Vesper- Demo 7/6

The production on Vesper's debut demo is primitive at best; the instruments are muddy, and the band's lead vocalist sounds as though he's singing from the bottom of a well. This is easy to overlook, however, in light of the actual songs, which are in the vein of classic gothic pop acts like Clan Of Xymox, with deep wavering vocals and watery guitars drowned in effects pedals on "Break" and drearily wailing squeals of death rock guitar moaning along with tinny keyboards on "Skyfall." Quieting things down a bit, "Five" hints at the old 4AD sound of This Mortal Coil and His Name Is Alive with layered organs awash in sustain, while a more club-oriented mix of "Break" finishes things on a more upbeat note. Just four songs, and probably recorded in someone's basement, but promising nonetheless. Hopefully they can find a label, or at the very least a friend who can loan them money for time in a proper recording studio.

Visit www.geocities.com/vespertine_band for more information.