MATTHEW R. DAVIS
Vocals, bass, theremin
TOM KILSBY
Drums, loops
PAUL HUTCHINSON
Guitars
OWEN GILLETT
Keyboards, backing vocals, samples
Influences
Collective experience... but otherwise, far too much to ever mention in one go!
Currently in rotation:
AUDIO =
Portishead, "Third"
Depeche Mode, "Playing The Angel"
Kyuss, "Blues For The Red Sun"
The Mark Of Cain, "Ill At Ease"/"This Is This..."
icecocoon, "How Long Is Forever?" demos
Earth, "Hibernaculum" EP
Dillinger Escape Plan, "Ire Works"
Living Colour, "Stain"
VISUAL =
Doctor Who Season Four
Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom
Doctor Who - Time-Flight/Robot
Very Bad Things
ANALOGUE BOOKS =
The Secret Books Of Paradys (Tanith Lee)
Aliens/Predator: Panel By Panel (Dark Horse Comics)
How best to describe Champagne Tragedy, the debut album from local lads Blood Red Renaissance? Words like diverse, adventurous, deranged and unhinged spring readily to mind but simply don’t do justice to what is an absolute collision and explosion of different musical styles.
All too often bands that attempt to combine many different elements into one album lose focus and direction as the emphasis shifts away from the songs. That is definitely not the case here. Blood Red Renaissance have come up with an exhilarating album full of challenging, fully-formed songs. To give you an idea of what to expect there are elements of industrial, metal, gothic, electronica, hip-hop and more within the BRR melting pot.
Opening track “Not Dead Yet” is crazed industrial metal straight from the Ministry manual. This is followed by the frantic “Boring!”, a dance/hip-hop/rock number propelled along by buzzsaw guitars and samples. Next up funk and punk make an appearance in “Encyclopaedia Self-Destructica”, before “Binary” combines epic, almost progressive elements with a soaring chorus and keyboards reminiscent of Faith No More.
“Don’t Walk Alone” has a funky bassline and sinister keyboards lurking in the background, while “Twice Bitten, Thrice Shy” is a mellow, whimsical but sinister ballad. Even a theremin and apparently a fire extinguisher (?) make an appearance on the morbidly humorous “Cemetery Girl”, a track very much in keeping with the album’s gruesome, blood-drenched cover art. I could go on, but suffice to say there are plenty more gems of various hues on offer.
Congratulations to a local band that have the courage of their convictions and have managed to come up with a brilliant debut album. To paraphrase a well-known idiot, do yourself a favour. Grab a copy of Champagne Tragedy, and catch Blood Red Renaissance at a venue near you.
[James McKenzie, dB Magazine]
BMcR E-store now trading; stocking cd's, t-shirts and stickers from a range of heavy locals including Internecine Excoriation, Moon, Catacomb, Phalanx, Defamer, Dead Letter Opener, Scuurvy, People Die, Nefaria, Rote Roue and more.
Featuring credit card, direct deposit & paypal; quick delivery, reliable service and hard-to-find products...
Brisbane bands if you would like to become a part of our "one stop shop" for all things local and heavy, you can email us at records@brismetal.com or contact via myspace for more info....
