Dyonisis - Intoxicated
Intoxicated
CD Info
2010
Singed Records / UK
11 Tracks
English Lyrics
I’ve been listening to a lot of Polish music lately, some of it a little older, but all of it outstanding, the Poles do some beautiful Gothic and have been doing it for a long time. Bands like Batalion D’Amour and Moonlight among others. But, another group slipped through the cracks and found its way onto the CD player without my notice, a somewhat similar style, but with an even stronger vocal component. When I checked it out, it was a British quartet, Dyonisis, from beautiful downtown Sheffield in merry old England. When I looked a little closer, I found that the reason for that stronger vocal had a lot to do with the fact that the band used two female vocalists. And they are good, this is symphonic opera in every sense of the word. And. . . dare I say it without answering to Robin Stryker. . . they sure have some interesting outfits in their promotional pictures.
The name Dyonisis comes from Greek mythology. He is the god of the grape harvest, the god of wine and the god of ritual madness and ectasy. So, a CD name Intoxicated is somewhat appropriate. Dyonisis is a major figure in that mythology and is often listed as one of the 12 Olympians. He is also considered to be the originator of Greek theatre. But, bottom line, he’s the god of damn good times, and I’ll drink to that.
The two vocalists are listed as Nell Cave. .. doing lead vocals, and Lousia Welsby who does vocals and piano. Tom Chaffer does guitars and programming, probably the synths, the drums and a multitude of corollary sounds, while the third member Marcus Cave, yea, they’re married, handles the bass. The music is a symphonic, operatic Gothic, with lyrics to match. Not something you get from the English a lot recently, this sound is more often found on the continent. But, it’s solid work, great instrumental sounds and classic vocals. Relatively strong production as well, especially from a band that calls itself an "underground" production. It’s a mixture of organic and synthetic music, as is much of the music we find in this genre these days, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting. And it’s hard to fake the vocals, and they are pretty much the highlight, at least in this reviewer’s opinion.
It’s a little difficult to categorize the music. Some call it Gothic, some throw around terms related to folk, some call it dark wave, some focus on the operatic, and there’s a new one the band seems to favor. . . trip-hop. Not sure what that means exactly, guess it’s an English expression. But the music covers some terribly beautiful territory. There is the ethereal for sure, sometimes gloomy or brooding, occasionally evocative, and on the rare but distinct occasion, ominous. It’s created with a variety of musical techniques, the vocals and the overall tone being the most relative on most numbers. However, that synthetic capability enhances some songs with a variety of instrumental qualities. And, guest musician, violinist Matt Howden provides some organic components that provide a feeling that only a violin can produce. It can be complex music, both in terms of the writing and the production. We get a wealth of variation between individual numbers, even within individual numbers. I’ve not heard their only previous full release (2007), however, the band has been around now for 10 years and there was a significant period of time between releases. Most reviewers familiar with that previous release were pleased with that one, but comment almost universally that this one greatly surpasses the previous effort in terms of beauty and character.
Intoxicated starts out with that electronic component. But the female vocals make it clear this will be vocally dominated music early on. The sound is ethereal. It’s a short one, but the lyrics make clear the direction of the work:
We are more than the tone of the language on our lips
& we are more than the who with which we choose to share our hips
& we are more than the nights with the lovers we have lost
& we are more than the years full of memories best forgot
& we are more than the hate when they tell us what to think
'cause we are more than the brand of the poisons that we drink
& we are more than the lies that we hide inside ourselves
'cause we are more than the truths used as weapons when we tell
& we are more than the ways in which we chose to close hearts
'cause we are more than sum of our many splintered parts
& we are more
We are more
& we amor
It’s a great beginning, especially if you follow the lyrics, especially that last line, and it means even more when you hear the final song, Lunatic, which closes out the music with the following verse:
We are more than the act of pretending we don't care
& we are more than the trust lost from promises we break
& we are more than the guilt over mistakes we all make
& we are more than the ways in which we choose to close our hearts
We are more than the sum of our many splintered parts
...and we amor.
But, again, it’s the music that drives this CD. And the second selection, Inside Out, takes us from the ethereal to the Gothic. Much more focused metal, harder guitars that drive the interwoven vocals in a stronger direction. This is more in line with the overall direction of the music as a whole. And those vocals are as complex as they are beautiful. Nell takes the lead, as in most numbers; however, the backing vocals of Louisa provide both a counterpoint and a discordant harmony, truly enlightened production work.
Arachne's Song is a different direction again. A kind of New Age beginning flows to a more sedate vocal, softer and more melancholy. We get a rolling drum line that carries much of the song, with an edgy guitar for emphasis. But, at the conclusion, we get a magnificent acappella, somewhat layered, from the vocalist that is a singular highlight of the entire CD.
It’s really hard to pick a favorite with this music, it’s all superb. Depends on your taste. But, if you love the ethereal, Oxygen is hard to ignore. We get an interesting guitar line to open things up, Pick Floyd at it’s finest. But the Floyd, much as I loved them, never had vocalists like this. That vocal is traded off, quietly, over a limited background, with both vocalists joining in perfect harmony, to carry the song forward. Interestingly, it’s the operatic that serves as background much of the time, but both vocals provide a sound that is hard to ignore. We return to the David Gilmour guitars at one point and they provide a counterpoint to the lovely vocals that make this one a classic.
Most of the reviews I’ve read in connection with this work, and there are a lot of them, focus on the music, and rightfully so. The music has to be heard to be believed. But, the lyrics can be equally strong in some songs. Not as black as some, not as painful as the true Gothic, but, in some respects, as beautiful as the music. Flown meets this definition. We get a strong musical component, the vocals soar, the harmony is heavenly, but the lyrics match the music in richness and poignancy.
The dice are rolled
The sky unfolds
Turn to what the future holds
Brace yourself and hurl into tomorrow
Headlong into uncertainty
Hearts for sale
Our bodies free
Thirsting minds devouring memories
If you value beautiful Gothic, music that provides vocals that are at the top of ANY category, music that can entertain you for a long time, Intoxicated will not disappoint. The gods of Olympus are truly satisfied with this one, and so am I.
10 / 10
