Wave / Form – Terminal Gods debut album – kicks in with the fuzz fed guitar feedback, drum machine heavy intro to Shockwave and right from the off makes clear it’s intent. Their guitars are switched to power play, their synths set to stun, all combine to compliment their lead singers undeniable baritone vocals and guide us into a world where black leather and dark glasses rule.
Terminal Gods have been to the Floorshow, taken in all what they saw, studied it, and have no shame in proudly wearing their influences on their heavy leather lapels – but it’s quite clear that they’re more emulate than imitate, when it comes to putting those influences together to create what is simply a very good, easily accessible collection of songs that fit nicely into the post-punk / goth section of your collection.
Take Electric Eyes or Cold Life as examples. Here we have songs that could easily have been swept from the Sisters cutting room floor…
Whereas aforementioned tracks have been around a while, Connection & Rupture was written for this album. Not as gothic, but no less new-wave than the other tracks, it smacks of maturity. From it’s rather ominous, stark opening, and the deep somewhat taunting vocals, you can feel a brooding tension that edges on the brink and doesn’t let fly until the final half of the song where it explodes to cover you with the full force of the Gods…
Consistent throughout, it’s not overly easy to pick a stand out track – which is testament to the quality of the entire tracklist – but I do have a soft spot for Discovery. Coming midway through the album, I love the underlying surf tones mixed with the power chords and did we mention the vocals already ?
As we said earlier, it’s easy to pick up on the classic gothic slant to the album, which is no mistake and as we reach the end, closing track ‘Heyday’ is as a fine a track as any you are likely to find this side of 1987.
Terminal Gods – Wave / Form is out now on all formats, but you should really treat yourself to the vinyl copy. Lead singer, Cowlin is well respected authority on all things vinyl / sound reproduction, so its fair to say that it is of the highest quality and comes in a rather lovely black poly-lined inner bag to make sure it can be nurtured and loved for long, long time – which it definitely deserves.
TERMINAL GODS are : Robert Cowlin / Robert Maisey / Josh Cooper / Jonathon Campbell-Ratcliffe.
– featured image by Keira Cullinane
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