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Goth is Still In with Absinthe Vows’ Debut Self-Titled LP

By Charlie Maybee

Ohio-based goth rockers, Absinthe Vows, have released their self-titled debut album, which echoes with the influence of acts like The Cure, The National, and even Marilyn Manson. It is dark and distorted in nature but has a distinct ease to it that ebbs and flows with the swelling synths and chugging guitar.

One of the standout factors that connects each of the songs is the distortion of the lead vocals, which creates a casually eerie effect. Sometimes they sound fuzzier, and other times it feels like they blend and distort into the instrumental mix like a sulking guitar. But the baritone range of the vocals gives the compositions conflicting energies of being heavy and weighted while simultaneously dearth and bare.

The bookends of the album act as the standout tracks for me, personally. The closer, titled “When Choices Become Delusions,” feels sardonic, like it’s wagging its finger at the listener in resounding disappointment. But there’s a lot of space caused by the long, sustained notes in the guitar and synth filled by pulsing drums and bass. It’s an ethereal kind of sound that you could mentally float inside of in a way that makes you lose track of time altogether.

Whether you come for the dark wave vibes or the subdued alt-metal attitude, there’s a lot to love about this album. It’s the kind of music that can instantly turn a mood, but the goth vibes are not strictly a pit of despair. Rather, it is like drifting on a tube down a lazy river in the rain. It moves and creates space for the listener to feel deeply and move through these darker tones. By the end, there’s no obligation to stay, but always an invitation to return.

Absinthe Vow is only available to stream and purchase on the band’s BandCamp page

Charlie Maybee

Charlie Maybee is a dancer, musician, educator, and writer based in Charleston, South Carolina who currently teaches with the Dance Program at the College of Charleston. His primary work as an artist is with his performing collective, Polymath Performance Project, through which he makes interdisciplinary performance art that centers tap dance as the primary medium of expression and research. He also currently plays rhythm guitar for the Charleston-based punk band, Anergy, and releases music as a solo artist under the name Nox Eterna.

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