What an intriguing band The Birthday Massacre are. Led by Chibi, Rainbow and Falcore, this Canadian group plays electro goth rock that incorporates synthesizers, guitars and keytar. Since the childhood friends formed the band in 1999, they’ve released four full-length albums and have made plenty of remixes. Their brand new EP, Imaginary Monsters, was released on Aug. 9.
The first song, “Forever,” is a light track and you can really tell that their music is incredibly diverse. “Burn Away” follows and it gets much heavier with guitars and drums before Chibi’s soft female vocals take over. The third song, “Left Behind,” focuses on its synthesizers, making this tune a very enjoyable instrumental.
“Pale” is another fine track, consisting of great sound effects on the keyboards to go along with Chibi and Rainbow singing together for most of the song. The disc gets much more upbeat with the fifth song, “Control.” My favorite track from the album, this tune continues to leave you in suspense of what is about to happen next. You will be drawn in to the incredibly catchy chorus with its great keys, but more importantly, the guitar solo is remarkable. The longest song here, “Pins And Needles,” is explosive, featuring great drums along with a techno-like beat. Also included on this eight-track EP is the emotional music video for the song “In The Dark.”
Think of a toned-down KMFDM with a female singer and that’s what you get in The Birthday Massacre. Chibi is an exceptional vocalist and at times, she reminds me of the new Nightwish singer, Anette Olzon. This is an EP that will get you hooked on their music.
In A Word: Astonishing
