rock in Political and Social Activism
Rock music has not only shaped cultural trends but has also played a significant role in political and social activism. Benefit concerts, protest songs, and collaborations between musicians and humanitarian organisations have highlighted the power of rock to effect real change.
Landmark Events in Rock Activism
Events like Live Aid in 1985, which featured performances by rock legends such as Queen and U2, raised awareness and funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. This global concert showcased how rock music could unite people for a common cause, demonstrating its reach beyond entertainment.
Rock bands have also used their platforms to address issues like climate change, racial inequality, and human rights. The messages embedded in their music, combined with the platforms they command, have inspired fans to take part in activism and support meaningful initiatives.
Rock music’s cultural impact extends far beyond its catchy riffs and electrifying performances. It has influenced fashion, inspired social change, shaped youth culture, and driven political activism. The genre’s enduring legacy is evident in its ability to continuously evolve and adapt, making it a timeless force in modern society. Through its bold sound and message, rock music continues to inspire generations, reminding us that it is much more than just music—it is a movement.
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The music of Imagine Dragons carries a supernatural charge of positivity, which magnetically attracts music lovers with absolutely different tastes.
The main styles in which the members of Imagine Dragons play are alternative and indie rock. But the musicians are not limited to these genres. Their music includes a lot of pop-rock and electronica, and sometimes even folk-rock and hip-hop.
Unlike young rock bands that haven’t been able to get from garages to the stage for years, this unusual band announced themselves as a new star in the world of modern rock music almost immediately.
The beginning of Imagine Dragons’ history
Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds began taking his first steps in music as a piano player at the age of six. Then at age 13, he would sneak over to his older brother’s computer to turn on the sound recording feature and sketch out songs about his teenage experiences and frustrations.
But the actual story of Imagine Dragons began a little later, in 2008, when Reynolds met drummer Andrew Tolman while attending Brigham Young University.
Finding similar musical tastes and life aspirations, the two students decide to form a band, and guitarist Andrew Back, bassist Dave Lemke and keyboardist/violinist Aurora Florence join the lineup.
The fluidity of the Imagine Dragons lineup
Over the next nine years, the Imagine Dragons lineup changes several times. So unless you’re a fan who wants to know every little detail of the band’s history, you can skip the next two paragraphs.
Without playing a year in the band, Beck and Florence leave. Then in 2009, Tolman invites his high school friend Wayne Sermon to join the band as a guitarist. A little later Andrew brings his wife Brittany Tolman into the band, who takes her place at the keyboards and sings on backing vocals. After that, Lemke leaves and Ben McKee takes the bassist’s place at Sermon’s invitation.
In 2011 the spouses Tolman leave the band. McKee invites Daniel Platzman to replace the drummer, and Brittany is replaced by Theresa Flaminio, only to leave six months later. After her, there was no permanent keyboardist in the band, but for concert tours, Ryan Walker (2012-2015), William Wells (2015-2017), and Eliot Schwartzman (2017-…) are brought in.
The current permanent lineup of Imagine Dragons is vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Dan Reynolds (the only one who has stayed with the band from its inception to the present day), guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist Ben McKee and drummer Daniel Platzman.
Through thorns to the stars on the fast track
The Imagine Dragons began their musical career by winning the university’s “Battle of the Bands” and several other local (Utah) contests.
Imagine Dragons record their first song “Speak to me” the year they formed the band (2008) with their original lineup.
Then Reynolds decides to move the band (with a renewed lineup) to Las Vegas – to his home. The band began to perform regularly, though at first mostly at night – in casinos and strip bars.
But after the performance at the Vegas Music Summit festival (as headliners in front of a crowd of 26 thousand people) and Bite of Las Vegas (Most Popular Band of 2010), everything changed: invitations to the radio airings, loud titles (“Best Indie Band of 2010”, “Best LP of 2011”, etc.), awarded by the prestigious music publications, a contract with a major record label (Interscope Records).
Till the moment of signing the contract the band manages to record three mini-albums. The eponymous debut EP “Imagine Dragons” is released September 1, 2009. The following year, on June 1, the second EP “Hell and Silence” is released. The third mini-album “It’s Time” is released on March 12, 2011.
