Label
Indpendent
Reviewed by
V
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Dies Irae
Last Edit/Update
04 October, 1999
DOGMA
Something happened in the 80s when I was still wearing black lipstick and letting my fingers wander everytime Robert Smith sighed..we would drink ourselves silly on everclear and go mope on the mall in Uptown, ignoring the passers by. (oh I shudder to recall those days) Then I turned 18, and what happened was suddenly music took a turn for the worse and started sucking. Everyone was doing insane freaky shit to themselves like cramming their genitals into spandex pants and wearing lime green tank tops. This actually continued for a number of years, contrary to the belief that disease can always be extinguished by ingenuity. Even now, all these years later, most of us have had to turn to the deep recesses of the underground to find anything worth getting passionate about. Dies Irae has been around for a few years now..and its only unfortunate that one has to immerse itself completely in the realm of existence that involves being completely unconventional in order to discover them. Hailing from Minneapolis, MN, this foursome has managed to infect a very lucky handful of souls across the planet. They have reawakened the finger wandering, the scantily clad living room dancing, the absolute visual paralysis those of us still holding onto the 80s haven't experienced since our first Siouxie and the Banshees concert. They have successfully ressurrected the best parts of our past through minimalistic electronics, non processed vocals, and a truly nostalgic retrun to that Bauhaus bass tone. They bring a cool refresher to the ranks of wretchedly unpoetic and overdone gothic acts getting recognition today. Vocalist Civitas tosses an intelligent mix of visualization and wry humor into his lyrics, which completes a grand picture when combined with the obvious raw talent of Jonathan Ford, Benjamin Bacon, and JJ Kidder-the remaining members of his band.
I scoffed when I first saw them open for Tess Records' Autumn last
year. They were then incomplete and a little uncomfortable.. (or perhaps it was I who was
uncomfortable with being pierced by a truly sensuous stare, one that will be the downfall
of Civitas Hall for sure when the wrong individual gets reeled in.) Then, they reeked of
SOM...Civitas moved like Alexander Vellanov, and the group was a shoddy and incongruous
conglomeration of college students.They have since come a long way, and their stage
presence is more professional and laid back. Most take them for being too serious, too
quasigothic, too into their own body odors, and completely uninterested in anyone else. I
have come to realise this is completely untrue. I really believe they take themselves for
absolute fools, and tend to laugh at others on the inside...others that think over
adulation and worship is the way to this bands heart. When asked what they thought of
themselves, Ben retaliated with," Are you really sure you want that CD...because we
really suck."
The CD is 14 tracks of energetic and romantically fun music...with a few darker songs thrown in the mix. Highlights include Postal, Unbelievers, Asheade, and Deforestation( a great instrumental that defies any need for words or explanation). My only slap on the wrist is going to come with Whisper, where the uncanny resemblance to the Cure's Same Deep Waters As You is a little too prevalent.
But really...the only thing that disappoints with Dies Irae is the fact that they don't have major distribution and a live drummer (but is that necessary?) Oh...and that JJ hasn't yet tried stuffing himself into spandex.
For the latest dirt visit their site:
http://www.dogma.org/diesirae/
