Lahannya – ‘Defiance’ (Kabuki Records)
CD Reviews
Written by David Whistance
Saturday, 24 October 2009 14:00
As I visit rock clubs up and down our fair country, one thing that infuriates me more than anything else is hearing the so called rock DJ’s filling their allocated spot with Electronic, Industrial Gothic Dirge, played at outrageously high volumes in a vain attempt to disguise the fact that…well, it’s simply not rock is it?
So given this gripe and the fact that aside from the growling snarl of tampon throwing starlet Donita Sparks and the garage rock holler of Hollywood underdog Juliette Lewis, my passion for female fronted rock bands is virtually non-existent. So, it is with somewhat bated breath that I first sit down and introduce my CD player to the latest release by female fronted Electronic, Industrial Goth rock outfit, Lahannya.
‘Defiance’ is the Anglo German quartet’s sophomore release, following close on the heels of the ‘Welcome To The Underground’ EP from last year, a dystopian tail of futuristic Britain where the UK has been turned into a surveillance society, and misfits and non conformists ostracised from Brave New Britain have withdrawn into the London Underground.
Still with me? Good. ‘Defiance’ continues where ‘Welcome To The Underground’ concluded, tracing the path of the resistance leader as he lives with the terrible knowledge of his participation in the creation. ‘Defiance’ is described as Lahannya’s darkest and most aggressive release to date, so is it musically any good?
As the opening prelude kicks in, an atmospheric orchestral opening that quickly leads into ‘Dying Inside’, a heavy drumbeat, along with industrial chugging guitars, I started to think maybe this isn’t going to be so bad after all.
‘Sick And Tired’ is up next, and this is when I suddenly realise I must have accidentally sat on the remote control and pressed rewind as I hear the same industrial chugging guitars, heavy drumbeat along with the same haunting vocal style as the album opener, but no, this is an album of little variation as each of the twelve tracks seemingly morph into one, into another. That is until ‘Open Your Eyes’, a gentle piano opens the song, at last a bit of variation I’m thinking… oh no, it’s soon back to the chugging industrial guitars, heavy drum patterns. Are you starting to get the picture?
I wouldn’t describe the album as atrocious, but there are moments where I feel I’m listening to somebody who has just taken the stage at the local rock club karaoke and not an artist that has worked with many respected underground progressive gothic artists as Lahannya has. The repetitiveness of Lahannya’s vocal range soon begins to antagonise me long before ‘Defiance’s’ final number ‘Our War’.
Fans of this genre will no doubt lap ‘Defiance’ up in abundance, and there are a couple of saving moments of grace on the album such as ‘Burn’ and the aforementioned ‘Open Your Eyes’. Lahannya is a well-respected artist in underground circles, and after listening to ‘Defiance’ I can only conclude that she may well be there for a little while longer, patiently waiting for her moment.
If you like your music Electronic, Industrial music with a gothic edge performed by a female vocalist then ‘Defiance’ will take you to musical heaven, unfortunately for me it’s my idea of musical hell.