Album: King Night by Salem
by Chris on 06 January 2011
A review of the debut album from Michigan's spooky trio Salem
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Pros
Which House?
Witch House, Ghost House, Drag, Ethereal Wave and the disturbing yet accurate Rape Gaze are just some of the words used to describe the type of sound that pumps out of the SALEM factory, but don’t let this put you off debut album KING NIGHT which is possibly the album of 2010.
So what’s it like?
To get the most out of King Night it really is a big headphones on, lights out job, a Dark Side of the Moon for 2010 is perhaps the best way to put it. The opening track King Night wades in deep to the Salem sound, a dark droning take on the famous O Holy Night (Home Alone) which is accompanied by grubby drum patterns and a truck load of ghostly distortion, it really is a great piece of work as a banging album opener.
Other highlights include the confessional ‘Sick’ and my personal favourite ‘Trapdoor’ which is where we get the first glimpses of the slow and slurred rap style that Donoghue brings to the table, which works rather well extending the dream like feel of the album where tracks blur from one to the next with no real fenced off area’s, almost a free range approach where sounds can go where they want, and don’t always have to come back.
It really does feel like King Night was originally a crispy, clean cut record that on the way to the store got possessed and shifted into what is currently found in the case.
Many people over the years claim to have captured a picture or seen a ghost, but I feel Salem have captured the sound of a ghost, something not quite from the world we know.
If the Blair Witch was in a band it would be this one!
Cons
Bit of a Drag
Don’t get your hopes up on seeing a great live performance…
So what who cares? we don’t!
Agree or not? Give us your opinion. Or don't (no-one will make you).