Album Review
Recorded off and on over the course of six years when David Galas was on hiatus from Lycia — itself mostly in retirement during that time — The Cataclysm quite understandably follows in the vein of that excellent band, though naturally Galas's focus is somewhat different from that of Mike Van Portfleet's. With harrowing cover art taken from photos of the Chernobyl region matched by some chilling but beautiful performances, The Cataclysm often resembles nothing so much as early-'90s era Swans — mystic, mantra-like lyric deliveries, massive, textured guitar arrangements, and a palpable sense of looming apocalypse in keeping with the album title and theme. Song titles such as "Far Away from Nothing," "The Great Ruins of Man," and "Something Fell from the Sky" further set the tone, but while melancholia reigns, there are warmer moments in counterbalance — the rich blend of guitar and synths on "Alone We Will Always Be" could almost be an air of hope, while "September" has a similar bright tinge in the verses, if not the chorus. Some connections to Lycia are unavoidable — Galas has a similar fascination with obsessive, focused performances that seek to envelop and dominate — but he stands well on his own, and if anything, his voice also calls to mind noted Lycia fan Pete Steele of Type O Negative, an interesting nod back. Hearing how he counterbalances various vocal performances on songs — both higher-pitched and distant and then deeply growling on "The End Is Always Closer," for instance — further emphasizes his own specific approach. Add to this a sense of how to actually make a division of a song into two parts actually mean something — check the title track's split between contemplation and blasting rampage — and Galas's long-brewing work proves itself to be a masterpiece.
Customer Reviews
Darkly consuming gothic beauty.
by
Michael Fine
David Galas has brought together a beautiful and enchanting album full of sweet sadness and gothic delights. If you were a fan of the Darkwave band Lycia, then you might be familiar with the distinctive and dark beauty that he helped create. However, here he is on his own and while some of it harkens back to those older days, this is new, fresh and perfectly executed. It melds together Darkwave and Gothic to ascend above either genre to make something amazing.
You will recognize the traditional elements of hollow echos, church bells and the gentle sounds of nature. Yet, "The Cataclysm" sets the tone for one of the finest dark releases by any artist in years by capturing a soundscape that feels new and fresh. There is a sorrowful tone throughout this work but strangley optimistic. Galas strikes the perfect balance between beauty and misery. Its easy to categorize this music but in the end, this is something masterful, interesting and full of asthetic grace.
This album is one excellent track after another and with 19 songs is one of the most fulfilling dark albums in a long time. Each song is well assembled, atmospheric and full of blissful misery. Even if you are not a big gothic music fan, this is a really terrific piece of music to relax and let envelope you in sound. Honestly, this is one of the most accomplished pieces of music of the year and you need to give it a chance. You can look to other "gothic" musicians with their black makeup and clothes for examples of this music or you can listen to David Galas and hear the definition! Buy this now!