The fourth EP “Continued Silence” is released on Interscope (14.02.12). Track 1 “Radioactive” instantly gets top positions in the music charts all over the world, is nominated for half a dozen of awards (4 wins) and then becomes the band’s calling card. In the U.S. this track has received the status of a diamond by the sales results (more than 10 million copies).
All 4 mini-albums are rather warmly received by the critics and listeners (especially “Continued Silence”). Later, Reynolds informs that with these releases the band was “testing the ground” in order to release a really cool debut album.
And that’s exactly what they did – “Night Visions”, recorded under the guidance of producer Alex Da Kid, was released on September 4th, 2012.
As soon as the single came out, it immediately started “skimming the cream”: 1st place – in Scottish Albums and three Billboard TOP charts (“Rock Albums”, “Alternative Albums” and “Catalog Albums”); 2nd – in Billboard 200 and British charts; other top places in the weekly charts of 20 other countries.
In just 2 weeks, 83,000 copies were sold, making the record the most successful debut album since 2006.
Imagine Dragons’ “Night Visions” went gold in seven countries. And it went “platinum” in 14 countries. Among them – 4 times 2 times “platinum” (Austria, Mexico, Sweden, USA) and once 3 times (Canada)!
Also among the achievements of Imagine Dragons’ debut album is the victory in the “Top Rock Album” category of the 2014 Billboard Music Awards. And the track “Radioactive,” which the single inherited from the EP that preceded it, was named “the biggest rock hit of the year” by Rolling Stone magazine.
A repeat, not as resounding, but a success nonetheless
Before releasing a second album, Imagine Dragons once again decided to take the tried-and-true path of “testing the waters” by releasing mini-releases.
First, the EP “The Archive” was released (February 12, 2013). Then the band wrote three soundtracks: “Monster” for the IOS game “Infinity Blade III”; “Battle Cry” for “Transformers: Age of Extinction”; “Warriors” for “Divergent Chapter 2: The Insurgent”.
Finally, after the release of three more singles (“I Bet My Life”, “Gold” and “Shots”), when the musicians realized that the majority of the new tracks “caught” the listeners and critics, the release of the second LP was announced.
The Imagine Dragons album “Smoke+Mirrors” was released on February 17, 2015. It was supported by an almost year-long world tour (12.04.15-05.02.16).
Also the video concert “Smoke+Mirrors Life” was filmed for the album release. It was shown in cinemas around the world on March 2, 2016.
This time, the criticism of the album was more mixed – mostly positive, but there were also evaluations marked “average”. In particular, Metacritic rated “Smoke+Mirrors” at 60/100.
As for the chart achievements of the second album, it basically repeated the successes of the debut album, raising the bar even higher in some places: number 1 in Canada, Scotland, Britain and on three American Billboard charts.
As for the sales, things were a bit more modest this time – only gold status in 7 countries. Though you must admit that you can’t really call such results a failure.
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The English band My Dying Bride has been playing their specific subgenre of rock music for almost three decades. They, along with Paradise Lost, are credited with being the founders of the death-doom metal genre.
The songs of My Dying Bride are not the kind of music you would listen to every day. Depressive melodies, slowly alternating guitar riffs, oppressively tragic keyboards set off by heavy drums along with soul-breaking violin and darkly romantic lyrics – all this is their own MDB classic, which they’ve stuck to since their first day (except the violin wasn’t always present).
Born in the Shadows
The band My Dying Bride entered the rock scene from the shadows in 1990. Literally. On a June evening in a British joint called Shades, four musicians decided to form their own band.
The original line-up was represented by guitarist Calvin Robetshaw, vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe, drummer Richard Miah (now replaced by Dan Mullins) and another guitarist Andrew Craighan.
In the long history of the band, the members of the band changed many times. A year later, bassist Adrian Jackson (now bassist Lena Abe) joined the band, and in 1993, violinist and keyboardist Martin Powell joined MDB, bringing the goth-metal elements to their songs, which eventually became the band’s trademark. In the ’90s, he was alternately replaced by Sarah Stanton and Katie Stone, until Shaun Macgowan took over the keyboards in 2009.
