The Birthday Massacre
Violet

THE REVIEW

These six guys present themselves with a not overly eccentric look that includes white schoolboy shirts, black ties, a dash of synthetic blood on the lips, and notably pale faces.

They have been known for a few years in the alternative scene under the name The Birthday Massacre and hail from Toronto, but it is more than evident that their music is far more suited to the German audience than to the one across the ocean. It's no coincidence that the success so eagerly pursued with their debut "Nothing and Nowhere" (2002) didn't take long to arrive precisely in German lands, where in 2005 the lucky EP "Violet" made a splash among the audience. In it, we find the right dose of nu metal energy, industrial temptations, electronic reverberations, an unmistakable accessibility with an intriguing pop aftertaste that draws liberally from the eighties decade, and the display of a childish spirit corruptible by gothic perversions, cleverly depicted in the tasty and fascinating cover artwork. Initially, it's the refinement of a sweet and childlike voice, that of the alluring Chibi, that accompanies us through this brief journey, halfway between dream and nightmare, traversing an emotional kaleidoscope of nine chromatically violet-coated songs. Then, suddenly, we are awakened by the boldness of guitars that are sometimes rock, sometimes nu metal, sometimes industrial (which denote the band's underlying aggression) and seductive keyboards, ready to play with the listener and envelop them in a whirl of danceable rhythms.

Among the proposed tracks, the neurotic and disturbed "Lovers' End", the lightheartedness and easy-listening appeal of the title track, the power of "Play Dead" (which could very well compete with acts such as The Love Crave, The Dreamside and other modern-gothic metal bands), as well as the extraordinary "Blue" stand out. The track forms a whirlwind of perversion where rosy and childish downturns alternate with fierce screaming vocals (hearing such a possessed Chibi is almost frightening!); the keyboards help in creating a murky atmosphere and the guitars pay tribute to Rammstein, destroying any barrier imposed by the frivolity of other tracks. However, from the first listen, the need to add more substance to fully convince and gain wider approval becomes immediately apparent.

"Violet", in short, does not have the adequate potential to shake up the current industrial scene, or the synth-pop one, or that of nu-gothic metal, but the EP in question knows how to play its cards right, succeeding in assembling a small series of memorable episodes, and it will surely satisfy anyone in search of music transcending the prefabricated standards of the current dark scene. The only regret pertains to the short duration of the record in question, interspersed here and there with atmospheric interludes that skillfully recreate a childlike nightmare ambiance, but which could have also been blended with a greater number of tracks, and for two not so memorable songs like "Holiday" and "Nevermind" placed at the end. If you're interested, get the expanded version of the album, in which you can find four bonus tracks retrieved from the equally interesting "Nothing and Nowhere".