Shimmering images and finely shifting atmospheres
tomcheese | Sydney, Nova Scotia Canada | 02/09/2002
(3 out of 5 stars)
"The Art of Darkness is a collection of goth from the years 1982-1995.
It summons up shimmering images and finely shifting atmospheres at its best; what you'll see mostly is dubious shadowed figures, delirious underground movements, unseemly and Victorian, or the rich roll of some predator's cape.
At its worst such stuff sounds puffed-up, running-make-up theatrical and you'll catch a skinny guy in black tights trying to creep up on you. The prerequisite pulse and glaze of opaque synthesizers, sparse or decorative guitars and morbid preoccupations appear.
Goth's best on this best-of collection are Bauhaus' slitheringly elegant eulogy to Bela Lugosi--Bela Lugosi Is Dead (live), Sisters of Mercy's enthused doom This Corrosion, Killing Joke's buoyant Love Like Blood, Skinny Puppy's disordered Dig It and Fields of the Nephilim's cushion-layered, ghoulishly sung Moonchild. This is illusory music; Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry and The Cult also show up for the ceremony. I am still to get my fangs, however."