Since 1999, only two of the original members have played in the band: Aaron Stainthorpe and Andrew Craighan. Until 2015, after a 15-year hiatus, Calvin Robetshaw returned.
My Dying Bride’s early successes.
After the band was founded, it was quiet for a while: the musicians were adapting to each other and working on their material. Six months later they released the demo “Towards the Sinister” which was later recognized by the fans as legendary.
In a year MDB released their debut EP “God Is Alone” which instantly flies off the shelves of music stores. After the successful debut of this song My Dying Bride started recording on the famous Peaceville Records label. All subsequent albums the band released under their brand.
The first full-length discography album of My Dying Bride – “As The Flower Withers” – was released in 1992, and by its genre definition belongs to pure Death/Doom Metal. After this record the band toured Europe and Britain with concerts for some time.
The release of the EP “Thrash of Naked Limbs” became a serious success for the band, which consolidated the upper layers of the Kerrang charts for some time. Since that moment the fans and music critics began to name MDB among the pioneers of death-doom metal, despite the fact that this genre was 10 years older than the band.
Numerous creative developments of My Dying Bride
Up to 1998 MDB release three more loglists – Turn Loose the Swans (1993), The Angel and the Dark River (1995), Like Gods of the Sun (1996). During this time new members were coming and going, and the vocalist Aaron Stainthorpe began to sing the lyrics not only with growling, but also with clean vocals.
Then the musicians decided to experiment with their style and the result was the album “34,788%… Complete”, where they stepped away from the familiar doom metal and put the stress on the electronic and industrial music. Some fans criticized the band for this change of genre; others, on the contrary, still consider “34,788%… Complete” to be the best record in the discography of My Dying Bride.
The change of style was, in some places, forced. The current drummer Richard Miah had to be replaced by Bill Low for a while because of an injured hand, which, of course, affected the sound. On top of that, keyboardist and violinist Martin Powell left the band. It was because of his parts that the songs of My Dying Bride differed so much from other bands in the death death metal genre.
The album name and style also appeared spontaneously. According to the band members, the mysterious number means the time that mankind has already lived. And the numbers were not taken spontaneously: they were a dream to guitarist Robetshaw.
The following discography of My Dying Bride returns, for the most part, to classic doom metal, but with a slightly new look at the sound. During the next 10 years the band released 5 more loglists (except the names of the albums not much is known about this period even on My Dying Bride Wikipedia page).
Once again, the musicians tried to experiment with style, releasing the album “Evinta” (2011) for their 20th anniversary. It contains the best compositions of that time in an unusual for the band neoclassical and ambient arrangement.
Another experiment was the 27-minute single-track EP “The Barghest O’ Whitby”.
After recording the album “A Map of All Our Failures” in 2012 (ranked fifth in the top ten doom records by WhatCulture), MDB went quiet for 3 years to present the pinnacle of their creativity – “Feel the Misery” in 2015.
My Dying Bride’s album “Feel the Misery” welcomes death metal fans with dark lyrics, ingenious powerful guitar parts and alternation of growling with clean vocals. The special “cherry on the cake” of the release is the moody and heavy song of the same name, which calls for experiencing all possible sufferings in just over 6 minutes.
Today, “Feel the Misery” is the band’s last original album, unless you count the best tracks compilation “Meisterwerk III” recorded in 2016.
The band also has no new releases planned for 2017. And you can see and hear My Dying Bride live at the Roadburn Festival in Holland on April 22.
“My Dying Bride” 27 years later is invariably alive.
Like any other “monster” of the rock scene, My Dying Bride has played an enormous number of concerts during its existence. The most significant of them were the concerts at the Dutch festival “Dynamo Open Air”, in America as the support band for Dio, and joint tours with Iron Maiden, Cathedral and Sentenced.
All these years the band stayed true to itself: neither new trends in music, nor numerous changes in the line-up influenced MDB cardinally. Certainly, each new album of My Dying Bride was more qualitative, deep and fresh in sound, but in fact all of them remained faithful to the same genre vector which was chosen in the very beginning.
