Adrian Alexis -- Grave New World -- Icehouse Records, 2000

1. Magic Garden
2. Come Away, Come Away
3. Grave New World
4. This Thing I That Call Me
5. New Jack Swing
6. Lusts
7. I love The Dead
8. Tickets To Nowhere
9. Listening to the Stranger
10. Now You’re In Heaven
11. Witch’s Rune
12. Is There Anybody Out There
13. Why?
14. Alone
15. Bewlay Bro’s
16. Bodies
17. In My Room
18. The Calling
19. September Yellows

    Grave New World is Adrian Alexis's second work, songs from his career during 1993 to 2000. His talent in creating such an extraordinary album shines through the entire album's 70 minute length. Grave New World carries a mixture of haunting loneliness, amusing sarcasm, dark gothic rock, and even some old 60's rock tints to the sound. His lyrics in this second album have a couple tongue in cheek songs as like his first, and his serious songs are written better than the first, not an easy accomplishment. He has a lot of creative approaches to his songs, and it very rarely gets repetitive. It's hard to say what the next song will be when listening to this excellent album, as he often changes approaches. His songs about necrophilia, such as I Love the Dead, are just plain funny, while his ballads carry a sad simple melody with touching lyrics.
    Most of the songs have a mixture of gothic electronica with some beautiful synth work. Alexis does all the vocals, sometimes looping back to make almost a duet of himself. At times, his vocals remind me of Peter Murphy, although his music is more electronically based than Bauhaus's ever was. His ballad like songs remind me of a 60's rock touch, with a gothic touch. Alone and Bewlay Brothers are both beautifully written. New Jack Swing is just awesome; it reminds me of a slightly more electronic Monster Mash.
    Alexis's music simply does not get old... Alexis adds his special blend of creativity to gothic and darkwave style music, with lyrics that touch the soul.

Read our interview with Adrian Alexis