P.S.: If you are not a fan of death/doom/gothic metal, but still want to listen to My Dying Bride, I recommend their brilliant cover of “Some Velvet Morning”, originally performed by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood back in 1967, as a “light” option to explore.
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The creative work of the band DEFORMAZIYA cannot be referred to any single musical style – here you’ll find alternative, punk rock, hardcore, industrial, and even thrash metal.
That’s because Artemiy Anfimov and company don’t keep to any genre frameworks, they just do what they like and are not afraid to experiment with the sound (like using flute and electronic samples). These experiments, by the way, are quite successful – we haven’t seen such a fresh sound on the CIS territory for a long time.
DEFORMAction is often compared to Civic Defense. The reason is that the voice of the band’s singer sometimes resembles the timbre of Yegor Letov, though he himself did not notice it at first. But then, going deeper into Letov’s creative work, Artemiy understood that he can’t avoid it and even started to sing some of his songs at the concerts.
Considering that it’s just a coincidence and not a deliberate copying of the manner of performance, there’s nothing wrong with that. Especially, that’s where the similarities in general end – the music of DEFORMAZION is absolutely different, I would even say original.
Rock-band DEFORMAZION (photo)
How was the formation of DEFORMAZIYA
History of music band Deformatsiyatsiya began in 2010, when some young St. Petersburg musicians gathered to try to play the songs of then inexperienced songwriter Artem Anfimov, who became the leader of this band.
The first band was quite unstable – the bass player was away at sea because of his studies. The other members also constantly tried to run away in different directions.
At first Artemiy tried to collect them, but with time he got bored with this “falling apart puzzle”.
If at that moment Artemy’s uncle Vladimir Duraskin had not picked up the bass guitar, the band could have ceased to exist and we would never have heard of them. Fortunately, this did not happen.
When the other musicians “dropped out” completely, because they were not ready for active creative work, only Anfimov and Duraskin remained in the band. But it was quite enough to give their first concert in public (club “Cheshire cat”) which passed successfully in spite of playing with synthesizer drums.
At the same time the band’s name appears – DEFORMAZION. Since 12.06.2010 it becomes official, and remains so till the moment. Its meaning is quite simple – unwillingness to fit into any formats and bounded in any frames. Even then Artemiy planned to create in those styles which he would like to, instead of boring to concentrate only, for example, on punk-rock.
During the following years the band DEFORMAZION changed its line-up many times over. First came the drummer, who rather quickly “merged”. Then the full line-up came, as it were. But since each of the newcomers tried to “pull the blanket over themselves”, Anfimov “fired everyone”, leaving only the drummer.
Then Peter and Max (with a small interval) join the band – and with this line-up DEFORMAZYA plays about three years. During this time guitarists continued to come and go, but none of them “got accustomed”. Also there was a guest flutist, the result of which can be heard in some songs of the first album (“Burn and Forget”). The last member to join the band was backing vocalist Vika.
At present the place of the band’s permanent location is St. Petersburg. The current line-up of DEFORMAtion consists of Artemij Anfimov (leader/vocalist/guitarist/manager), Maxim Chumachev (drummer/sampling writer), Victoria Kuzmina (backing vocals) and Pyotr Komochin (bass).
DEFORMAtion Creativity. Parsing of flights
At the moment, the band DEFORMAction has released only two full-length albums – “Burn and Forget” (2014) and “Never” (2015).
But if by the first album you can somehow determine that it is the debut album, the second album has turned out so “at the level” that not knowing who you listen to, you might think that this band has long ago emerged at least at the level of the CIS. And all because the sound became more qualitative and heavy, there appeared more very pertinent electronic samples, and the lyrics became even cooler.
It so happened that I began to get acquainted with the work of the band DEFORMAZION from the second album. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by the power coming out of my headphones, which is present not only in Artemij’s vocals, but also in the music on absolutely all the songs of the band.
The rock starts with the first track “The best of us are leaving” and does not let go until the last “Never”, which, by the way, was written by Maxim Chumachev before coming to DEFORMAZION.
To allocate and name leading any one composition is impossible – all at a level, each track would be desirable to listen over and over again.
Though two songs stuck in my heart more than the others.
That song “Beast” which, in spite of the cheerful positive sound and the sounding in the beginning punk’s “hoi!”, nevertheless is served by the guys as a lyric, since originally it was written as a sad verse under impressions from problematic relations between Artemy and his girlfriend.
But then the guys realized that “this is snot” and the song was designed exactly the way we can hear it now. And yet, despite the resulting “merry hardcore”, listening carefully to the lyrics and catching phrases such as “unrequited love” and “letting the pain go”, still you can understand what experiences are described in the song.
The second track, which slogan doesn’t leave my mind even at night for the second week, is “Wrong Bees”. This song by DEFORMAction (and Artemy’s comments below) broke my psyche forever and now I perceive the cartoon about Winnie the Pooh not the way I thought it was when I was a kid. I think it’s the coolest thing the group has done so far.
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Ah, it’s been a long time since we had new articles on RockHit… And this situation could have remained unchanged for a long time if not for a letter from the MYOMY project. It contained an offer to review the singles “Venomous Taste” and “God’s Pressure”, released in September and October 2018.
After familiarizing myself with the music MYOMY makes, there was no doubt – a review to be had! I can’t say that this is a revolution in rock music. But this is definitely a fresh vibe – chaotic, experimental, touching the soul from the first seconds. You just can’t go past it. For despite the fact that there are only three tracks in total on two releases, you want to listen to them again and again.
But before we start looking at the mentioned singles, let’s get to know MYOMY a little bit.
How MYOMY was forged
The starting point in the creation of the band was a chance meeting of Alexey Kuritsyn (drums) and Alexander Kotenkov (vocals) in the subway in 2010. The presence of common musical interests resulted in the first rehearsals a few weeks later. A little later the guys were joined by Elena Rapinchuk (bass), who became the third permanent member of the band.
During the years of the band’s formation there were other members – guitarists. But somehow it did not get along with them. According to Alexei, they often “tormented” their guitarists with long sessions of sound design, wanting to translate what they had conceived into reality. Eventually, in early 2017, the last guitarist gave up, unable to bear the burden of creative work in the band. And it turned out that this event was not an obstacle for MYOMY, but quite the opposite – a breath of fresh air.
On reflection the band came to a conclusion that the guitar as an instrument nowadays has lost its relevance. Their music sounds just as good without it. And even better.
They approached the problem of filling the sound niche creatively by “plugging” bassist Lena into two guitar cabinets through a pedalboard, thus getting the missing middle sound. Other parts were added by starting to experiment with synths and backing tracks.
Obsessed with pain.
The band first came out relatively loud in 2016, recording a cover of the song “Sucker for Pain,” which was one of the OSTs of “Suicide Squad,” a hype movie project from DC about “not so good” superheroes.
Despite the fact that the music video for the cover was only released a month after the movie was released, it was still a successful move to draw attention to itself. Especially since the recording was done on a fairly professional level.
And I’ll be honest – I like MYOMY’s alt-metal cover of “Sucker for Pain” much more than the original.
About the meaning of the band name
There are quite a few interpretations of the name of the group. The main meaning inherent in the name is dualism. In this case, MYOMY comes from the English phrase “My Or My? (the letter “r” is omitted in the pronunciation). This question displays the problem of a person’s choice of one or the other. It is quite relevant, because there is black and white in all of us, and we are often faced with the need to do this or that – good or bad.
Also in the name MYOMY there is a reference to the mysteriously disappeared Mayan civilization.
Another variant of origin of the name of the band that I know is based on the phrase “My own mind”, which perfectly conveys the attitude of MYOMY to the musical creativity and their predisposition for individualism.
I should note that this is by no means an exhaustive list of interpretations of MYOMY’s name and the references it contains. This is only a list of the variants I know, but there are more, actually.
Genre boundaries? This is not about MYOMY!
When making their music, MYOMY was inspired mainly by bands in the nu-metal, alternative and industrial genres, such as Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, Linkin Park, Soulfly, Limp Bizkit, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Nine Inch Nails, Muse….
At the same time the guys were not trying to be similar to these groups. From the very beginning they decided to work diligently to find their own sound. To make high quality rocking music. Not to force themselves into certain genre frames. MYOMY wanted their music to be multifaceted and interesting. And getting ahead of the curve, I want to say that they succeeded.
In their work the band talks about inner feelings, consequences of decisions made and the surrounding society. The key idea in MYOMY’s works is:
Live in spite of everything, fight not against the system, but against yourself.
Well, it’s time to get down to what this article is about – the review of the recently released singles of the band.
MYOMY – Venomous Taste
The single was released on September 5th this year and consists of two tracks – the track with the same title and “Pseudo Reality”.
The first thing we’d like to mention is a 30-second intro to “Venomous Taste” which strangely enough combines drums, bass, scratch damaged vocals (or rather, even reading), synths flying off into space and background electric guitar (still present). It all sounds a bit muddled, but original at the same time. And by the end of the song, when fragments from the intro are repeated, there is no surprise anymore, there is only aesthetic pleasure.
The next thing that comes to mind while listening to “Venomous Taste” is that the band’s vocalist Alexander Kotenkov has a rather peculiar timbre. A timbre that you can feel, that is recognizable, that is well remembered. It is a little gloomy, lingering, sweet, mesmerizing, and in some places it is overpowering. In short, unique and multifaceted.
I am sure that Alexander’s voice will become a peculiar chip, by which, along with the sound of MYOMY, the band will be recognized by ear in the future. Like Manson, Placebo or Muse, for example. Alexander’s appearance, by the way, is also quite recognizable. Sometimes it seems to be Jesse Eisenberg’s twin brother, only with straight hair. And in the “Sucker for Pain” music video, he looks a lot like Mark Wahlberg’s character from Rock Star. Though I’m sure these coincidences are coincidental and Alexander’s image is quite original.
Despite the contradictory first impressions of the unusual introduction in the end the track is perceived as quite integral. In this merit, of course, of all participants of group, not only vocalist – Elena on bass and Alexey on drums perfectly cope with their tasks. The backing tracks perfectly complete Alexander’s voice. About mixing there is no sense to speak in general as it is distinctly heard, that professionals did the work here.
Finally, the picture becomes a complete puzzle if you listen to “Venomous Taste” looking at the dynamic cover of the single, which slightly hypnotizes and complements the atmosphere created by the track.
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Noir Désir is one of the most important rock bands in France. In their 30-year history they have released only 6 albums, not counting compilations and concert recordings. But that has not stopped the band from achieving a cult status.
The fusion of alternative and garage rock, post-punk, lyrics referring to works of great classics, and the soulful voice of the lead singer – Bertrand Cant – all this ensured the success of the band. We can assure that it’s this husky vocals that have become the band’s calling card.
Bertrand sings with a kind of fatal breakdown. This fatal break has accompanied the singer and his band throughout their long musical career. Vocal surgeries, the deaths of two beloved women, imprisonment and harassment by the sensation-hungry press – the behind-the-scenes life of Noir Désir, concealed by the profound lyrics and the catchy melodies of the songs.
The games of the Noir Désir line-up
The band Noir Désir officially announced itself in 1987 with the release of its debut album “Où veux-tu qu’je r’garde?”.
But its story began 7 years before that, in 1980. At that time two Lycée friends Bertrand Cantat (vocals, guitar) and Serge Teyssot-Gay (guitar) decided to create their own rock band.
A few months later they were joined by Denis Barthe (drums). Vincent Leriche (bass guitar) joins them in 1981 and the band wins the “Rockotone5” contest.
In 1982 Leriche and Tessot-Gay leave to found B.A.M. (Boîte à Musique) and guitarist Luc Robène and bassist Frederic Vidalenc join the band.
In ’83 Kant leaves as well (none of the founders is left in the band). He is replaced by Emmanuel Ory-Weil, also temporarily. After 6 months Bertrand returns, and Emmanuel becomes the official manager of the band.
In the summer of 1985 Luc Robin leaves because of some creative disagreements within the group and Tesso-Gay returns. From this moment all this “Santa Barbara” stops and the line-up of the band does not change until 1995, when instead of Frédéric Vidalen the bass guitar is taken by Jean-Paul Roy.
Also the band changed its name several times. At first it was called Psychoz, then 6.35 and Station Désir. Until, finally, the musicians settled on Noir Désirs (translation “Dark Desires”) – plural.
Later, when the band signed a contract with the label Barclay Records, the numerous “desires” turned into a single “désir”.
First success and first problems
Noir Désir gained real recognition with the release of its second LP, Veuillez rendre l’âme (à qui elle appartient), in 1989. It burst into radio primetime and was named one of the best rock albums in France. And the song “Aux sombres héros de l’amer” took the leading place in the TOP 50. Such popularity of the composition, by the way, did not please the rebellious ego of the musicians: they thought that only housewives listen to them.
Then the Soviet rockers got a chance to hear Noir Désir “live”: the musicians went on a full-scale tour after the recording of the album and played, including opening for the band “Kino”.
The next two years the albums “Du ciment sous les plaines” (1991) and “Tostaky” (1992) were released.
And then the first serious trouble happened – the vocalist lost his voice. The unbridled way of life combined with psychological problems had an effect. He had to have an urgent/complicated surgery on his vocal cords and suspend his musical activity for a while.
A brilliant comeback
The band Noir Désir returned to the scene four years later with a new, more mature and at the same time heavier release, 666.667 Club (1996).
The popularity of the fresh hit “Un jour en France” no longer embarrassed the band as much as the success of the previous tracks. The musicians realized that along with housewives they were also listened to by true rock music lovers.
And again, after the tour in support of the album, Kanta finds himself in the hospital. Another ligament surgery and a long rehabilitation period is expected.
Together with Bertrand, the band goes silent again for several years. New tracks of Noir Désir were heard by the fans only in 2001 with the release of the new album “Des visages, des figures”, which became the last full-length record of the band.
This release of the band literally sold out. More than a million records were sold, and in 2002 it was awarded the prize of the prestigious French contest “Victoires de la musique”.
The song “Des armes” by Noir Désir is a new hit. This lyrical parable reveals Kant more as a poet than as a musician. In fact, he didn’t so much sing it as he wheezed it out. It is perhaps that rare exception where the words and emotion in a song become more important than the melody.
The critics did not ignore the track “Le vent nous portera” by Noir Désir either. In it, Bertrand uses his favorite trick called “hide the profound lyrics behind an uncomplicated motif”.
The beginning of the end
In the spring of 2004 another blow followed, which Noir Désir could no longer endure. Bertrand Cantat, after a long quarrel with his lover, the actress Marie Trintignant, not having calculated his own strength, hits her several times in the face in the hotel room. A few days later, she dies and Bertrand is sentenced to eight years for manslaughter and subsequent neglect of care.
All this time the band has been trying, if not to conquer new musical heights, at least to hold on. In 2005 he releases a collection of concert recordings “Noir Désir en public” and starts preparing a new album.
A year later the remaining trio performs at the festival “Les Rendez-vous de Terres Neuves”. And in November 2008 the fans could listen to the band’s tracks “Gagnants/Perdants” and “Le Temps des cerises”, posted on the Internet for free.
However, the high-profile comeback never happened. After Bertrand’s release, the quartet tries to record new compositions. But it turned out that there was nothing left between the members that had bonded them before.
In 2010 the band disintegrates for good. Serge Tesso-Gae announced his decision to leave the band on November 29, and the next day Danny Barthe announced that Noir Désir had finally stopped its activities.
The band Noir Désir has been a model of French post-punk/alternative rock music for almost a third of a century. Unfortunately, they won’t please their fans with new tracks anymore. Nevertheless, their music has forever settled in the hearts of several generations who grew up on the compositions of the cult underground quartet.
I discovered this band quite recently, but I’ve already listened to all their albums, and I wish you to do the same.
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